Yesterday’
s Times published a new report by the Home Office showing that although illegal drug use has fallen among the young in the past year, it has increased among older adults for the past 18 years. But Why? Continue reading “The Times of London reports: Substance abuse among the older generation in the UK”
Month: August 2015
Professor Philip Asherson and ADHD in prisons – what is being done…
We know the UK lags behind the US for treatment of ADHD generally, but I was interested to read Kings College Professor Philip Asherson’s study on ADHD in the prison population, how the untreated in the UK are often at great risk of greater anti-social behaviour within prisons, and likely to get into more trouble than those that are even committed to prison for antisocial behaviour. The boredom and confines of prison do not suit restless minds.
Once you understand the nuances of this disorder, you can begin to see how medication and rehabilitation could really turn around lives in the case of adhd in a way that some other recidivists may not respond. Especially if they were perhaps encouraged to revisit their academic achievements under the lamp of a diagnosis – and focus with medication.
And yet, while Alan Brown in his TEDX talk estimates that 45% of the US prison population are ADHD (compared to around 3% of the population generally), it seems crazy that more is not being done in this area. Especially when you realise that most of the medication that is available and deemed safe for children – is not yet available or licensed for adults in the UK.
Better Late than Never 