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Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?
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Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?
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Psychcentral.com have featured a new study which will be published in the Academic Pediatrics , which states that ADHD diagnoses are up by 66% since 2000. Is this an American phenomenon or is it a gl
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Forums » Open clinical » Psychiatry » Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

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Forums  »  Open clinical  »  Psychiatry  »  Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 21/3/2012 10:37 AM GMT on bmj.com
Posts: 1447
First: 7/4/2011
Last: 22/5/2013

Psychcentral.com have featured a new study which will be published in the Academic Pediatrics, which states that ADHD diagnoses are up by 66% since 2000. Is this an American phenomenon or is it a global trend?


Does the increase in diagnoses for ADHD show an increase in awareness for ADHD? Or is this an overdiagnosis of ADHD?


http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/03/20/adhd-diagnoses-up-66-percent-since-2000/36229.html

Re: Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 21/3/2012 1:55 PM GMT on bmj.com
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First: 13/4/2010
Last: 21/5/2013
Increased awareness or over-diagnosis - perhaps bit of both as well as changing diagnostic criteria and our over-whelming compulsion as human beings to label everything and create somewhat artificial "norms", attaching a diganosis to anyone who deviates from these norms. My own gut feeling is that, like autism, everyone is on an ADHD spectrum somewhere and it's hard to know whether we are perhaps too quick to label people because they are suffering themselves or because they are causing a problem in the minds of others.
Does the 66% rise mean there are 66% more people with ADHD now than in 2000? Maybe but it could also be a case of under-diagnosis then or over-diagnosis now. Hard to say I guess.

Re: Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 21/3/2012 5:23 PM GMT on bmj.com
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First: 9/12/2011
Last: 22/5/2013
This could be three reasons,  possibly more,   Increased awareness as Steve says, also overidagnosis,  and of course,  I also believe our current Toxicology problems are increasing.  I truly believe there is a pollution and toxic pattern here wth regard to Organic problems in the brain stemming from increased environmental toxins,  anyone else suspect this?  duaneF

Re: Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 21/3/2012 6:00 PM GMT on bmj.com
Posts: 1786
First: 7/3/2009
Last: 22/5/2013
It is increased awareness, sometimes overdiagnosis but it is also true that something is happening. 
As many times is the case, there are multiple factors involved.
We are currently looking into some factors but as yet I cannot provide any information about it.
One thing has to be said: we are witnessing the rise in many countries.

Re: Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 24/3/2012 11:11 PM GMT on bmj.com
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First: 24/3/2012
Last: 17/4/2012
I hate to say it, but judging from my clinical experience with American college students I would say a fair proportion of the increase has to do with drug-seeking behavior which it is a bit misleading to categorize as "overdiagnosis." 

Re: Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 25/3/2012 4:53 AM BST on bmj.com
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First: 10/3/2009
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Should we have dexamphetamine in tap water as this would save doctors' visits?

Re: Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 25/3/2012 5:26 AM BST on bmj.com
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First: 9/12/2011
Last: 22/5/2013
No Dexamphetamine in tap water,   will cause Druggies to start selling bottled water.   DuaneF

Re: Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 7/5/2012 4:30 PM BST on bmj.com
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First: 7/4/2011
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The latest news related to this thread is that figures from the NHS business services authority show that prescriptions for Ritalin have gone up from 158,000 in 1999 to 661,463 in 2010.

It has also been suggested by the Assoc of Educational Psychologists that Ritalin is being prescribed for children with behavioural difficulties but without proper consideration of offering complimentary treatments or non pharma logical interventions. They also criticise this increase in prescribing Ritalin because it has a poor evidence base...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/06/ritalin-adhd-shocks-child-psychologists

Re: Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 7/5/2012 10:17 PM BST on bmj.com
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First: 27/3/2012
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Thanks for a good post Dr. Matthews!
The increase in diagnosis of ADHD is a global  fact, & neither is it an increased awareness nor an overdiagnosis!

Re: Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?

posted at 12/5/2012 5:35 AM BST on bmj.com
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First: 7/4/2012
Last: 16/12/2012
Love odysseus's response and second it
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Forums » Open clinical » Psychiatry » Why has there been a 66% rise in the number of ADHD diagnoses?