Off-duty Disorder We have known since the dawn of time that not all people have the same brain function, the same social graces or the same self-control. Children daydreamed, got distracted, squirmed, and regularly disrupted lessons. The condition called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a new name for old behaviors. It is only in the last forty years that these behaviors have been considered a disorder. They were previously accepted, for the most part, as common childhood behavior that would become outdated. The controversy surrounding Ritalin treatment arose in the 1960s when ADHD became well known (Conrad 563). Before this, children and their families managed to survive without labeling or drug treatment for children who did not fit perfectly into the mold. The brain function of a child with ADHD may be different, but who is to say that this difference needs to be changed? The person with ADHD still does their job, but differently, with much more effort and creativity. Many people benefit from an ADHD diagnosis, but the child is not always one of them. Parents and teachers benefit from diagnosing a child with ADHD because it makes the child less difficult to manage, the medications that need to be taken to treat them. controlling the “problems” will make their lives easier. The child may pose fewer discipline problems, but his health and life could be in danger. The effects of the #1 drug prescribed for this “disorder” are Ritalin. Ritalin was introduced in the 1960s to treat ADHD. Manufacturer Ciba has sponsored much research into ADHD medications, putting its brand first in the public eye (chemistry and engineering). This medication can be particularly mentally damaging and... middle of paper ... has not always been the focus of a child's time in academia. The different behaviors and academic abilities of the children were accepted. There have been successful, famous, and creative people who exhibited signs of ADHD. Diagnosis and medication are based on questionnaires given to parents and teachers. "If Mozart or Beethoven had lived today, they would have been drugged for ADHD. It would have destroyed their souls and greatly diminished human culture. In my opinion, the current indiscriminate drug treatment of children is satanic. It destroys development of character and promotes a valueless culture. "When a problem arises, take a drug." We must accept what God has given us and deal with it better is not always the best case scenario. Works Cited (not yet compiled, paper is due Friday. I want the body taken care of, please)