Side Effects Of Stimulant Drugs example essay topic

What's it Like? Having ADHD (Attention defecate hyperactivity disorder) is like living inside a fast moving pinball game where sights, sounds, and thoughts are constantly shifting from side to side. Becoming easily bored, yet you are helpless to keep your mind on task. You become easily distracted by unimportant sights and sounds. You don't control your mind, the actions around you control your mind. You are unable to sit still, finish tasks, plan ahead, or be fully aware of what's going on around them.

To their family, friends, peers, and teachers they seem to exist in a world full of chaos, corruption, and disorganization. It will diminish self esteem by marring ones relationships with others and disrupting their daily life. It's like living in a black and white movie. You can only see to types of colors, the colors of boredom, depression, anxiety, and frustration. Your brain rejects any work which requires sustained mental effort.

You feel as if everyone around you understands everything and you understand nothing. Research being done on ADHD With more than 2 million children diagnosed with ADHD in the Unites States research has become a top priority. New medicines are being developed to help people suffering with the effects of ADHD. Scientists are getting closer to pinpointing the biological basis of ADHD. Scientists at the N IHM (National Institute of Mental Health) are dedicated to understanding the workings and interrelationships of the various regions of the brain to develop preventive measures and treatments to overcome mental brain disorders that handicap people. Symptoms and Behaviors Symptoms Symptoms include fidgeting, hyperactivity, poor origination skills, low self esteem due to poor grades and lack of self fulfillment, low attention span, always touching things, easily distracted, and depression.

Behaviors Three behaviors common in people with ADHD. 1. Inattention, People who are inattentive have a hard time keeping their mind on any one thing and may get bored with a task after a few minutes. They may give effortless or automatic attention to activities and things they enjoy. But focusing deliberate, conscious attention to organizing and completing a task or learning something new is extremely difficult. 2.

Hyperactivity, People who are hyperactive always seem to be in motion. They can't sit still. They may dash around or talk incessantly. Sitting still through a lesson can be an impossible task. Hyperactive children squirm in their seat or roam around the room. Or they might wiggle their feet and touch everything, or noisily tap their pencil.

Hyperactive teens and adults may feel intensely restless. They may try to do several things at once, bouncing around from one activity to the next 3. Impulsivitity, People who are overly impulsive seem unable to stop their immediate reactions or think before they act. As a direct result, they may blurt out inappropriate comments or they may run into the street without looking. Their Impulsivitity may make it hard for them to wait for things that they want. Mental Treatment Options Treatment options include the following.

Talking to a school counsouler and or Principal to assess learning environment and possible adaptations. Haveing a parent / student meeting with the school psychologist to discuss mental treatments. Meeting with your family pediatrician to evaluate weather or not the child needs medication. Cons luting a professional psychologist to talk about testing, medication, and mental talk treatment. Medication -Medications avalable to people who have ADHD / ADD include. Add eral.

An amphetamine percription drug percribed only for ADHD / ADD is a mixture of four different amphetamine salts, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Amphetamine Aspartate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate, and Amphetamine Sulfate. This treatment for ADHD / ADD is longer lasting that its competitor Ritalin and has less extreme highs and lows. Extended release or short time release versions avalable. Extended release lasts the whole school day or up to 8 hours. Short time lasts up to 4 hours, then after or just before the effects have wore off, the user usually needs a booster to get through the school day. Side effects- The most common side effects are restlessness, dizziness, insomnia, headache, dryness of the mouth, and weight loss.

Other side effects of stimulant drugs are reduced stature, ticks, stomach aches, and moodiness. Ritalin. A stimulant percription drug commonly percribed for ADHD / ADD. Sharpens the short term attention span simmilary like the illegal stimulant cocaine.

Lasts up to 4 hours short time version, or up to 8 hours extended release version. Side effects- The two most common side effects are appetite suppression and insomnia. Other side effects are reduced stature, ticks, stomach aches, and moodiness. Long-term use has also been linked to abnormalities in brain development similar to those found with Cocaine. In one recent study, 9% of children taking Ritalin developed psychotic symptoms. Attenade.

Attenade received FDA approval of for use with ADHD on 8/21/2001. It is a more highly refined version Ritalin. It only includes the R-form of the methylphenidate instead of mixing it with its close inert cousin, the L-form. This form of the drug lasts about 6 hours, which is longer than regular Ritalin. Because it only includes the active ingredient, the fact is dosage is usually half that of Ritalin, because Ritalin is only half active. Side effects- The most common side effects are the same as Ritalin.

Attenade may cause insomnia, loss of appetite, reduced stature, ticks, "zombie" demeanor, stomach aches, and moodiness. Concert a. It was FDA approved for treatment of adhd on 8/01/00. It is a reformulation of Ritalin for sustained delivery which is a better option than Ritalin because it only has to be taken once a day help to help eliminate the feelings of embarrassment that children may feel when taking medication during of the school day. It helps in sharpening the short-term attention span when the drug kicks in and because it releases over several hours it delivers a smoother dose over about twelve hours. Sustained delivery can be important for kids with after-school activities and homework.

Side effects- The most common side effects reported were headache, upper respiratory tract infection, stomach ache, vomiting, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, increased cough, sore throat, and dizziness. Cylert. Quoted from a Dec 6, 1996 letter from Abbott Laboratories, manufacturer: "Because of its association with life threatening hepatic failure, Cylert should not ordinarily be considered as first line drug therapy for ADHD. Since marketing in 1975, 13 cases of acute hepatic failure have been reported to the FDA. While the absolute number of reported cases is not large, the rate of reporting ranges from 4 to 17 times the rate expected in the general population. This estimate may be conservative because of under reporting and because the long latency between initiation of treatment and the occurrence of hepatic failure may limit recognition of the association.

If only a portion of actual cases were recognized and reported, the risk could be substantially higher. Of the 13 cases reported as of May 1996, 11 resulted in death or liver transplantation, usually within four weeks of the onset of signs and symptoms of liver failure. The earliest onset of hepatic abnormalities occurred six months after initiation. Although some reports described dark urine and nonspecific prodromal symptoms (e. g., anorexia, malaise, and gastrointestinal symptoms), in other reports it was not clear if any prodromal symptoms preceded the onset of jaundice. It is also not clear if the recommended baseline and periodic liver function testing are predictive of these instances of acute liver failure".

Cylert. Cylert is only percribed after close examination of medical records. You will not pe percribed to Cylert if you have liver dysfunction and liver disease, if you suffer from psychotic disorders that produce the symptoms of ADD, and if you take a (MAO) inhibitor. Do not take Cylert if you use heterocyclic antidepressants, if you are under age six or over age sixty, and if you have had negative reactions to this drug in the past. Side effects- Side effects Include Nausea, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping or weight loss. Abdominal pain, headache, drowsiness, dizziness, mood changes, lack of coordination, tics / unusual movements, skin rash, yellow eyes, skin or chest pain, severe liver damage. (consult doctor if any side effect occurs)! .