Ritalin is NOT Addictive when taken as prescribed

"jake" nospamhere@all wrote in message
...
On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 16:39:53 -0400, "Jeff"
wrote:


"Roger Schlafly" wrote in message
. net...
"Marko Proberto" wrote in
The reference is to a study by Nora Volkow. It didn't really look
at
whether people with ADHD get addicted at all. It looked at how
quickly ritalin acts on the brain, and found that ritalin in pill
form
Whether this has anything to do with the ordinary layman usage
of the word "addiction" is debatable.
Not to Nora Volkow, and she defines addiction these days.

I don't know what her agenda is, but is she is redefining commonly
used terms, then her results are meaningless to the general public.
That is, unless full definitions are provided.

She is like the tobacco executives who testified that cigarettes
were not addictive. It wasn't perjury, I guess, because they had
their own personal definitions of "addictive".

Addiction is defined as "compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming
substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance
and
by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly :
persistent
compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful."
(www.m-w.cm)

This clearly describes Ritalin when taken intranasally. However, this
does
describe Ritalin when taken as prescribed for ADHD. When taken as
prescribed, there is no compulsive need for it, no habit of taking it, no
tolerance and no physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.

yeah sure..just a "discontinuation syndrome..right?

:)


What are you talking about? Can you please provide some references that show
this problem for drugs prescribed for ADHD when taken as prescribed for
ADHD?

Jeff

"Jeff" wrote
This clearly describes Ritalin when taken intranasally. However, this
does
describe Ritalin when taken as prescribed for ADHD. When taken as
prescribed, there is no compulsive need for it, no habit of taking it, no
tolerance and no physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.

Where is the scientific paper with these findings?

"Roger Schlafly" wrote in message
ink.net...
"Jeff" wrote
This clearly describes Ritalin when taken intranasally. However, this
does
describe Ritalin when taken as prescribed for ADHD. When taken as
prescribed, there is no compulsive need for it, no habit of taking it,
no
tolerance and no physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.

Where is the scientific paper with these findings?

Clinical experience. Can you please show me the paper that shows otherwise?

Jeff

"Jeff" wrote
describe Ritalin when taken as prescribed for ADHD. When taken as
prescribed, there is no compulsive need for it, no habit of taking it,
no tolerance and no physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.
Where is the scientific paper with these findings?
Clinical experience. Can you please show me the paper that shows
otherwise?

You sound like the tobacco executives. The PDR and DEA say that
ritalin is addictive. I don't know what your "clinical experience" is.
Have you prescribed ritalin, and then tested your patients for
addiction? I doubt it. Show me the scientific paper.

On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 17:18:52 -0400, "Jeff"
wrote:


"jake" nospamhere@all wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 16:39:53 -0400, "Jeff"
wrote:


"Roger Schlafly" wrote in message
. net...
"Marko Proberto" wrote in
The reference is to a study by Nora Volkow. It didn't really look
at
whether people with ADHD get addicted at all. It looked at how
quickly ritalin acts on the brain, and found that ritalin in pill
form
Whether this has anything to do with the ordinary layman usage
of the word "addiction" is debatable.
Not to Nora Volkow, and she defines addiction these days.

I don't know what her agenda is, but is she is redefining commonly
used terms, then her results are meaningless to the general public.
That is, unless full definitions are provided.

She is like the tobacco executives who testified that cigarettes
were not addictive. It wasn't perjury, I guess, because they had
their own personal definitions of "addictive".

Addiction is defined as "compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming
substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance
and
by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly :
persistent
compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful."
(www.m-w.cm)

This clearly describes Ritalin when taken intranasally. However, this
does
describe Ritalin when taken as prescribed for ADHD. When taken as
prescribed, there is no compulsive need for it, no habit of taking it, no
tolerance and no physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.

yeah sure..just a "discontinuation syndrome..right?

:)


What are you talking about?

this...

Abrupt discontinuation of long-term administration of methylphenidate
is not recommended. Discontinuation may unmask severe depression or
the effect of chronic overactivity (e.g., dysphoric mood, suicidal and
paranoid ideation). Supervision of withdrawal is recommended.


Abrupt discontinuation of methylphenidate can produce a withdrawal
syndrome manifested as severe mental depression, unusual behavior,
tiredness, and weakness.

The use of methylphenidate needs careful supervision. Visit your
doctor for regular checks on your progress. Tell your doctor if you
feel a need to take more tablets than prescribed, or to take them more
often; you can develop a dependence on this medicine. If you have been
taking methylphenidate regularly for some time, do not suddenly stop
taking it. You must gradually reduce the dose or you may feel
withdrawal effects. Ask your doctor for advice.


Can you please provide some references that show
this problem for drugs prescribed for ADHD when taken as prescribed for
ADHD?

unlike proselytizers for ADHD and Ritalin others are far more
objective

http://www.parkinsons-information-ex...rugdb/083.html


Ultimately Victorious in Obtaining Meds

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's good to be back on line ... I've missed this forum tremendously.
I just wanted to share with whomever is interested the recent hurdles
I had to conquer in order to get my medication (Ritalin) early. Much
to my horror, my purse was stolen in an airport, and my precious
bottle of pink pills (that I guard with my life) went South with the
perpetrator.

After a barrage of phone calls to my neurologist, only some of which
were returned oh-to-eagerly by the snippy receptionist (who derives
pleasure in relaying the doctor's messages that include the word
"NO"), I discovered that sending faxes directly to the doctor does the
trick. If any of you ever have the misfortune of sharing a similar
predicament, perhaps the below information will be of some use. I
completely attribute the below faxes to the ultimate resolution in my
favor.

Remember one and all, we have a RIGHT to our medication; never, ever
let anyone treat you -- as they have often with me --like a drug
addict/medication abuser.

(I removed the doctors' names, for obvious reasons)

8/1/2001


Dr. XXX,

If you didn’t get my fax from yesterday, I’ve included it below. I
have resorted to faxing your office due to the difficulty I have had
with reaching an actual person when I call; more often than not,
messages I leave are either ignored or are returned hours--even days--
later.

Today I am suffering from quite a severe headache, which I attribute
to Ritalin withdrawal … I have now gone 6 days without my medication,
and as if the debilitating sleepiness and fogginess were not enough, I
now have an ice pick in my skull.

http://www.sleepnet.com/narco14/messages/550.html

Jeff

On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 21:59:44 +0100, jake nospamhere@all wrote:

On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 16:39:53 -0400, "Jeff"
wrote:


"Roger Schlafly" wrote in message
.net...
"Marko Proberto" wrote in
The reference is to a study by Nora Volkow. It didn't really look at
whether people with ADHD get addicted at all. It looked at how
quickly ritalin acts on the brain, and found that ritalin in pill form
Whether this has anything to do with the ordinary layman usage
of the word "addiction" is debatable.
Not to Nora Volkow, and she defines addiction these days.

I don't know what her agenda is, but is she is redefining commonly
used terms, then her results are meaningless to the general public.
That is, unless full definitions are provided.

She is like the tobacco executives who testified that cigarettes
were not addictive. It wasn't perjury, I guess, because they had
their own personal definitions of "addictive".

Addiction is defined as "compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming
substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and
by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent
compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful." (www.m-w.cm)

This clearly describes Ritalin when taken intranasally. However, this does
describe Ritalin when taken as prescribed for ADHD. When taken as
prescribed, there is no compulsive need for it, no habit of taking it, no
tolerance and no physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.

yeah sure..just a "discontinuation syndrome..right?

Nope.
Not for Ritalin


:)





Jeff


================================================== ==
The "anti" group on any subject can stall it forever
by asking an unlimited number of questions and feeding
an unlimited number of fears. And if we require that
something be absolutely safe and absolutely understood
before we use it, we'll never use anything,
because we'll never have absolute understanding.
David Wright 9/20/03

http://home.gwi.net/~mdmpsyd/index.htm

On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 23:13:47 +0100, jake nospamhere@all wrote:
..

Abrupt discontinuation of long-term administration of methylphenidate
is not recommended. Discontinuation may unmask severe depression or
the effect of chronic overactivity (e.g., dysphoric mood, suicidal and
paranoid ideation). Supervision of withdrawal is recommended.


Abrupt discontinuation of methylphenidate can produce a withdrawal
syndrome manifested as severe mental depression, unusual behavior,
tiredness, and weakness.

1 : a group of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterize
a particular abnormality
2 : a set of concurrent things (as emotions or actions) that usually
form an identifiable pattern

Do the symptoms above occur with enough frequency so as to be
identified as a pattern?

Also note the disclaimer:
Disclaimer

The information found on this site was researched by unpaid
volunteers. None of us are in the medical profession. Needless to say
this was done as meticulously as possible. Mistakes if found were
unintentional. This site is provided by volunteers of the Parkinsn
List receiving no remuneration of any kind.

Also note what kind of website that is. This discussion is about the
use of Ritalin in the treatment of ADHD--not Parkinson's. Given the
neurology of parkinsons and the mechanism of action of ritalin, that
group of symptoms probably makes sense. How many people being treated
for ADHD with ritalin also have parkinson's?



================================================== ==
The "anti" group on any subject can stall it forever
by asking an unlimited number of questions and feeding
an unlimited number of fears. And if we require that
something be absolutely safe and absolutely understood
before we use it, we'll never use anything,
because we'll never have absolute understanding.
David Wright 9/20/03

http://home.gwi.net/~mdmpsyd/index.htm

On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 22:08:23 GMT, "Roger Schlafly"
wrote:

"Jeff" wrote
describe Ritalin when taken as prescribed for ADHD. When taken as
prescribed, there is no compulsive need for it, no habit of taking it,
no tolerance and no physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.
Where is the scientific paper with these findings?
Clinical experience. Can you please show me the paper that shows
otherwise?

You sound like the tobacco executives. The PDR and DEA say that
ritalin is addictive. I don't know what your "clinical experience" is.
Have you prescribed ritalin, and then tested your patients for
addiction? I doubt it. Show me the scientific paper.

Have you bothered to look at any of the papers already discussed?
I bet not because that would mean getting off your duff and finding
the journals. Look particularly at the biederman article already
cited. Then look at his reference list. He cites several other papers
in which he was an author. The data you seek are there.

Are you 100% certain that the PDR does not say that it has the
potential to be addictive and that the DEA did not say that it has the
same potential. Dropping one word makes a world of difference.


================================================== ==
The "anti" group on any subject can stall it forever
by asking an unlimited number of questions and feeding
an unlimited number of fears. And if we require that
something be absolutely safe and absolutely understood
before we use it, we'll never use anything,
because we'll never have absolute understanding.
David Wright 9/20/03

http://home.gwi.net/~mdmpsyd/index.htm

"jake" nospamhere@all wrote in message
...

Abrupt discontinuation of long-term administration of methylphenidate
is not recommended. Discontinuation may unmask severe depression or
the effect of chronic overactivity (e.g., dysphoric mood, suicidal and
paranoid ideation). Supervision of withdrawal is recommended.

What you are describing is habituation, not addiction. The same can be said
for several medications that are clearly not abused, such as beta blockers
(a class of heart medicine) and antidepressants.

--
CBI,MD

"Mark D Morin" wrote
You sound like the tobacco executives. The PDR and DEA say that
ritalin is addictive. I don't know what your "clinical experience" is.
Have you prescribed ritalin, and then tested your patients for
addiction? I doubt it. Show me the scientific paper.
Have you bothered to look at any of the papers already discussed?
.... Look particularly at the biederman article already cited.

Yes, I did. I even posted the URL. It does not even mention
the word "addiction".