For years people treated "hyperactive" children with a sort of exhausted tolerance. There was an idea that the child would "just grow out of it." Exasperated parents and teachers tried any number of interventions, none of which seemed to help. No one seemed to know what to do with these children...and then there was a new diagnosis: ADD or ADHD. This diagnosis and the following prescribed treatments have been hailed as either a great advance or shouted at as a warning that we are over-medicating our children. The rise of these new behavioral drugs has given way to a significant increase in drug abuse. Adding to the already high amounts of legal drug abuse, such as morphine, Prozac, Oxycodone, Valium, Vicodin, and Xanax, Ritalin is begin used and sold as the common street drug speed . When working on your project, keep in mind that these drugs have widespread benefits while causing large-scale addictions. As you research this topic, keep in mind both points of view and see which one you agree or disagree with.
Questions to keep in mind: Is medication helping? Is there such a thing as ADD/ADHD? Should children be medicated if it is helping them? Are there any downsides to using these medications? How have peoples lives been improved by medications? How would many mentally ill live if they had no help from medications?
