A Warning for the Over-Diagnosed

Medications for AD/HD can be psychologically harmful in terms of addiction, as stated by the National Institution for Drug Abuse:

 

All stimulants work by increasing dopamine levels in the brain—dopamine is a brain chemical (or neurotransmitter) associated with pleasure, movement, and attention. The therapeutic effect of stimulants is achieved by slow and steady increases of dopamine, which are similar to the natural production of the chemical by the brain. The doses prescribed by physicians start low and increase gradually until a therapeutic effect is reached. However, when taken in doses and routes other than those prescribed, stimulants can increase brain dopamine in a rapid and highly amplified manner—as do most other drugs of abuse—disrupting normal communication between brain cells, producing euphoria, and increasing the risk of addiction.

 

Judging by what was stated by the National Institution for Drug Abuse, some might argue that the obvious choice for parents and doctors to take is to not medicate a child who has been diagnosed with AD/HD. However, not medicating also has its risks.