Are Human Behaviors Being Medicalized?
Nowadays everybody has heard of ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder); and most people know someone who is being medicated for this condition!$! The current diagnostic criteria of ADD/ADHD is based on a subjective list of behaviors. This is a problem because many non-health professionals label children with ADD/ADHD, and many doctors are often quick to medicate when these unqualified diagnosticians observe these behaviors. In fact many of the behaviors listed under the diagnostic criteria are considered ‘normal’ during certain ages. So does being a kid now equal being a disease? (See diagnostic criteria for ADHD below). Moreover, such symptoms could represent an energetic child, a child with stress or problems at home, a child with allergies or other nutritional inadequacies, or a child with a different medical disorder all together. Diagnosis should only be made by a Doctor when the problem persists for at least six months, causes serious
