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Over the last decade, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses have increased dramatically in the United States. This unprecedented increase in ADHD across America has prompted scholars from various fields to question the scientific validity of this relatively recent childhood disorder. This article openly challenges the definition of ADHD as a legitimate medical condition and presents scientific evidence that corroborates the risks associated with prescribing dangerous and addictive drugs in order to control historically documented childhood behavior. According to published data, ADHD diagnoses have reached epidemic proportions in the United States-particularly among young males. Employing a multifaceted theoretical approach, ADHD typed behaviors will be defined not as a "neurobehavioral disorder," but as highly adaptive strategies that have ensured the survival of hominid species across evolutionary time. Dissenting from the DSM 's medical definition of ADHD, this article provides scientific evidence that substantiates the economic and cultural factors that are associated with the ever increasing rates of ADHD diagnoses in America.
Keywords: ADHD; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; hyperactivity behavioral disorders
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-IV- TR ), ADHD is defined as a "persistent pattern of inattention or hyperactivity- impulsivity that is more frequently displayed and more severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development" (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000, p. 85). Symptoms of ADHD must be present in two or more settings (e.g., at home and at school), and there must be verifiable evidence that the symptoms associated with ADHD interfere with social or academic functioning (APA, 2000). Symptoms of ADHD include: careless mistakes in schoolwork, messy or incomplete assignments, failure to pay attention, failure to follow instructions, lack of organizational skills, lost or disorganized materials, and being easily distracted by extraneous stimuli (APA, 2000). According to the DSM-IV-TR, hyperactivity is confirmed by fidgetiness, squirming in one's seat, or not remaining sedentary when instructed to do so. Symptoms of hyperactivity also include running, climbing, or refusing to play quietly. Children who are said to have ADHD often appear to be "on the go" or act as if they are "driven by a motor" (APA, 2000, p. 86). Fidgeting with objects, tapping hands or feet, talking excessively, and acting restless are also valid...