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ENG112
Assignment #3: Source-Based Argument
Due 4.26.2017
In the United States, there are many social institutions that shapes how our society lives. One
important social institution is medicine, which not only plays a role in how our society functions,
but it also has an influence in controlling the behaviors of our society. A common behavior that is
controlled through the use of medicine is ADHD, which is attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder mainly diagnosed in kids. Although our government and social institutions feel
medicine is required to treat it, there are many sources that say otherwise. To improve the culture
of America, an important social institution that needs to be repaired is medicine and the diagnosis
for ADHD because the disorder is not a physically diagnosable disorder, the medicine required to
treat it is unnecessary and is only a financial benefit to pharmaceuticals, and there are many
reasons ADHD does not stand as an actual disorder as many of the "symptoms" can be
A television show, called "Man in the High Castle," medicine was used as a social institution to
how the Reich's society was run. There was a boy named Thomas who was the son of a very high
Reich official, and he was diagnosed with a form of muscular dystrophy. Of course, in this day and
age muscular dystrophy has physical evidence to prove that the disease exists; during the show's set
time period where medicine and doctors were limited in their knowledge, they used an observational
test to diagnose Thomas. Through the practice of observational diagnosis, this can lead to a
misdiagnosis leaving Thomas to be killed. In this same way, ADHD can be misdiagnosed and the
individuals are forced to take medicine especially to cope with a school environment. In addition to
observational diagnosing, the Man in the High Castle also relates to how government plays a role in
diagnoses and coping mechanisms. Even though ADHD is not the same as muscular dystrophy, it is
considered unacceptable in our society, or less than perfect as the Reich would call it, which proves
the point that the government is trying to control through social institution of medicine and doctors.
ADHD is considered to be a behavioral disorder, and can be diagnosed in both children and
adults. The diagnosis for ADHD is as quoted from WebMD, "There is no single test that can be
used to diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adults. ADHD is diagnosed
after a person has shown some or all of the symptoms of ADHD on a regular basis for more than six
months. In addition, symptoms must be present in more than one setting. Depending on the number
and type of symptoms, a person will be diagnosed with one of three subtypes of ADHD: Primarily
Inattentive, Primarily Hyperactive or Combined subtype." This disorder is mainly based off of
observation, which makes it very hard to believe there can even be levels of ADHD. As stated in
the article, "Is ADHD a real disorder?," " Despite copious amounts of medical and psychological
research, science has yet to discover a biological marker or characteristic for ADHD." A few
examples of physical existence usually done in medicinal science could be blood testing or brain
imaging. Unfortunately, this type of evidence is not possible to obtain due to lack of change in
the chemical makeup of the blood as well as the physical brain functions if imaging were used to
observe the brain. This is why ADHD may either not exist or is not as common as it is perceived
and children are taking medicine that they truly may not need.
Some children or adults do not have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder all of their lives.
They may be perfectly fine through a period of their life before symptoms start or they may grow
out of it after childhood. A list of common symptoms for ADHD from Webmd "are in constant
motion, squirm and fidget, make careless mistakes, often lose things, do not seem to listen, are easily
distracted, do not finish tasks." According to WebMD, possible causes for the onset of ADHD is,
"Recent major life changes (such as divorce, a death in the family, or a recent move),
undetected seizures, thyroid problems, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, lead toxicity." Still, it is
not solid proof, as the diagnosis for thyroid problems and lead toxicity are done with physical
evidence to diagnose those specific diseases. A lot of these symptoms can just be kids that are
annoying adults, as said by Quinn and Lynch, " Some critics of the ADHD construct question the
possibility that ADHD is perhaps nothing more than an example of the medicalisation of
behaviours in children which are the most annoying and problematic for adults to control."
Basically, diagnosing of ADHD or the prescribing of medicine is just to calm children down
because of improper observations. This is a social institution of medicine and doctors that are
controlling the ways of American life. Children instead need to be let outside to let their normal
energy levels tire out. That is partially how the social institution can and should be repaired.
Medicine is a high profiting business among pharmaceuticals. Just with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, there are many drugs used as a treatment. Just on WebMD there was a list of
over 20 drugs that can be prescribed for ADHD. This is major profit for pharmaceutical companies.
addition, ADHD drugs such as Adderall go beyond the pharmaceuticals and are being sold by the
users that are prescribed them to people looking for a drug induced high. Another source, Psychology
Today says ADHD drug sales have increased up to 10 billion dollars every year. This is crazy money
the child taking them 2-3 times a day just to stay normal according to the doctors that prescribe them.
Over a thirty day period, that would equate to 60-90 tablets. According to Truemed, for that ratio, that
medicine would cost anywhere from $270 to $450 dollars to treat a disorder that really has no proof of
existing at all, and this does not include any side effects or long lasting issues that may erupt due to
the use of this medicine. In this way, medicine as a social institution, is playing a big role in how
The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as previously stated from WebMD are,
"are in constant motion, squirm and fidget, make careless mistakes, often lose things, do not seem to
listen, are easily distracted, do not finish tasks." The symptoms listed can be very similar to a child
disinterested in the activities he or she is participating in. Children in general have high energy levels
and just want to play. In addition, according to Psychology Today, instead of drugging the medicine,
parents should redirect their children's activity to an outdoor area, such as if a child is jumping in the
living room, instead redirect it so they are jumping outside. This is a minor example that can be put
into play because it is not really a disorder, just a child being a child. According to social institution, if
this activity were put into play in a school area, they would not work with the child, they would
instead force the parent to have the child take ADHD medicine. This is excessive when the child only
Although some children may require some medicine to help them with some aspects of their
behaviors, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a very hard disorder to diagnose in general as it
contains no physical proof. Again, ADHD may exist in some children and adults, just because it is not
observable physical does not mean it does not exist either. In this case, doctors, parents, or individuals
need to be cautious about diagnosis' and medicines that are being distributed to calm down disorders
or diseases that may be fixed with minor external adjustments as opposed to blaming the child or
Social institutions are important in some cases in running a society smoothly, but sometimes social
institutions run too far in how our society should be run. Just in medicine, there is a lot of excess being
done in the pharmaceutical world that could really use some more thought to repair it. Attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder is very hard to diagnose and should maybe even not be considered as
diagnosable without significant proof. In addition, there are many medicines that are being used to
treat a disorder that may not even exist that is profiting big bucks for pharmaceuticals. Many children
and adults may just be displaying these behaviors due to stress or lack of interest in the activity. In
addition, human beings have that need to be active and playful to have a fun life. Social institutions
have many components that need to be repaired, just with medicine especially for the treatment of
ADHD, there is a major chance that government is forcing humans to take medicine for a disorder that
may not even exist due to lack of physical evidence instead of the observations many doctors use.
That is why the social institution of medicine needs to be repaired to improve the culture of America.
Sources-Cited Page
Quinn, Michael and Lynch, Andrea. "Is ADHD a 'real' disorder?." Support for Learning, Vol. 31 Issuse
Scott, Ridley, producer. Man in the High Castle Season 1. Amazon Studios, 2015.
WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/diagnosing-adhd#1.
WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-treatment-care.
WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-medication-chart#1.
destructive-psychiatric-hoax/.
No Name. "How ADHD Became a Multi-Billion Dollar Industry."
CHHRINT, https://www.cchrint.org/2015/12/09/how-adhd-became-a-multi-billion-dollar-
industry/.
SparkNotes, http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/social-institutions/section6.rhtml.
No Name. "Adderall,"
TrueMedCost, http://www.truemedcost.com/adderall-price/.
active-kids-don-t-have-adhd.