Prescription stimulant drugs (Ritalin, etc.) are used to treat symptoms of ADHD. Since they were introduced in the United States usage has grown rapidly. Now, the US accounts for 80-85% of the world's consumption of such drugs. Why such a high percentage?
The answer is in the way the US diagnoses and classifies ADHD.
Diagnosis
The United States has a standard way of diagnosing ADHD that is defined by a manual called the DSM-IV (see Diagnosing ADHD). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) has undergone changes in the past few years. These changes have broadened the definition of ADHD in the US. This is important because the guidelines of this manual guide physicians in the diagnosing process, which then determines whether or not medication is prescribed. Broadening the definition of ADHD leads to more diagnoses and greater consumption of prescription stimulant medication.
Classification
The United States has a unique way of classifying ADHD. Though the cause of ADHD is not known there are theories that classify the disorder. In the United States a biological understanding is favored, while much of the rest of the world favors a psycho-social understanding. Because the US looks at the disorder in a different way, we also use different methods of treatment. A biological understanding leads to biological treatment.
In other countries medication is used only as a last resort. Viewing the disorder from a psycho-social perspective encourages physicians to first turn to non-prescription solutions, particularly behavioral therapy. As a result, ADHD patients in other countries are getting treatment options that do not involve prescription medication.
But why?
Pharmaceutical companies have been known to go great lengths to drive the usage of medication. However, the predominant mediator of the potential market for prescription stimulants is the actual definition of the disorder. Once the United States began classifying ADHD and other psychological disorders as biological, usage of prescription medication skyrocketed.
Do pharmaceutical companies market more in the United States because of the broader diagnosis? Do the companies have an active role in shaping the definition of ADHD in the US? We do not know.
What we do know is that many other countries are predominantly using treatment methods other than stimulant drugs to treat ADHD. With the harmful side effects and habit forming nature of these medications, many Americans are also starting to turn to natural treatments (see Natural ADHD Remedies). Natural remedies can be a safe and affective way to treat symptoms of ADHD.
Should we in the United States really be so quick to issue prescriptions for stimulant medications?
References:
Vallee, Manuel (2009). ADHD: Biological Disease or Psychological Disorder? Retrieved from http://www.irle.berkeley.edu/culture/papers/vallee09.pdf
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