Persuasive Speech

1. SO
MUCH
TO
DO!

2. • Over-diagnosis getting out of control
• 15% of high school students in U.S. diagnosed with ADHD
• 3.5 million take one of the meds marketed to treat it
• Prescriptions nearly tripled for adults aged 20 – 39 between
2007 and 2012
• Drug companies are starting to focus on adults because
they provide a potentially larger market
• Rate of diagnosis increased by an average of 5% per year
from 2003 to 2011

3. • Dangerous potential side effects include psychosis, suicidal
thoughts and hallucinations, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, loss
of appetite
• Can lead to addiction
• In same class as morphine and oxycodone
• Raise dopamine levels in the brain causing euphoric feeling
• Create a “high” that makes people want more
• Similar to cocaine and other street drugs

4. Pharmaceutical companies benefit from
the sale of medications used to treat
ADHD
Sales have exceeded $8 BILLION

5. Ads on television and in popular magazines including People and Good Housekeeping use
common childhood forgetfulness and poor grades as grounds for medication that can result in
“schoolwork that matches his intelligence” as well as ease family tension.

6. The Food and Drug Administration has cited every
major ADHD stimulant drug including
• Adderall
• Concerta
• Focalin
• Vyvanse
And non-stimulants including
• Intunive
• Strattera
For false and misleading advertising since 2000
Some have been cited multiple times

7. • Reinforces accuracy of diagnosis
• Reduces chances of diagnosis being influenced by drug
company pay-offs
• Helps to ensure symptoms are not simply poorly or un-
managed stress

8. • Educate yourself about your diagnosis
• Several options for alternate therapies are available
• Simple lifestyle changes can help alleviate symptoms (exercise, getting enough sleep)
• When used properly, alternate therapies have the potential to eliminate the need for prescription
medications completely

10. WORK CITED
"ADHD and Substance Abuse: Alcohol and Drugs Connected to ADHD."WebMD. WebMD, 03
May 0000. Web. 19 July 2014.
"Adult ADD / ADHD." : Signs, Symptoms, Effects, and Treatment. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 July 2014.
"An Epidemic of Attention Deficit Disorder." The New York Times. The New York Times, 18
Dec. 2013. Web. 19 July 2014.
"Data & Statistics." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, 13 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 July 2014.
"Drug Companies and Doctors Boost Profits Pitching Attention Deficit Disorder."AllGov. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 19 July 2014.
Schwarz, Alan. "Report Says Medication Use Is Rising for Adults With Attention Disorder." The
New York Times. The New York Times, 11 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 July 2014.
Schwarz, Alan. "The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder." The New York Times. The New
York Times, 14 Dec. 2013. Web. 19 July 2014.