A new report cautions against the misuse of ADHD drugs like
Ritalin. / Joe Raedle, Getty Images Most U.S. teens with mental
disorders are not taking psychiatric medications, finds a large
new study that counters a widespread perception. Just 14% of
teens with any mental disorder take medications designed to
alter emotions or behavior, the study finds. In most cases, the
medications are those considered appropriate for their
conditions, says the report published online Monday in the
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. For example, teens
with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are most
likely to take stimulants and teens with depression are most
likely to take anti-depressants. The study is based on more than
10,000 interviews with teens ages 13 to 18 between 2001 and 2004
and contradicts "a lot of anecdotal reports that suggest kids
are being overmedicated or mis-medicated," says lead author
Kathleen Merikangas, a researcher from the National Institute of
Mental Health, Bethesda, Md. Mer