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Arguments Against ADHD Diagnosis

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In this paper, I will be discussing my opinion against the diagnosis of ADHD and the darker side of psychiatric medication through the story of Sean, who is diagnosed with ADHD. In the latter half, I will be analyzing Sean’s situation through various lenses of health ethics and compare my belief with the ideas of Lainie Friedman Ross. Whether or not ADHD is a true illness is subjected to debate. Despite the continuous efforts of experts in updating ADHD criteria within the DSM, the diagnosis for it continues to be controversial due to over reliance on vague evidences obtained from perceived irregularities in a patient’s mood and behaviour (Szasz, 2008). I believe ADHD, particularly in children, should not be considered legitimate illness. …show more content…

Sean did not give informed consent of any kind, yet was forced to take Ritalin. As I mentioned earlier, Ritalin has numerous side-effects, including addiction and potential death from heart attack. It stated clearly in the story that after taking Ritalin, Sean felt unwell yet was forced by his parents to keep taking the drug, because the drug made it more convenient for the parents. Clearly something is wrong with this situation, particularly when I analyze it in terms of beneficence. Beneficence states that the welfare of the patient should be the ultimate goal of any trials or health services (Pantilat, 2008). In the story, Sean’s welfare is placed secondary to the convenience of his parents and their desire for him to do better in school. This was done at the expense of Sean, as he suffered from the side-effects of the drug. Furthermore, beneficence should be the promotion and advocacy of health as defined by the patient’s own values. In other words, the physician who is treating the patient need to be certain that their perception of doing “good” is identical or related in some way to their patient’s own value of what is good for them (Macciocchi et al., 2009). Clearly Sean’s physician failed to do that since he prescribed Ritalin despite Sean’s discomfort, and even gave free Ritalin to his parents. Despite him being very vulnerable, Sean’s best interest was ignored by the physician. From the fact that Sean’s physician is actively prescribing and giving out free drugs, it is evident that he is associated with pharmaceutical companies that make Ritalin. As mentioned in the first paragraph, private pharmaceutical companies in present times have a lot of influence on drug intensive practices such as psychiatry (Moncrieff, 2009). They can easily influence the actions of health providers in order to increase their

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