Essay Sample on Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder: Therapy vs. Medication

Introduction

The debate whether attention deficit disorder (ADHD) should be treated with medication or therapy has continued to be heated among practitioners, caregiver's victims and the whole society. Either side seems to be in disagreement with the other over which method is best suited to invoke the required changes in the brain chemistry of the patient. ADHD is an extensively renowned childhood disorder. Nearly 3 to 7 percent of school-aged children have the disorder (Goldman, Genel, Bezman, & Slanetz, 1998). Pervasiveness levels seem to shift by the community, with surveys indicating that cities are likely to hold higher levels ranging from 10 to 15 percent. The main symptoms associated with ADHD entails distractibility, forgetfulness, poor impulse control and hyperactivity. ADHD is also likely to persist even in adulthood. The growing awareness for the possible persistence of ADHD from childhood through adolescence to adulthood has resulted in the developing trends of treating the disease. Parents, victims, and guardians are torn between therapy or medications due to their varying levels of effectiveness and the relation between stimulants use and future drug abuse problems. This essay justifies why parents and guardians should prefer treatment rather than therapy when managing ADHD.

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Most ADHD children suffer from comorbid disorders; it is, therefore, vital that a combination of treatment modalities be administered. The treatment of distractibility, forgetfulness, poor impulse control and hyperactivity at the same time rather than singularly gives the patients a better coping chance. Medical treatment is critical in the treatment of ADHD. Simulants such as methylphenidate and dexamphetamine are among the first choice treatment option for ADHD. Various treatment trial has demonstrated that there is a significant reduction in the symptoms of ADHD both in children and adults as a result of stimulant use (Meijer, Faber, van den Ban & Tobi, 2009). In the trials, the treatment with stimulants improved the hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, symptoms of about 70 percent of ADHD children. In addition to reducing the main symptoms, the use of stimulants was also vital to improving associated traits such as social function, academic performance and on-task behavior (Meijer et al. 2009). However, other people argue that the use of medications may not be a treatment option for ADHD but just a way of controlling the disease. The use of stimulants has also been associated with provoking various toxic symptoms associated with increased blood pressure and heart rates. The use of medication as a treatment option for ADHD may be harmful or helpful depending on how strict the prescribed doses have been followed. Moreover, there are a variety of stimulants (Adzenys, Lisdexamfetamine, Dextroamphetamine, Dexmethylphenidate, and Methylphenidate) that are specified after clinical observation of the patient's medical history and observed patient behavior. An adult with ADHD can learn to manage his or her disease without using medication regularly, however, they cannot make it go away. Also, if their life is hectic, going without medications can have severe effects on the quality of life they lead.

Nonpharmacological approaches in the treatment of ADHD such as cognitive-behavioral therapies (e.g., coaching, tutoring, and traditional behavioral methods) are not a treatment method on their own. Behavioral therapy is a type of treatment that focuses on changing potential self-destructive characters (Healthline). As much as behavioral therapy maybe vital in changing specific traits of the victim, it fails to address the contemplations and sentiments of the patients. There is also intellectual therapy, which is a type of therapy that is focused on rebuilding the client's perspectives. Intellectual therapists believe that by restoring the perspectives of an individual, he or she will later concentrate on rebuilding their practices. This type of therapy is inadequate as ADHD patients require consideration attracted to both musings and practices. Also, young aged children may be unable to understand their perspectives. There is also narrative therapy which focuses on an individual's account of their life. Narrative therapy works on the basis that a person's account of their life influences how they feel about their daily life experiences. This type of therapy also fails to address behavioral changes of ADHD patients directly. Therapy fails to comprehensively address the challenges brought by ADHD as they fall under different categories and specialization areas. Furthermore, the financial costs of seeking and obtaining the services of certain types of therapy that clinical studies have indicated effective in managing ADHD symptoms is massive when compared to medical treatments. Therapeutic services can, therefore, be crucial adjuncts to medical treatment methods but not a complete treatment method.

Stimulants have created a world of improvement for most children and adults who have ADHD. Most parents and guardians are hesitant to put their children under stimulant prescriptions and would prefer therapy due to the link of the medication with future drug abuse behavior. The rationale for this fear among parents is that stimulant medications such as amphetamine can induce an increase in dopamine concentration resulting in the brain resulting in reinforcing effects (Volkow & Swanson, 2008). In addition, the timing of the exposure effect on drug-related behavior in the future is also another reason that is used to justify therapy use over medications in ADHD treatment. According to epidemiological studies, the earlier an individual is exposed to substances that have an abuse potential such as alcohol the higher a risk they have of developing dependence traits in adulthood (Volkow & Swanson, 2008). Both of these notions are true, and misuse of methylphenidate or amphetamine can result in independence. However, the opposite is also true. Treatment of ADHD children with stimulants significantly reduces their likelihood to engage in drug-related behavior in the future. Individuals who have ADHD have a higher chance of participating in substance abuse than their age mates who do not have the condition. Children with untreated ADHD are likely to be faced with new psychiatric disorders such as (mood and antisocial behaviors) in as they grow (Stevens, Wilens, & Stern, 2013). When entering adulthood the children with untreated ADHD demonstrate greater traffic-related adverse outcomes and poorer driving abilities (Stevens, Wilens, & Stern, 2013). The latter exposes them to risk of citations for speeding, crashes and suspended driving licenses. Apart from facing the criminal justice system, the traits of a child growing with untreated ADHD increases the risks of being initiated in drug use and other addictive behaviors.

Moreover, it is also argued that therapy can also induce the mechanical brain changes that are provoked by stimulants in the management of ADHD. Therapists can help increase the self-regulating and attention capacities of children through increased physical activities such as teaching organizational skills, maintaining a well-balanced, healthy diet, limiting electronics, improving sleep and strengthening the structure and consistency both in schools and home (Lara, n.d.). However, therapy can only motivate these practices but not play an active role in their initiation to manage ADHD. Additionally, the response of children to therapeutic requirements vary from child to child depending on their experiences. Some children may respond well to advise while others who find it difficult to regulate their experiences and accept the changes as they grow may not respond well to therapy. And change is an enormous stressor creating a challenging experience for a significant number of ADHD children. Therefore, therapy can only apply to specific cases of ADHD while medicinal treatment regardless of the extent of physical activity helps in the management of the disorder.

Conclusion

Parents and guardians should prefer treatment rather than therapy when managing ADHD. Most children who have ADHD are likely to suffer from suffering from comorbid disorders. ADHD treatment using stimulants helps in treating the various symptoms of ADHD. Behavioral, narrative and intellectual therapy can be combined as a treatment mechanism for ADHD. However, the specialists in such Nonpharmacological approaches tend to focus on one type of therapy. Additionally, seeking the services of various therapists is impractical when compared to having a daily prescription. If abused, stimulants can expose the children with ADHD to future drug-abuse behaviors. Though, if well taken the stimulants helps reduce the high chances of drug abuse associated with ADHD children by preventing significant development challenges such as antisocial behaviors and exposure to the criminal justice system. Additionally, the effectiveness of therapy in treating ADHD is passive. Therapy depends on the ability of the child and parents to adhere to the recommendations to increase physical activities. The challenging and varying experiences of children as they grow and failure to conceptualize their experiences may limit children from following such instructions, therefore, risking the quality of their lives.

References

Goldman, L. S., Genel, M., Bezman, R. J., & Slanetz, P. J. (1998). Diagnosis and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Jama, 279(14), 1100-1107. Retrieved from http://faculty.winthrop.edu/armisteadl/SchoolPsychologyResources/attachments/JAMA--ADHD_Council_Report.pdf

Healthline. Behavioral Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/behavioral-therapy

Lara, M., (n.d.). The Exercise Prescription for ADHD. CHADD. Retrieved from http://www.chadd.org/AttentionPDFs/ATTN_06_12_Exercise.pdf

Meijer, W. M., Faber, A., van den Ban, E., & Tobi, H. (2009). Current issues around the pharmacotherapy of ADHD in children and adults. Pharmacy world & science, 31(5), 509-516. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11096-009-9302-3

Stevens, J. R., Wilens, T. E., & Stern, T. A. (2013). Using stimulants for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: clinical approaches and challenges. The primary care companion for CNS disorders, 15(2). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3733520/

Volkow, N. D., & Swanson, J. M. (2008). Does childhood treatment of ADHD with stimulant medication affect substance abuse in adulthood? Retrieved from https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2008.08020237