"Are we medicating a disorder or treating boyhood as a disease?"

It's alarming how much the prescription rate of ADD/ADHD drugs has increased in the past 16 years. The number of children aged 4 to 17 years being prescribed ADHD medications in the USA has been steadily rising since 1996, researchers from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) have reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

ADHD is one of the most common disorders among children (mostly males under 17), but bells ring in my head saying that we might need to take a look at the description again. These are some of the facts that cause controversies: 

• There are NO biological tests that can be done to diagnose ADHD
• Distinction between ADHD symptoms and standard childhood traits can be quite subtle - such as forgetfulness, and fidgeting.
• IMS statistics show spending on ADHD drugs surged 104% - from $122-million in 2005, to $249-million in 2009.

For many, being hyper or easily distracted is just a part of growing up. For those who retain this into adulthood or do not find ways of coping, the drugs may be a good choice. It is easily being shown that in today's culture, parents would rather have the quick-fix drug rather than going through a few months of therapy, who knows what they are doing to their child. 

It's up to you to decide whether or not we a) have a defect in the mind of our generation. or b) we are over medicating, feeding a multi-billion dollar industry and reaching for the pill instead of help.


Websites Cited: 

Medical News Today
The Globe and Mail

Feeling Stressed? It could be damaging to your health.

A study done at UCLA identifies mechanism linking stress to physical illness and aging.

It is said that stress is related to 99% of all illnesses, so why not try to stay stress free? It is actually important to have good emotional health. 

In today's society, being able to sit back and relax is not always a possibility. But without time to think, we may start to live routine and mundane lives. Being creative develops the frontal cortex which is useful for many other things and relaxing can help one gather their thoughts and make more positive decisions. You may also choose to do both of these things at the same time.

Here are some tips to maintain good emotional health:

-Don't bottle your feelings, let someone know.

-Don't obsess about negative things, look at the bright side.

-Do relaxation practices like Yoga, Pilates or Meditation.

-Get outside, enjoy the earth you live on.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a form of Yoga that has been around for quite some time. It is usually referred to as "power" yoga. Ashtanga is a word that comes from Sanskrit which means "eight-limbed" yoga. The eight limbs, are as followed:

Sanskrit	English
Yama	moral codes
Niyama	self-purification and study
Asana	posture
Pranayama	breath control
Pratyahara	withdrawing of the mind from the senses
Dharana	concentration
Dhyana	deep meditation
Samadhi	Union with the object of meditation

This form of Yoga is different in that it has predefined asanas ( is a body position, typically associated with the practice of yoga.) Vinyasa refers to the breath pattern used when one is practicing, it is said to mimic the sound of the ocean.

This practice has advantages physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Ashtanga has a perfect balance of relaxation, stretching and power exercises. I encourage you to try this kind of yoga because most yoga studios will offer this. 

Namaste.