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Second child, who actually DOES have ADHD, she has the classic jaw dropping "OMG is this the same child?" response to medication, that medication worked for her was blindingly obvious right from the first half hr of the first tablet... Stimulants might make studying or staying awake easier for most folks but they don't radically change focus, bodily control, etc the way it does for my DD (who also can't reliably stay dry off medication, has radically different handwriting on and off medication, and various other things).
Yep, that's what we see with DD, although very low doses of meds don't make much of a difference (or only last a couple hours). Adults who DON'T have ADHD talk about getting a high or ramped up feeling from stimulants, kind of like you'd get on high doses of caffeine, but DD acts "high" when she is not medicated (kind of like a happy drunk) and calm when she is. Does your DD have dysgraphia? I'm wondering if meds would somehow help DS with his handwriting (if he also has ADHD). I know a significant percentage of people with ADHD have handwriting issues.
While I am sure there must be SOME inappropriate use of stimulants in our universities, I get the impression it's not nearly to the same degree as what you guys are talking about. ADHD can only be diagnosed and medication prescribed by a specialist here, it's not trivial with a child, it's generally a months long multidisciplinary process with an adult (particularly young adults from what I can see)... Your local doctor can prescribe anti depressants (and anti anxiety meds too I think), but not stimulants.
Er yes, puffin had made my point for me - it SHOULD be hard to get diagnosed and be prescribed medication for ADHD, but the pearson thing is just icky. Having stricter controls on who diagnoses/prescribes and how would surely be more effective? For us, even when seeing the appropriately qualified specialist they still have to call the government for permission to write the script, every single time "this is Dr X calling re script Y for patient Z, yes they were on a different medication/dose last time, reason ABC. Ok. thanks..." We listen to this every six months, more often when adjusting at the start. Questions were asked when multiple changes were made in a short while...
According to this article, there are schools where the abuse of stimulants is widespread. I wonder if there will someday be drug-testing for takers of standardized tests.
At high schools across the United States, pressure over grades and competition for college admissions are encouraging students to abuse prescription stimulants, according to interviews with students, parents and doctors. Pills that have been a staple in some college and graduate school circles are going from rare to routine in many academically competitive high schools, where teenagers say they get them from friends, buy them from student dealers or fake symptoms to their parents and doctors to get prescriptions.
Of the more than 200 students, school officials, parents and others contacted for this article, about 40 agreed to share their experiences. Most students spoke on the condition that they be identified by only a first or middle name, or not at all, out of concern for their college prospects or their school systems’ reputations — and their own.
“It’s throughout all the private schools here,” said DeAnsin Parker, a New York psychologist who treats many adolescents from affluent neighborhoods like the Upper East Side. “It’s not as if there is one school where this is the culture. This is the culture.”
Observed Gary Boggs, a special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration, “We’re seeing it all across the United States.”
The D.E.A. lists prescription stimulants like Adderall and Vyvanse (amphetamines) and Ritalin and Focalin (methylphenidates) as Class 2 controlled substances — the same as cocaine and morphine — because they rank among the most addictive substances that have a medical use. (By comparison, the long-abused anti-anxiety drug Valium is in the lower Class 4.) So they carry high legal risks, too, as few teenagers appreciate that merely giving a friend an Adderall or Vyvanse pill is the same as selling it and can be prosecuted as a felony.
While these medicines tend to calm people with A.D.H.D., those without the disorder find that just one pill can jolt them with the energy and focus to push through all-night homework binges and stay awake during exams afterward. “It’s like it does your work for you,” said William, a recent graduate of the Birch Wathen Lenox School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle." - George Orwell
Has anyone used cognitive behavioral therapy in coordination with drug interventions?
Yes; we use a blend of CBT and ABA methods alongside meds. It has been extremely helpful.
For some kids, meds do appear to be truly necessary for learning; the stigma of being "that kind of parent that just medicates their kid into submission" is real, and we feel it deeply; yet the stigma for the child of being "that child who behaves badly" is even worse.
By 2nd grade my elder child was convinced (by his teacher and his own observations of himself) that he was a bad person because he could not behave. This still makes my heart ache.
According to this article, there are schools where the abuse of stimulants is widespread.
Thank you for sharing this article. While it is discouraging to learn of the widespread and ingrained nature of stimulant abuse, the implications may be far-reaching. For example, to the degree that stimulants are described as being the "culture" among wealthier families, might the abuse of controlled substances be part of the demographic "excellence gap" and the "achievement gap"?
Originally Posted by Bostonian
I wonder if there will someday be drug-testing for takers of standardized tests.
Time to begin adding legal notice to standardized tests, managing expectations as to what the consequences will be for those who test positive? For those with Rx, there may also need to be a signed waiver allowing access to review the student's Dx & Rx history.
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At high schools across the United States, pressure over grades and competition for college admissions are encouraging students to abuse prescription stimulants, according to interviews with students, parents and doctors.
Sounds like the interviewed students, parents and doctors are looking for an easy out, as "pressure" does not necessarily encourage "abuse", it merely presents a circumstance which tests one's character, confidence, and ability. At best, pressure presents a temptation to cheat or game the system. Individuals acting in concert or alone still have choices.
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Of the more than 200 students, school officials, parents and others contacted for this article, about 40 agreed to share their experiences. Most students spoke on the condition that they be identified by only a first or middle name, or not at all, out of concern for their college prospects or their school systems’ reputations — and their own... “It’s like it does your work for you,” said William, a recent graduate of the Birch Wathen Lenox School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Looks like William might be identifiable by mention of his school... unless there are many Williams there?
Adderall made my DD who does actually have ADHD a little crazy. I cringe to think what it might do (at large doses) to someone who is "normal".
Some of the meds are more addictive than others. For instance the patch she is on now does not reach peak blood level concentrations til 9 hours after it is put on. It kicks in gradually and wears off gradually. So no one would get a high from it.
It does seem unlikely that huge numbers of students are going to the effort and expense of getting themselves diagnosed incorrectly.
I would NOT agree with this statement.
I have heard parents even openly discussing doctor-shopping for a diagnosis in order to obtain accommodations for middle and high school students in order to enhance performance. They view it as being very much like hiring a tutor.
The real abuse problem in terms of the meds is on college campuses, though. It is ubiquitous, and has been for at least a decade. College kids think of these as "no different than coffee-- just more effective." They certainly are, and there seems to be little down side to those students, as they are able to do more with less sleep, retain information better due to increased focus, etc.
