Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder and the Use of Ritalin

As I began to think about what I wanted to write my paper about, I thought of all the topics in education that I would like to know more about. I finally choose ADD/ADHD and the use of Ritalin as my subject matter. Not being a parent or an experienced educator as of yet, I see America’s propensity to over medicate reaching our youngest population. I think the statement by Dr. Breggin is quite profound, “When we drug millions of children to make them more compliant and easier to manage at home and in school, it says more about our society’s distorted values than about our children” (Breggin 1998). I know from my experience in the health care profession, that Americans believe in medication to create a better life for themselves. That can be as simple as getting an antibiotic for the slightest cold or as complex as medicating ourselves to fight a chronic condition.
We live in a society that wants everything done quickly. We drive through for our food, banking, presc...