Medicating ADHD: Too much? Too soon?

My household should own stock in Shire. 4 out of the 5 people in our household take Adderall XR. My two sons ages 8 and 13 take it. Many people have some prejudice against taking any medication that affects the brain. I really don't understand their thinking. If my thyroid doesn't produce enough hormone, I'll supplement it. If I'm diabetic, I'll take insulin to regulate my blood sugar. Why don't people take something if their brain is deficient in Dopamine.

There is still much debate about when and how to medicate children with ADD. The listed article covers both sides of the debate. I'm prejudiced for the pro-medication side of the debate. My brain functions so much better on Adderall. I found the quote by one of the doctors particularly relevant:

"We have forgotten what our actual mission is--the relief of suffering and impairment. If the use of medication helps us do that job, stop hand-wringing about the extent to which we are using medication in this country."

-- Russell Barkley
University of Massachusett

Check out the article here:

Medicating ADHD: Too much? Too soon?