What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Essay Example

The exact cause of ADHD is unknown as of yet, but the two main contenders for its cause are neurochemical imbalance (as in the case with other behavioral issues such as depression) and social conditioning factors such as family life and lived experience.

While it is clear that brain chemistry plays some role, the latter explanation seems more compelling and fully developed. Brain chemistry is one of the two main ways that one can theoretically approach ADHD and ADD. Using this theory, one would treat ADHD like several other neurological problems such as depression and anxiety, and treat it with drugs that affect the brain’s chemical balance to solve the underlying problem. The problem with this approach, however, is the fact that ADHD has never been conclusively linked to any particular brain imbalance, and no neurological test can be used to definitively identify its symptoms, unlike a large series of other neurological disorders (Furman 994).

Thus, it seems that what we consider a disorder is a “collection of symptoms” that have not been associated with other neurological issues (Furman 998). The cause of ADHD thus does not appear to be a chemical imbalance in the brain. The competing hypothesis is essential that there has been a great deal of social and lived experience that contributes to the development of these disorders. There is a great deal of support for such an argument: primarily, it seems that treating the co-morbid issues of children facing ADHD (such as family issues, learning problems, and so forth) has a direct impact on their experience of ADHD, a reason why a variety of treatments, including family counseling and educational assessments, are necessary for dealing with ADHD (Furman 999).

This theory, thus, constructs ADHD as more of a “volitional” disorder (Garro and Yarris 603), which, like many behavior problems, has its roots in choices that children make along with the environment in which they develop. This cause-effect relationship is better supported by evidence than the brain-chemical model, which is directly disputed by the prevalence of co-morbid issues, and the fact that no neurological test can identify ADHD.