What is ADHD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is ADHD - Essay Example While it is clear that brain chemistry plays some role, the latter explanation seems more compelling and fully developed. Brain chemistry is one of the two main ways that one can theoretically approach ADHD and ADD. Using this theory, one would treat ADHD like a number of other neurological problems such as depression and anxiety, and treat it with drugs that affect the brain’s chemical balance in order to solve the underlying problem. The problem with this approach, however, is the fact that ADHD has never been conclusively linked to any particular brain imbalance, and no neurological test can be used to definitively identify its symptoms, unlike a large series of other neurological disorders (Furman 994). Thus, it seems that what we consider a disorder is actually a â€Å"collection of symptoms† that has not actually been associated with other neurological issues (Furman 998). The cause of ADHD thus does not appear to be a chemical imbalance in the brain. The competing hypothesis is essentially that there has been a great deal of social and lived experience that contributes to the development of these disorders. There is a great deal of support for such an argument: primarily, it seems that treating the co-morbid issues of children facing ADHD (such as family issues, learning problems and so forth) has a direct impact on their experience of ADHD, a reason why a variety of treatments, including family counseling and educational assessments, are necessary in dealing with ADHD (Furman 999). This theory, thus, constructs ADHD as more of a â€Å"volitional† disorder (Garro and Yarris 603), which, like many behavior problems, has its roots in choices that children make along with the environment in which they develop. This cause-effect relationship is better supported by evidence than the brain-chemical model, which is directly disputed by the prevalence