ves. Children with ADD are at higher risk than their peers of dropping out, of becoming smokers, of abusing alcohol or drugs, even of spending time in prison. This study provides stronger evidence than ever that medication can shift troubled kids to a better track, (26). But it echoes the frustrating finding of earlier studies that a little yellow pill is not enough, by itself, to keep them there. Using Ritalin creates psychological changes in addition to the medical effects that become evident. Throughout life every person loses concentration or does not pay attention to the present situation; however, if ADD was based upon the individual occurrences that all humans experience, then the entire world would be diagnosed with ADD and consuming Ritalin. Citing the main criticism of Ritalin, Diller states that the drug is simply a quick fix for children living in an impatient world, (64). “It takes more time for parents and teachers to sit down and talk to kids; it takes less time to get a child a pill,” states Dr. Sharon Collins, a pediatrician in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where reportedly eight percent of the children are on Ritalin, (McCormick, 4). Parents many times initiate the pursuit to obtain Ritalin with hopes that the “miracle drug” can work to help their child achieve more. Parents seem to seek to find an ADD/ADHD diagnosis for their child so that he or she may possibly study more intently, focus on tests, and get better overall grades. Children obtain false senses of security, which leads many to put trust in a capsule or pill and disregard individual responsibilities to work without the aid of a drug. Children must learn to be held responsible for their behavior and a drug cannot correct every physical condition. Russel A. Barkley of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center states that “we are giving kids medication rather than dealing with their problems”, (Barkley, 2). Psycholog...
