A Few Simple Truths About ADHD and Stimulant Drugs

http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters
Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda

--

A Few Simple Truths About ADHD and Stimulant Drugs

Responses to Common Professional Statements Made to Parents About
Their Children.

Doctors, mental health professionals, and educators often say things
about "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" (ADHD) that are
unproven. These same professionals often say things about drugs that
are supposed to treat "ADHD" that are not true. This article reveals
and responds to six common lies or misleading statements you might be
told.

1. "ADHD" is a brain-based biological disorder, caused by a chemical
imbalance in your child's brain.

The simple fact is that there is absolutely no reliable test that
accurately distinguishes between children that are supposed to have
"ADHD" and those that are not. The simplest way to counter this
statement is to ask for a medical test to prove that your child has
"ADHD." Many physicians will respond to your request by saying that
the test is too expensive. You must persevere and ask that your
insurance company pay for those tests. You can also ask any
professional to show you the article or articles in the scientific
literature that proves the existence of a confirmatory physical or
chemical abnormality that validates the existence of ADHD as a medical
disease. The plain truth is that no such article exists. If someone
gives you an article, please share and discuss it with someone who can
critically analyze it.

2. The symptoms are clearly printed in a book called the DSM-IV (which
stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American
Psychiatric Association, Fourth Edition).

Yes, the "symptoms" are printed there, but as described in point 1,
these alleged "symptoms" in no way prove that ADHD is a disease.
Furthermore, these "symptoms" are actually nothing more than someone's
observations of your child's behavior, and the truth is they are not
even reliable as behavioral observations. To be reliable, people must
agree that your child has "ADHD." An article in the prestigious
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
printed in September 2000, says that the diagnosis is very unreliable.
Many children who are supposed to be "ADHD" are not identified, and
many children who are identified as not having ADHD are identified as
having it. This means that research done to support the identification
and treatment of ADHD that uses the DSM-IV definition totally lacks
support. It also means that no medical person correctly diagnoses
ADHD. ADD and ADHD are politically manufactured concepts, created by
committees of the American Psychiatric Association. ADD was created in
1980, ADHD in 1987. The plain truth is that they are not real diseases
in any legitimate scientific meaning of the term disease. To declare
otherwise is not medicine; it is fraud.

3. Medication (such as Ritalin) corrects the chemical imbalance.

Remember first there is no demonstrated chemical imbalance (see point
1). The brain does have chemicals that help cells "talk" to each other
that are called neurotransmitters. However, when a professional says
that one of these chemicals, usually a variety of something called
Dopamine, needs some kind of correction, and that they have just the
right kind of medicine to do this, you are being misled. This idea
assumes that nerves only "talk" to nerves that use the same chemicals.
That is absolutely positively false. It is a lie at worst, a gross
oversimplification at best. It is unethical for a medical professional
to state or imply otherwise.

4. The medication (e.g., Ritalin) is a mild stimulant with few or no
side effects.

"Side effect" is a euphemism; all drugs (alleged medications) have a
variety of effects. It is vitally important that you personally
research the effects of any drug you might consider for your child. Go
to the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR), ask your neighborhood
pharmacist to print you a list of side effects, and/or get the
references listed at the end of this brochure. You need to find out
about all possible effects -- those considered common (such as
nervousness, insomnia, and loss of appetite, and those considered rare
(such as toxic psychosis and death). The lie that Ritalin is a mild
stimulant is even more difficult to maintain since a recently
concluded study at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), and
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, not only
confirmed the similarities of cocaine and Ritalin, but found that
Ritalin is more potent than cocaine in its effect on the dopamine
system in the brain. Referring to Ritalin as "kiddy cocaine" is not a
joke.

It is important to know that the use of stimulant medication can mask
the symptoms of potentially fatal disorders that could be causing your
child's problems with inattention or activity. It is also important to
know that if your child really is having problems with attention and
concentration, this could be caused by problems within the class
environment (no work breaks, poor environmental temperature
regulation, poor acoustics, poor lighting, poor teaching, etc.) or
within other areas of your child's life (nutrition, TV and video
overstimulation, family stress and conflict, etc.).

5. If your child had diabetes, you would give him insulin, wouldn't
you?

This is one of the most common, and heinous statements that doctors
and other professionals make to parents. It is a heavy guilt trip
telling parents they are negligent and irresponsible if they don't go
along with the pressure to drug their children. Remember clearly, as
described in point 1 above, that ADHD is in no way a real disease; to
imply otherwise is a lie. The truth is that protecting your children
from toxic drugs is being completely responsible. It is those who
advocate these drugs for children who are abdicating responsibility
and avoiding the challenge of truly meeting the needs of our children.

6. You are going against medical advice.

Physicians work for you. There is something called informed consent.
If they have given you false or inaccurate information, or attempted
to deceive you in any way, then the advice that they have given is
faulty and you can justifiably take matters (concerning "ADHD") into
your own hands. It is your responsibility to protect the short and
long-term health, well-being and development of your child.

Resources

Breeding, J. The Wildest Colts Make The Best Horses. Bright Books,
1996.
Breggin, P. Talking Back To Ritalin. Common Courage Press, 1998.


This brochure was created by Steve Edelman, MA, and John Breeding,
PhD. Please copy and distribute widely. http://WildestColts.com

--

http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters
Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda

"Psi" wrote in message
om...
http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters
Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda

--

A Few Simple Truths About ADHD and Stimulant Drugs

From the KK$....

You would not know truth if it were on the end of a protoscope.

It's against my better judgment but what the hell - I'll bite (or feed
as the case may be).


(Psi) wrote in message . com...

A Few Simple Truths About ADHD and Stimulant Drugs

Responses to Common Professional Statements Made to Parents About
Their Children.

Doctors, mental health professionals, and educators often say things
about "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" (ADHD) that are
unproven. These same professionals often say things about drugs that
are supposed to treat "ADHD" that are not true. This article reveals
and responds to six common lies or misleading statements you might be
told.

1. "ADHD" is a brain-based biological disorder, caused by a chemical
imbalance in your child's brain.

The simple fact is that there is absolutely no reliable test that
accurately distinguishes between children that are supposed to have
"ADHD" and those that are not. The simplest way to counter this
statement is to ask for a medical test to prove that your child has
"ADHD."

I think you mistake the difference between having laboratory evidence
about the existance of something and having a commercially available
test. You are correct that there is no test that the doc can order and
prove that the kid has ADD. However, with the use of PET scans and
other imaging differences have been noted.



2. The symptoms are clearly printed in a book called the DSM-IV (which
stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American
Psychiatric Association, Fourth Edition).

Yes, the "symptoms" are printed there, but as described in point 1,
these alleged "symptoms" in no way prove that ADHD is a disease.
Furthermore, these "symptoms" are actually nothing more than someone's
observations of your child's behavior, and the truth is they are not
even reliable as behavioral observations.

The symptoms are not alleged - they definately exist (or not). It is
well established that some medical conditions are based solely on
symptoms with no confirmatory tests such as schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder, depression,and panic disorder. Surely you admit that at
least osme of those are real.

The appropriate question is whether the grouping of symptoms allows
different observers to come to similar conclusions and to make useful
comarisons and predictions. The answer to is yes. Also, as I mentioned
in response to #1 - there are structural and chemical differences in
the brains between the people who have these symptoms and not.



To be reliable, people must
agree that your child has "ADHD." An article in the prestigious
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
printed in September 2000, says that the diagnosis is very unreliable.

Many studies suggest that it is very reliable. Not all doctors will
agree about the diagnosis or hypertension, MI, stroke, or many other
conditions in any particular patient. That does not make them less
real.


3. Medication (such as Ritalin) corrects the chemical imbalance.

Remember first there is no demonstrated chemical imbalance (see point
1). The brain does have chemicals that help cells "talk" to each other
that are called neurotransmitters. However, when a professional says
that one of these chemicals, usually a variety of something called
Dopamine, needs some kind of correction, and that they have just the
right kind of medicine to do this, you are being misled. This idea
assumes that nerves only "talk" to nerves that use the same chemicals.
That is absolutely positively false. It is a lie at worst, a gross
oversimplification at best. It is unethical for a medical professional
to state or imply otherwise.

I agree it is an over simplifaction. That is not to say that the
medication is not correcting something or helpful.



4. The medication (e.g., Ritalin) is a mild stimulant with few or no
side effects.

"Side effect" is a euphemism; all drugs (alleged medications) have a
variety of effects. It is vitally important that you personally
research the effects of any drug you might consider for your child. Go
to the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR), ask your neighborhood
pharmacist to print you a list of side effects, and/or get the
references listed at the end of this brochure. You need to find out
about all possible effects -- those considered common (such as
nervousness, insomnia, and loss of appetite, and those considered rare
(such as toxic psychosis and death). The lie that Ritalin is a mild
stimulant is even more difficult to maintain since a recently
concluded study at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), and
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, not only
confirmed the similarities of cocaine and Ritalin, but found that
Ritalin is more potent than cocaine in its effect on the dopamine
system in the brain. Referring to Ritalin as "kiddy cocaine" is not a
joke.

No, it is not a joke. It is not true either. "Mild" is a relative
term. If one compares it to cocaine - which causes stimualtion to the
point of not uncommonly causing pyschosis, arrythmias, strokes, and
MI's - then it is mild. When one compares it to caffeine it is not.
The comparison to coffee would be more accurate.



It is important to know that the use of stimulant medication can mask
the symptoms of potentially fatal disorders that could be causing your
child's problems with inattention or activity.

The stimulants should not be given unless those other diagnoses have
been ruled out.


It is also important to
know that if your child really is having problems with attention and
concentration, this could be caused by problems within the class
environment (no work breaks, poor environmental temperature
regulation, poor acoustics, poor lighting, poor teaching, etc.) or
within other areas of your child's life (nutrition, TV and video
overstimulation, family stress and conflict, etc.).

If the child only has the problems in one or a few environments then
they do not have ADD.



5. If your child had diabetes, you would give him insulin, wouldn't
you?

This is one of the most common, and heinous statements that doctors
and other professionals make to parents. It is a heavy guilt trip
telling parents they are negligent and irresponsible if they don't go
along with the pressure to drug their children.

Like diabetes, which often can be treated without medications (type II
- not Type I) ADD can often be managed by non-pharmacologic means.
However, like type II diabetes most patients benefit from medication.
Like diabetes the best approach is usually to integrate both.

--
CBI, MD

"Psi" wrote in message
om...
http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters
Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda

--

A Few Simple Truths About ADHD and Stimulant Drugs

Responses to Common Professional Statements Made to Parents About
Their Children.

Doctors, mental health professionals, and educators often say things
about "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" (ADHD) that are
unproven. These same professionals often say things about drugs that
are supposed to treat "ADHD" that are not true. This article reveals
and responds to six common lies or misleading statements you might be
told.

1. "ADHD" is a brain-based biological disorder, caused by a chemical
imbalance in your child's brain.

The simple fact is that there is absolutely no reliable test that
accurately distinguishes between children that are supposed to have
"ADHD" and those that are not.

There is no test that distinquishes between adults who have schizophrenia
and those who do not. But no one questions where there is something
different about people who hear voices, have major problems with reality,
etc.

There are psychological tests that show that some children have problems
with attention, hyperactivity, etc. Combined with phsyician, family and
teacher observations, a diagnosis can be made after ruling out other
conditions that can cause these problems.

BTW, who is "supposed to have ADHD?" I did not htat someone is supposed to
have it.

The simplest way to counter this
statement is to ask for a medical test to prove that your child has
"ADHD." Many physicians will respond to your request by saying that
the test is too expensive. You must persevere and ask that your
insurance company pay for those tests. You can also ask any
professional to show you the article or articles in the scientific
literature that proves the existence of a confirmatory physical or
chemical abnormality that validates the existence of ADHD as a medical
disease. The plain truth is that no such article exists. If someone
gives you an article, please share and discuss it with someone who can
critically analyze it.

The truth is that most psychological conditions do not have a "test." That
does not make them less real.

2. The symptoms are clearly printed in a book called the DSM-IV (which
stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American
Psychiatric Association, Fourth Edition).

Yes, the "symptoms" are printed there, but as described in point 1,
these alleged "symptoms" in no way prove that ADHD is a disease.
Furthermore, these "symptoms" are actually nothing more than someone's
observations of your child's behavior, and the truth is they are not
even reliable as behavioral observations. To be reliable, people must
agree that your child has "ADHD." An article in the prestigious
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
printed in September 2000, says that the diagnosis is very unreliable.
Many children who are supposed to be "ADHD" are not identified, and
many children who are identified as not having ADHD are identified as
having it. This means that research done to support the identification
and treatment of ADHD that uses the DSM-IV definition totally lacks
support. It also means that no medical person correctly diagnoses
ADHD. ADD and ADHD are politically manufactured concepts, created by
committees of the American Psychiatric Association. ADD was created in
1980, ADHD in 1987. The plain truth is that they are not real diseases
in any legitimate scientific meaning of the term disease. To declare
otherwise is not medicine; it is fraud.

3. Medication (such as Ritalin) corrects the chemical imbalance.

Remember first there is no demonstrated chemical imbalance (see point
1).

Really? Because there is no test for an imbalance does not mean it does not
exist.

There are plenty of studies that show on many different levels that kids who
have ADHD have brains that are different than kids who don't have ADHD.
There is also plenty of evidence that these differences are in part genetic.

The brain does have chemicals that help cells "talk" to each other
that are called neurotransmitters. However, when a professional says
that one of these chemicals, usually a variety of something called
Dopamine, needs some kind of correction, and that they have just the
right kind of medicine to do this, you are being misled. This idea
assumes that nerves only "talk" to nerves that use the same chemicals.

This is absolutely wrong. First, dopamine is not the only chemcial involved
in ADHD. Norepinephrine is also involved. Second, these chemical act as
neuromodulators, not neurotransmitters. Neuromodulators act to help change
the activity level of neurons without causing an actual signals to be
transmitted. And third, the neuromodulators work on neurons that use GABA,
Glutamate and other neurotransmitters.

Nerves only talk to nerves that use the same chemicals? This statement shows
a gross misunderstanding of the brain, which makes this person's comments
very suspect.

That is absolutely positively false. It is a lie at worst, a gross
oversimplification at best. It is unethical for a medical professional
to state or imply otherwise.

4. The medication (e.g., Ritalin) is a mild stimulant with few or no
side effects.

"Side effect" is a euphemism; all drugs (alleged medications) have a
variety of effects. It is vitally important that you personally
research the effects of any drug you might consider for your child. Go
to the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR), ask your neighborhood
pharmacist to print you a list of side effects, and/or get the
references listed at the end of this brochure. You need to find out
about all possible effects -- those considered common (such as
nervousness, insomnia, and loss of appetite, and those considered rare
(such as toxic psychosis and death). The lie that Ritalin is a mild
stimulant is even more difficult to maintain since a recently
concluded study at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), and
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, not only
confirmed the similarities of cocaine and Ritalin, but found that
Ritalin is more potent than cocaine in its effect on the dopamine
system in the brain.

So? Because cocaine and Ritalin work on the same neuromodulator systems does
not mean that Ritalin is addictive or has the same effects of cocaine. THe
fact the Ritalin has a very different time of onset (minutes to an hour vs.
seconds for cocaine) and the effects last much longer makes cocaine and
Ritalin very different drugs.

Referring to Ritalin as "kiddy cocaine" is not a
joke.

Nor is it accurate.

It is important to know that the use of stimulant medication can mask
the symptoms of potentially fatal disorders that could be causing your
child's problems with inattention or activity. It is also important to
know that if your child really is having problems with attention and
concentration, this could be caused by problems within the class
environment (no work breaks, poor environmental temperature
regulation, poor acoustics, poor lighting, poor teaching, etc.) or
within other areas of your child's life (nutrition, TV and video
overstimulation, family stress and conflict, etc.).

It is always important to rule out other conditions, including social
conditions at home, that can cause symptoms similar to ADHD.

5. If your child had diabetes, you would give him insulin, wouldn't
you?

This is one of the most common, and heinous statements that doctors
and other professionals make to parents. It is a heavy guilt trip
telling parents they are negligent and irresponsible if they don't go
along with the pressure to drug their children. Remember clearly, as
described in point 1 above, that ADHD is in no way a real disease; to
imply otherwise is a lie. The truth is that protecting your children
from toxic drugs is being completely responsible. It is those who
advocate these drugs for children who are abdicating responsibility
and avoiding the challenge of truly meeting the needs of our children.

Here is a complete list of everything that is totally nontoxic:

END LIST

Nothing is totally nontoxic. Each parent has to weigh the risks and benefits
of various treatments.

6. You are going against medical advice.

Physicians work for you. There is something called informed consent.
If they have given you false or inaccurate information, or attempted
to deceive you in any way, then the advice that they have given is
faulty and you can justifiably take matters (concerning "ADHD") into
your own hands. It is your responsibility to protect the short and
long-term health, well-being and development of your child.

Resources

Breeding, J. The Wildest Colts Make The Best Horses. Bright Books,
1996.
Breggin, P. Talking Back To Ritalin. Common Courage Press, 1998.

Both of these books are inaccuate. Not recommended.


This brochure was created by Steve Edelman, MA, and John Breeding,
PhD. Please copy and distribute widely. http://WildesdsgfdstColts.com

--

http://groups.msn.com/psychbussdaters
Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda

http://www.xenu.net

--
RUBUS ERADICANDUS EST. MMIV Nov.

Jeff wrote:

"Psi" wrote in message
om...

The simple fact is that there is absolutely no reliable test that
accurately distinguishes between children that are supposed to have
"ADHD" and those that are not.

There is no test that distinquishes between adults who have schizophrenia
and those who do not. But no one questions where there is something
different about people who hear voices, have major problems with reality,
etc.

While this is true, $cientology's answer to you is simply that they're
"PTS type III," not schizophrenic, and their prescribed treatment is to
starve them to death, slowly, over 17 days:

http://www.lisamcpherson.org

--
RUBUS ERADICANDUS EST. MMIV Nov.

(CBI) wrote in message om...
It's against my better judgment but what the hell - I'll bite (or feed
as the case may be).


(Psi) wrote in message . com...

A Few Simple Truths About ADHD and Stimulant Drugs

Responses to Common Professional Statements Made to Parents About
Their Children.

Doctors, mental health professionals, and educators often say things
about "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" (ADHD) that are
unproven. These same professionals often say things about drugs that
are supposed to treat "ADHD" that are not true. This article reveals
and responds to six common lies or misleading statements you might be
told.

1. "ADHD" is a brain-based biological disorder, caused by a chemical
imbalance in your child's brain.

The simple fact is that there is absolutely no reliable test that
accurately distinguishes between children that are supposed to have
"ADHD" and those that are not. The simplest way to counter this
statement is to ask for a medical test to prove that your child has
"ADHD."

I think you mistake the difference between having laboratory evidence
about the existance of something and having a commercially available
test. You are correct that there is no test that the doc can order and
prove that the kid has ADD. However, with the use of PET scans and
other imaging differences have been noted.


The only difference that has been noted is that the brains of children
on ~stimulant medication~ are different than the brains of children
who are not. In recent brain imaging studies the medication itself has
been the only variable.

http://psychrights.org/Research/Dige...viewofadhd.pdf
http://www.insightmag.com/main.cfm?i...storyid=449586


2. The symptoms are clearly printed in a book called the DSM-IV (which
stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American
Psychiatric Association, Fourth Edition).

Yes, the "symptoms" are printed there, but as described in point 1,
these alleged "symptoms" in no way prove that ADHD is a disease.
Furthermore, these "symptoms" are actually nothing more than someone's
observations of your child's behavior, and the truth is they are not
even reliable as behavioral observations.

The symptoms are not alleged - they definately exist (or not). It is
well established that some medical conditions are based solely on
symptoms with no confirmatory tests such as schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder, depression,and panic disorder. Surely you admit that at
least osme of those are real.

Your argument breaks down on the fact that the "disorders" you mention
are not valid medical conditions. As with ADHD, there are no medical
tests that can be done due to the fact that there is no evidence that
these labels are in fact diseases that are physical in nature.

No one is denying that there are symptoms of underlying problems. But
the issue here is that it is a lie to claim that a number of symptoms
(which could stem from any number of different sources) should fit
under one label and then be propagated as a physical disease when
there is no valid evidence of its existence in medical science.



To be reliable, people must
agree that your child has "ADHD." An article in the prestigious
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
printed in September 2000, says that the diagnosis is very unreliable.

Many studies suggest that it is very reliable. Not all doctors will
agree about the diagnosis or hypertension, MI, stroke, or many other
conditions in any particular patient. That does not make them less
real.



You are mixing psychiatry with medicine and again, this is why your
argument breaks down. We are talking about diseases. For a disease to
exist there must be a tangible, objective physical abnormality that
can be determined by a test such as, but not limited to, blood or
urine test, X-Ray, brain scan or biopsy. All reputable doctors would
agree: No physical abnormality, no disease. In psychiatry, no test or
brain scan exists to prove that a 'mental disorder' is a physical
disease.

3. Medication (such as Ritalin) corrects the chemical imbalance.

Remember first there is no demonstrated chemical imbalance (see point
1). The brain does have chemicals that help cells "talk" to each other
that are called neurotransmitters. However, when a professional says
that one of these chemicals, usually a variety of something called
Dopamine, needs some kind of correction, and that they have just the
right kind of medicine to do this, you are being misled. This idea
assumes that nerves only "talk" to nerves that use the same chemicals.
That is absolutely positively false. It is a lie at worst, a gross
oversimplification at best. It is unethical for a medical professional
to state or imply otherwise.

I agree it is an over simplifaction. That is not to say that the
medication is not correcting something or helpful.


That is a huge leap of faith and reinforces the need for clear
separation between psychiatry and medicine. Cannabis is "helpful" to a
smoker - it helps him become more relaxed. Does that mean Cannabis is
correcting a chemical imbalance? The same thing could be said about
any recreational drug: nicotine, cocaine, heroin etc. etc. People turn
to them to help them suppress emotional/behavioural difficulties. And
sure, they "work", they are "helpful" because they do what is
intended. Would you agree that it is completely illogical to assume
that these drugs are "correcting" something? If so, what is the
difference between someone who smokes a spliff to relax and someone
who takes methylphenidate to focus...?


4. The medication (e.g., Ritalin) is a mild stimulant with few or no
side effects.

"Side effect" is a euphemism; all drugs (alleged medications) have a
variety of effects. It is vitally important that you personally
research the effects of any drug you might consider for your child. Go
to the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR), ask your neighborhood
pharmacist to print you a list of side effects, and/or get the
references listed at the end of this brochure. You need to find out
about all possible effects -- those considered common (such as
nervousness, insomnia, and loss of appetite, and those considered rare
(such as toxic psychosis and death). The lie that Ritalin is a mild
stimulant is even more difficult to maintain since a recently
concluded study at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), and
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, not only
confirmed the similarities of cocaine and Ritalin, but found that
Ritalin is more potent than cocaine in its effect on the dopamine
system in the brain. Referring to Ritalin as "kiddy cocaine" is not a
joke.

No, it is not a joke. It is not true either. "Mild" is a relative
term. If one compares it to cocaine - which causes stimualtion to the
point of not uncommonly causing pyschosis, arrythmias, strokes, and
MI's - then it is mild. When one compares it to caffeine it is not.
The comparison to coffee would be more accurate.


I couldn't find caffeine in the DEA's Schedule II Controlled
Substances. I found Opium, Codeine, Morphine, Cocaine, Methadone,
Amphetamine and a whole host of others. Ritalin, sure. But no
caffeine.


It is important to know that the use of stimulant medication can mask
the symptoms of potentially fatal disorders that could be causing your
child's problems with inattention or activity.

The stimulants should not be given unless those other diagnoses have
been ruled out.


It is also important to
know that if your child really is having problems with attention and
concentration, this could be caused by problems within the class
environment (no work breaks, poor environmental temperature
regulation, poor acoustics, poor lighting, poor teaching, etc.) or
within other areas of your child's life (nutrition, TV and video
overstimulation, family stress and conflict, etc.).

If the child only has the problems in one or a few environments then
they do not have ADD.



"It is very unusual for an individual to display the same level of
dysfunction in all settings or within the same setting at all times.
Symptoms typically worsen in situations that require sustained
attention or mental effort or that lack intrinsic appeal or novelty
(e.g., listening to classroom teachers, doing class assignments,
listening to or reading lengthy materials, or working on monotonous,
repetitive tasks), Signs of the disorder may be minimal or absent when
the person is under very strict control, in a novel setting, is
engaged in especially interesting activities, in a one-to-one
situation (e.g., the clinician's office), or while the person
experiences frequent rewards for appropriate behavior." Diagnostic &
Statistical Manual, v. IV, published by the American Psychiatric
Association.


Psi


--

Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda
http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters

"Jeff" wrote in message ...
"Psi" wrote in message
om...

There are plenty of studies that show on many different levels that kids who
have ADHD have brains that are different than kids who don't have ADHD.
There is also plenty of evidence that these differences are in part genetic.

For some background data on these "studies":

http://psychrights.org/Research/Dige...viewofadhd.pdf
http://www.insightmag.com/main.cfm?i...storyid=449586


The brain does have chemicals that help cells "talk" to each other
that are called neurotransmitters. However, when a professional says
that one of these chemicals, usually a variety of something called
Dopamine, needs some kind of correction, and that they have just the
right kind of medicine to do this, you are being misled. This idea
assumes that nerves only "talk" to nerves that use the same chemicals.

This is absolutely wrong.

That's the point. That's what the author is saying.

First, dopamine is not the only chemcial involved
in ADHD. Norepinephrine is also involved. Second, these chemical act as
neuromodulators, not neurotransmitters. Neuromodulators act to help change
the activity level of neurons without causing an actual signals to be
transmitted. And third, the neuromodulators work on neurons that use GABA,
Glutamate and other neurotransmitters.

Nerves only talk to nerves that use the same chemicals? This statement shows
a gross misunderstanding of the brain, which makes this person's comments
very suspect.


Re-read the paragraph. The author is agreeing with you.

That is absolutely positively false. It is a lie at worst, a gross
oversimplification at best. It is unethical for a medical professional
to state or imply otherwise.

There you go.


This brochure was created by Steve Edelman, MA, and John Breeding,
PhD. Please copy and distribute widely. http://WildesdsgfdstColts.com

--

http://groups.msn.com/psychbussdaters
Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda


LOL, the correct site addresses a

http://WildestColts.com
http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters

Why don't you want people to view these sites? Why are you so against
people getting a different opinion? Do you have an agenda here?

Whether you agree with the evidence or you don't is neither here nor
there. What is vital however is that parents should be free to gather
as much information as possible to be able to make that all-important
"informed decision" as to which route to take their child.


Psi

Psi wrote:

"Jeff" wrote in message ...
"Psi" wrote in message
om...

There are plenty of studies that show on many different levels that kids who
have ADHD have brains that are different than kids who don't have ADHD.
There is also plenty of evidence that these differences are in part genetic.

For some background data on these "studies":

http://www.ronthewarhero.org
http://www.narconon-exposed.org


--
RUBUS ERADICANDUS EST. MMIV Nov.

You are mixing psychiatry with medicine and again, this is why your
argument breaks down.

Psychiatry is medicine, that's what differentiates psychiatry from
psychology. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor able to perscribe drug
therapies. A psychologist such as the originating author of that pamphlet is
someone who has completed a doctoral degree in psycology, but not a medical
degree.

We are talking about diseases. For a disease to exist there must be a
tangible, objective physical abnormality that
can be determined by a test such as, but not limited to, blood or urine
test, X-Ray, brain scan or biopsy. All reputable
doctors would agree: No physical abnormality, no disease.

I'm not sure what you're suggesting here. Is a pattern of observed behavior
non-physical in some way? Lets look at another medical problem a heart
attack, heart attacks can be tested for using an EKG. The readouts are
interpretted by experts in the field who then make a subjective diagnosis.
That's right, he looks at physical evidence and then makes his best guess
based on his experience. There's no magical number or pattern that the EKG
will fit into. Except for the EKG read out using a diagnostic tool it is no
different than a psychologist who through observations and self reporting.
Well perhaps you think self reporting is unreliable, but one of the main
signs of a heart attack is the patient saying they're experiencing pressure
pain anywhere in a circle including the chest and arm.

In psychiatry, no test or brain scan exists to prove that a 'mental
disorder' is a physical disease.

The alternative is is absurd, if a mental disorder is non-physical then it
must be something else perhaps a glitch in ones "soul"? I'm sorry if it
offends your personal philisophical views but pluralism (especially dualism)
has no place in any science. Observed physical things such as the physical
behavior of a human have physical causes.

That is a huge leap of faith and reinforces the need for clear
separation between psychiatry and medicine. Cannabis is "helpful" to a
smoker - it helps him become more relaxed. Does that mean Cannabis is
correcting a chemical imbalance? The same thing could be said about
any recreational drug: nicotine, cocaine, heroin etc. etc. People turn
to them to help them suppress emotional/behavioural difficulties. And
sure, they "work", they are "helpful" because they do what is
intended. Would you agree that it is completely illogical to assume
that these drugs are "correcting" something? If so, what is the
difference between someone who smokes a spliff to relax and someone
who takes methylphenidate to focus...?

The difference is methylphenidate (Ritalin) has undergone several scientific
studies that should statistically unignorable benefits with a few adverse
side effects: decreased appetite, insomnia, increased anxiety, irritability,
stomach aches or headaches. It is not generally addictive when used as a
treatment for AD/HD. In contrast the uses of the recreational drugs you've
listed aren't used as part of a treatment for a medical disorder (accepted
by NIH) are generally used in dangerously large doses which lead to drug
dependancy. If someone so badly needs to relax that it qualifies as a mental
heath issue (an anxiety dissorder?) they should seek proffessional medical
care not self diagnose and self medicate.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/Publicat/ADHD.cfm

No, it is not a joke. It is not true either. "Mild" is a relative
term. If one compares it to cocaine - which causes stimualtion to the
point of not uncommonly causing pyschosis, arrythmias, strokes, and
MI's - then it is mild. When one compares it to caffeine it is not.
The comparison to coffee would be more accurate.

I couldn't find caffeine in the DEA's Schedule II Controlled
Substances. I found Opium, Codeine, Morphine, Cocaine, Methadone,
Amphetamine and a whole host of others. Ritalin, sure. But no
caffeine.

Nor will you find Alcohol or Nicotine which if you'd do so academic research
you'd find is primarily due to politics rather than any scientific reasons.
The reason you'll see Ritalin on the short list of drugs that are abused,
isn't because it's dangerous as used in a medical treatement perscribed by a
psychiatrist, but that it is abusable. One should not take Ritalin unless
they've been perscribed to do so, just like any other regulated drug

It is also important to
know that if your child really is having problems with attention and
concentration, this could be caused by problems within the class
environment (no work breaks, poor environmental temperature
regulation, poor acoustics, poor lighting, poor teaching, etc.) or
within other areas of your child's life (nutrition, TV and video
overstimulation, family stress and conflict, etc.).

If lack of work breaks, poor lighting or poor teaching were the cause of a
problem in normal children the child would not show symptoms that divergant
from other children in the same situation. Divergantly maladaptive behavior
is needed for an AD/HD diagnosis. Actually DSM-IV requires that other causes
for the behavior be ruled out which does cover all of these concerns.

If the child only has the problems in one or a few environments then
they do not have ADD.

"It is very unusual for an individual to display the same level of
dysfunction in all settings or within the same setting at all times."

Notice that this is level of dysfunction rather than presence or absence. So
it doesn't mitigate the accuracy of CBI's statement that a child might for
forgetfulness only occasionally forget a toy at home, but at school
constantly forget pens, pencils, calculators, etc.

You seem fond of citing most doctors Psi, these are medical doctors right?
Will you please direct me to the publications of a medical doctor who
actually advocates these things? John Breeding and Steve Edelman are NOT a
medical doctors. Dr. Breeding is a PhD in educational psychology from the
University of Texas at Austin. He is not a "real" doctor (MD), (PhD's in
general do not study pharmaceutical treatments and are not licensed to
decide whether or not they are appropriate. It does indicate expertise in
psychology and since I have access to libraries that carry journals he's
been published in. I'll add his papers to my reading queue, so I can see the
strength of the evidence to supporting his claim)

And I realizes it's argumentum ad hominem, but in the same way you should be
skeptical of drug therapy because the people suggesting them generally
profit most from them, the same skepticism should be used for people
suggesting drug therapy is wrong. The brochure is linked directly to a site
which is selling a book and therapy. The brochure is itself propaganda
designed to sell a treatment choice. Buyer beware.