ADHD and the DSM

    There are serious cases of people out there who need medicine and medical attention.  However, that being said, if there's one thing that i've learned so far in my psychology classes and in my culture and gender class this semester, its that it is far to easy to go to the doctor and answer 5 questions and walk out with a prescription for whatever ails you (kids in my class have gone to the local doctor and tested this.) 

     Lets take the specific diagnosis of ADD or ADHD for example, have you ever read the DSM's

(The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) criteria for this disorder? Here...i'll paste it below so you can take a look at it...

1. Inattention: Six or more symptoms of inattention for children up to age 16, or five or more for adolescents 17 and older and adults; symptoms of inattention have been present for at least 6 months, and they are inappropriate for developmental level:
• Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or with other activities.
• Often has trouble holding attention on tasks or play activities.
• Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
• Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (e.g., loses focus, side-tracked).
• Often has trouble organizing tasks and activities.
• Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to do tasks that require mental effort over a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
• Often loses things necessary for tasks and activities (e.g. school materials, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, mobile telephones).
• Is often easily distracted
• Is often forgetful in daily activities.

.....If you take a look at this and then assume that a "normal child" is the opposite of a child fitting these criteria for a child with ADHD then you would be saying that a healthy child: Does not make careless mistakes on their homework, pays good attention in their activities and tasks at hand, pays attention whenever you are speaking to them, always completes homework and chores, is well organized, likes participating in activities that require mental effort for extended periods of time, does not lose their toys/shoes/pencils, and is not distracted or forgetful.....how is this realistic for any child from 4 to 16 years of age?

       Also....we need to define the word "often"......what is often?? After reading these symptoms I'm convinced that I have ADHD.....who can blame a young child for not always wanting to sit still for a 7 hour period of school.  We also commonly say that our children are "suffering from ADHD"....really? are they the ones running around and energetically "suffering" from ADHD or are the ones that are suffering school teachers and parents with especially rambunctious little ones?

I am positive that there are children out there who need medicine for this disorder...what I am not positive of however is that every child who might fit this criteria "has a problem."  The medicine that we give our children has a lasting and scary effect on them and if not given correctly could be harmful.  I only write about this because, what if my children are a crazy ball of energy and I have a teacher that comes up to me and tells me they have ADHD? ...Do I medicate my child because they don't fit the mold of what society deems as "normal or appropriate" in certain social settings.  

I still don't have the answer on what I would do....but I do know that if you went into the doctors office with a common cold you could fit a ton of the criteria for having depression and come away with medicine for it.  Is it too easy to get medicine, and is it even the doctor's fault?  We pay them to make us better and thats all that they're trying to do. I guess what my point of view is...we have to find the balance between believing any diagnosis we are given and knowing when we actually need help.  The DMS is not the medical bible, you can't just read it and diagnose yourself or others with a disorder.