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09/09/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Don't take this the wrong way but that was very interesting and informative.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
You say kids a lot. Ritalin is very much an adult drug. Any child on it should be watched closely. Other than that great article.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
I wonder if there is any follow-up on ADHD in childhood (even though it may not have been even called such 60 years ago) and the increasing prevalence of Parkinson's disease in today's senior population. Parkinson's is also a dopamine deficiency disease. As such, it may have a tie in to the same general cause and more important, I wonder if there is a possible use of Ritalin, Cocaine or other drugs to increase dopamine transmission in the brain in the treatment of Parkinson's.
Current Parkinson medications stimulate dopamine generation and/or reduce the break down of dopamine. This sounds similar to Ritalin's action. I wonder if there have been any studies on either using ritallin or other ADHD medications in Parkinson treatment or the converse of using Parkinson drugs in the treatment of ADHD?
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Sorry Mr. Blankenhorn, I still do not believe children, active or not, should
be drugged. If you want to cite science why not include studies on the
development of the human brain, especially in childhood and adolescence.
Also, considering the active marketing of drugs in America, I still wonder
which comes first...the drug or the appropriately labeled "disease".
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
A few years ago I researched the effect Ritalin has on your DNA and found a research group in Galveston Texas that found a change in
DNA was caused by the use of Ritalin. So there is much more to
learn about the effect Ritalin and other drugs of this type effect on
the body.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Sorry, KarrasB. When I was a teen, there was no diagnosis or treatment of ADHD. Much like Robin Williams, I found that taking amphetamines did not get me high in the least. It made me feel "normal" and helped me to "fit in" with my peers. When my son was 9 years old, his mother sent him to live with me because he was failing 2nd grade for a second time and she could not handle his behavior. She was suffering from "You won't give DRUGS to my baby" syndrome. When he got here, and after a very lengthy exam, the doctor prescribed Ritalin. It was an absolute miracle and he immediately moved to near the top of his class. Anger and anxiety were replaced by happiness and satisfaction. It's very easy to criticize when you have little or no first hand experience. Giving an ADHD child Ritalin is no different than giving a diabetic child insulin. Or do you oppose that also?
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
My 25 year old daughter has ADHD and I too was very anti-meds until she crashed and burned in the 9th grade. Until then, she had been an A/B student. We had supported her with extra help/tutoring, patience for her accomplishing tasks "differently", and insisting upon her participation in sports because we knew it improved her concentration (but we didn't know why). When the public schools were of no help, we transferred her to a private school for kids who 'learned differently'. It was there that they convinced me to have her re-evaluated by a neurologist. Cutting to the chase: after stablilizing on a small dose of Adderall, she completed high scool in 3 years, graduated with honors, went on to college, and has led a fulfilling, successful life. In her words, "Adderall released the person trapped inside her whole life."
Purevw: I have used the insulin analogy countless times myself. I see no difference either.
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Greenman re: Ritalin
I agree that Ritalin is a powerful drug and should not be given to everyone.
No one should be considered for Ritalin without a pretty firm diagnosis. No one should be on Ritalin who isn't also getting regular talk or behavioral therapy.
Everyone on Ritalin needs to be monitored, not just for side effects and for behavioral changes but because of the physiological changes that happen as we grow. Many teenagers who got relief with Ritalin when they were younger find it no longer works when they get big.
Maybe you thought I was going to disagree with you, but you make a very good point that I think most in the ADHD population understand and agree with.
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Parkinson's and Ritalin
Nothing I've seen in the literature indicates that Ritalin works for Parkinson's.
There are links, however, between ADHD and autism, which is also increasing. Environmental toxins may play a role in that increase, but the doses of mercury in vaccines are insufficient to be the sole cause. Unfortunately there are increased amounts of airborne mercury and mercury in water due to burning of coal for electrical power.
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Belief vs. Science
KarrasB: I don't care whether you believe scientific evidence or not. Science doesn't care. Belief is a completely separate issue.
Science proceeds through hypothesis, experiment, and a new hypothesis. The best experiments ask more questions than they answer. No hypothesis has any value if all it does is answer a big question and is not subject to experimental proof or disproof.
If you want to believe angels dance on the head of a pin go ahead. But extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof in science.
I don't have to believe in the principles of flush toilets, or believe that germs in water cause disease. That's a key difference. I don't have to believe in Ritalin to now know how it works.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
I was diagnosed with ADD (now ADHD) as a kid and nearly died from using Ritalin that was prescribed to me by my doctor. I can't say that there aren't children or adults that might benefit from such a drug, but from my personal experience, I would agree with the above poster that recommended any parent putting a child on a new drug be very closely monitored and be ready to call an ambulance in case things go wrong. The fact of the matter is that people can react differently to the same medications, so YMMV. Scientists use large populations to find if there is an overall change, not to see if every individual reacts in the same manner (because they don't).
Is the tiny risk of your child dying or becoming addicted and the large risk of side affects worth what ever potential benefit that the drug of your choice offers for you and your child? Meditate on that before you introduce any drug to your children.
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Science vs. Ritalin
There is a large political movement working against Ritalin and other psychoactive drugs, and they sponsor a lot of research. Here are examples -- http://www.icpa4kids.org/research/children/ritalin.htm
However, please note that this latest study only shows why Ritalin works -- the specific mechanism underlying its potential efficacy. There are a wealth of drugs that have been developed for ADHD, and a competent physician can help you find the right path for your child.
In the case of my daughter, by the way, Ritalin was no help at all. Her ADHD manifests itself as dyslexia, a difficulty in decoding words off a page, and turning her thoughts into words from her mouth. Training and accommodation are working for her, however, and she is making it in college.
If you give a kid Ritalin and he tears around the room like he's on speed, you probably need to go another way. Same with an adult.
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Purev's point
Some people respond well to Ritalin and other stimulants for ADHD. It should also be noted that some do not. And our reaction can change over time.
Purev found relief, and says this 9 year old found relief, through the use of Ritalin. One unnecessary byproduct of the anti-Ritalin political movement is to brand otherwise-innocent kids as druggies, or ADHD kids as fakers. I have seen this in my own life. It's abusive.
You don't have to believe in ADHD. You don't have to believe in Ritalin. But competent professionals have developed this diagnosis to explain a range of behaviors, and Ritalin is one of many medications that seem to offer relief for sufferers.
The point of this latest study, again, is to show how Ritalin works, and why it seems to work. More study is always needed.
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Ritalin does not work for everyone
Aeriform: There are mis-diagnoses of ADHD. Ritalin is not advised for all patients, even all ADHD patients. It is among the best tolerated ADHD drugs on the market, the one with the longest history, it's generic and low cost. That's why it's the first choice.
But no one should be given Ritalin and not be monitored. My daughter used Ritalin for only one day, and it did not help her, so that day is now an old family story. There are other solutions.
The key is to keep working for them.
One more point. I don't believe Ritalin or any other psychoactive should be prescribed without therapy and monitoring, both medical and psychological. This makes ADHD more expensive to treat, but I think your example shows why it's necessary.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
A very good article. I have a nephew who suffered (suffers, now, but less) from ADD. He was prescribed Ritalin, and it worked "wonders." He went from being an out of control extrovert to a thoughtful, well-disciplined introvert. He finally became a success at school with his schooling. Yet, despite all the evidence that the Ritalin regiment helped, when he got into middle-school and then high-school, he would often refuse to take the drug. In his words, "it made him not be himself." He not longer had the self-assurance to interact with his peers. And, worse, he felt that he could not be successful with girls.
There was no question that the drug changed his behavior. For the adults in his life, this change was all to the good. However, for this kid, it was a mixed blessing, and he often chose to not take the drug. Now, as an adult, he seems to have overcome some of the worse symptoms, but he is still weary of Ritalin. I guess, like many things in life, medical drugs may offer a fix, but sometimes at a cost.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Anyone stop to think that drugs for so-called ADHD (aka normal childhood behavior) are STIMULANTS--schedule II drugs in the same category as cocaine, morphine and opium? The DEA says that these drugs are structurally and pharmacologically similar to cocaine. An amphetamine?s chemical structure resembles natural stimulants in the body, like adrenaline. However, as a drug, it alters the natural system and can reduce appetite and fatigue and ?speed? you up. A stimulant refers to any mind-altering chemical or substance that affects the central nervous system by speeding up the body?s functions, including the heart and breathing rates. Between January 2000 and June 30, 2005, the FDA received almost 1,000 reports of kids experiencing psychosis or mania while taking the drugs. On June 28, 2005, the FDA identified possible safety concerns with Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, etc. Specifically noted were psychiatric adverse effects when prescribed to treat ?ADHD,? such as visual hallucinations, suicidal ideation, psychotic behavior, aggression and violent behavior. So please don't believe everything the psychiatrists tell you to be believe. Find out for yourself, do your homework, and make an informed decision.
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Royce L Crocker
It is common that, when children become adolescents, there needs to be an adjustment in medication. They're bigger, the old dose won't work. And they're different, the same drug may stop working.
It sounds from what you write that what the nephew needed, and needs, is therapy, a trusted friend who can help him deal with his problems and prescribe medication when it is needed, but only when the patient is psychologically accepting of it.
That's how ADHD is.
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Betty09
So-called ADHD is a problem.
The problem is people who deny the reality of a condition that afflicts many people, and afflicts children especially because their brains haven't yet developed the self-awareness needed for real social development. (The part of the brain that is trained in kindergarten is, according to CT scans, late in developing among ADHD kids. It does develop, but by that time we're way behind the class in all socialization areas.)
What you have to say about ADHD drugs is one thing. They're drugs and need to be treated with respect -- not handed out like candy. They need to be backed by therapy as well. Every medication has the potential for side effects -- even aspirin.
When you deny the existence of the condition, however, then I have a serious problem. I suffered greatly at the hands of people like you when I was a kid. My kids have suffered from your attitude as well. I am afraid I lack the patience to argue with you. That impatience is part of ADHD, I know, but there's nothing so-called about it.
One personal note. I was diagnosed at age 9 but my mom said "you won't put my kid on drugs." I suffered greatly until I learned what I had, 30 years later. (I take no medication today.) So please don't deny the reality of my life. I'd appreciate that.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Thank you for a fine article covering this topic. As someone who has struggled with ADD-ADHD, I can tell you from personal experience that stimulants "wake up" the filters in my mind. The filters then help me block out endless distractions which would otherwise keep me from getting *anything* done.
Kids with untreated ADD tend to find their way into cigarettes because nicotine has some properties that work as well.
It's always sad for me to read people using scare-filled language, such as "drugging kids". What really happens is the kid has a difficulty and with meds, they come up to normal.
I always wonder if the people willing to take necessary meds away would be willing to unplug themselves from life-preserving equipment. It's darn near the same thing.
One of my kids has diabetes. He takes insulin for it and would die without it.
Now, let me talk about insulin using the scare-filled language that has shown up in this thread (notably from KarrasB and Betty09):
"Anyone stop to think that drugs for so-called 'diabetes' or 'sugar-sensitivity' (aka normal childhood behavior in snarfing down sugar) are HORMONES -- chemicals so powerful that ONE PART IN ONE BILLION is active?!! The DEA says that the sugar-eaters' drugs are structurally and pharmacologically like many other HORMONES -- like TESTOSTERONE, a Drug ABUSED by Body Builders and which could cause little girls to develop MALE characteristics, and ESTROGEN, a drug essential to the female, but which could cause little boys to develop BREASTS! Imagine the horror for your little guy!
Yes! Between January of 2000 and June 30 of 2005, the FDA received nearly a thousand reports of kids "On HORMONES" ! Especially Teenagers! These kids, while 'buzzed' on HORMONES, typically listen to LOUD ROCK or 'RAP' music which damages their hearing, engage in VERY DANGEROUS behavior such as skateboarding, and they can even say nasty things about YOUR DINNER if it includes BROCCOLI !
You should be alarmed if you see: YOUR CHILD's pants are nearly falling down, YOUR CHILD prefers RAP music to talking with you, YOUR CHILD downloads movies and music, YOUR CHILD loses interest in 2nd year calculus, and of course, YOUR CHILD engages in pre-marital kissing.
Remember: Your Child may be kissing right now WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE OR PERMISSION! So don't believe everything you've been told to believe. Listen to a doctor with extra training in neurotransmitters (e.g., a psychiatrist). Find out for yourself, do your homework, and make an informed decision.
*grin*
-- Dave
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
As a non-ADHD father of two ADHD boys (ages 15 and 6), your article really filled in some knowledge hole--good work, not (just kidding). Unfortunately for me, I maybe an undiagnosed ADD kid, no hyperactivity to my "disorder." I remember struggling w/ organization all my childhood. After I entered Navy boot camp is when I really learned how to organize my "stuff", but only after being set back two weeks. I still struggle from time to time usually after a "busy day" with my boys. I agree with you, a combination of therapy and meds is the best way of coping with ADHD for both the kids (meds and therapy) and parents (therapy, parenting education). Best regards.
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ADHD displays in various ways
My son has the typical form of ADHD, which I call "male ADHD." He was diagnosed pretty easily.
My daughter has a different kind, which I call "female ADHD." This displays differently, often alongside a learning disability such as dyslexia. In her case, she has trouble with decoding -- turning letters into sounds and turning the concepts in her head into words.
In a piece I linked to, "The Robin Williams in my Head," I tried to explain this in terms of your reaction to watching Robin in action. The male ADHDer will try to argue with Robin, to top him. The female ADHDer may just watch the show and enjoy it immensely. But her mind is not really in the classroom. She's a good kid but she's not really there.
Also, as noted before, her condition did not respond to Ritalin.
My guess is you don't have ADHD, but getting checked out might be fun anyway. I guess this because you seem to get along with your kids. I have always had problems with my ADHD son -- it's like trying to stick together two north poles of a battery.
And it has always been thus. My dad left me at 18. He left his father at 16. His father kicked his own father out at 16. And that man left Europe, alone, at 15. My son and I are about to set a record....
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09/10/09 | Report as spam
DaveTracer
I enjoyed your piece immensely. Rather than getting mad at the people we can't get along with, perhaps it's better to just laugh.
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09/11/09 | Report as spam
Some additional information
I need to add here that I have learned some additional facts.
1. About 30% of people without ADD do respond well to Ritalin. I hadn't
known that.
2. Many with ADD do not respond to it.
3. The talk of side effects is real.
No drug like this should be taken without a doctor's prescription, and I
personally wouldn't recommend it except in conjunction with therapy.
Pills can be therapeutic but they're not magic. We have been foolish to
pretend they are.
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09/13/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
If I had been born 10 to 15 years later, they might have diagnosed me with ADD/ADHD as I was a hyperactive child. However, as I had suffered some head trauma during a difficult birth, they thought that I was a borderline epileptic in that, while i had never had a seizure, my EEG was more erratic than other children my age. So they "zonked" me out with Dilantin (an anti-seizure drug) and Librium. For those that don't know, the same chemist first developed Librium, then, years later, Valium and they function in much the same way. Now, imagine giving Librium to an 8th grader and you can guess how much attention they will pay to school.
After falling asleep twice in a geometry class during my sophomore year of high school, I started weaning myself off of the drugs without the doctor's knowledge or permission. While my behavior was more erratic during my last two years of high school, by being more alert, my GPA went up 50 percent.
Ritalin has its place, but, as with any drug, it needs to be closely monitored, not only for its efficacy but for side effects as well.
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09/14/09 | Report as spam
Agreed. Diagnosis is also tough
JTF: Your story also illustrates the dangers of relying too heavily on a single diagnosis.
It sounds from your story that you came of age in the 1950s. Much has been learned since then, about the brain and about brain chemistry.
We go back-and-forth in this country between reliance on medicine, and reliance on therapy, as solution to our mental conditions. Sounds like you hit another one of the "drug" periods, and that compounded your problem.
My belief is that both drugs and therapy must be tried, and closely monitored. I also think diagnostic work has to be redone from time to time. But that costs money, big money, money that does not exist in enough quantity to deal with all patients.
So we have this patchwork.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Dana,
The years I mentioned were 1967-72. My parents had taken me to 2-3 different doctors before settling on this one. Staff personnel at a "medical facility" had even suggested the possibility of "shock therapy" (AKA electro-convulsive), despite the fact I had never had a seizure. Fortunately, the doctor over-ruled them.
I went on to get a B.A. in the mid-70's, but I always had problems with retention of data needed for classwork. Even one of my college math instructors, who was tutoring me a little bit, told me one time that he realized I could do the work but that I seemed to "choke" when it came to taking the tests. I still choke on almost any kind of "test". *L*
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09/15/09 | Report as spam
I used to be very anti-drug for Ad/hd, now I take Adderall
I used to be very outspoken against using stimulants to treat AD/HD in both children and adults. I thought AD/HD was just behavior at an extreme that was really a misdiagnosis.
My own son, in his late high school years, said to us several times that he though he had AD/HD, and I shrugged it off. Finally he got a diagnosis, and treatment, and it did help him.
Several years later, I was watching a TV commercial about AD/HD with my wife, and she turned to me and said, that describes you to a 'T'. I had to agree. I went to a doctor, got diagnosed, got treatment, and it helped me quite a bit. By the way, I'm 56 years old. I wasn't hyperactive, and I didn't have behavior porblems in school. I've owned a series of small software business for over thirty years, but I have been struggling with AD/HD all that time without realizing it.
I've got a grandson, not related by blood, who also has AD/HD, and the difference that Adderall makes for him is dramatic. Taking away his drug treatment would take away his ability to control his life, at least now.
For an AD/HD person without treatment, life is like watching a TV where the channels flips every few seconds, over and over again. For many of us, Adderl, Rialin, or another drug treatment means letting us change the channels when we want to, instead of at random.
Treatment does not have to include drugs for everyone, but I think that for most people, drug treatment at the start is the best option. It helps you see the world the way others experience it, it gives you a normal baseline to work towards.
Once you have the drugs to support more normal brain function, I think it is possible for at least some people to develop skills to deal with the world without the drugs, or at least constant use of them. But that may not be true for everyone.
Are we over-medicating our children? I don't know. But if you don't have AD/HD and you get stimulants, it is not going to improve your experience of life, and I do trust parents and doctors to recognize this.
I wish I had listened to my son when he first told me of his suspicions, instead of relucantly agreeing to his diagnosis and treatment three or four years later.
I understand the strong negative bias against drug treatement for AD/HD, because it was my own opinon for a number of years. I've been reluctantly converted to a different opinon by personal experience.
If you suspect your child has AD/HD, my advice to you as a parent is go get your child tested, and if drug treatment is suggested, try it. You will know within a matter of weeks whether the drugs are helping your child. If not, discus the results with your doctor. Some people respond better to one drug than another. Some may not respond well to any drug. You are not going to turn your child into a drug addict or zombie.
Actually, I think there are some studies to show that kids with AD/HD who get appropriate drug treatment are less likely to abuse other drugs - perhaps because other kids ae trying to self-medicate and untreated condition.
For an AD/HD child without treatment, it's like your child is riding a wild horse without being able to grab the reins. Give your child - or yourself if you have AD/HD - a chance to grab the reins.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
there is such a thing as overfocused add. the focus is on emotional issues usualy, so are not free to focus on other subjects. usualy ritalin will not work for them. there are problems that have add symptoms but are something else: food sensitivities, glucose metabolisim problems, sensiomotor isues, parenting issues, boring teachers, audiotory processing. and others/ a neuroligist will precribe ritalin, and it is likly to help, but it only helps the symtoms, not the problem.
a add coach is very usefull!
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Article is very informative. I grew up in the 60's and 70's of course they did not have a diagnosis for ADHD. I honestly think that doctors should if they don't test as described in the article to verify a child is ADHD. It may be irrelevant but it seems that the diagnosis they have now is just preliminary and not a final diagnosis. Doctor's I believe should take more care in diagnosing ADHD without physical testing child or adult.
It would be probable today I would have been diagnosed with physical testing that I was ADHD. I had a real bad case of retention although tested with in the mid 60's with a high I.Q.
Interesting my years in elementary, middle school and, high school were passed but never excel (only excelled in sports).
It wasn't till I graduated from H.S. that I realized entering into the military I need to excel and, I did beyond my comprehension. Years after the military I went through job after job, variations of career from law enforcement, retail, office management and, eventually finding my niche. Technology from 1995 to 2004 was my time of retention, discovery. From software support, Tech support, software engineering to finally CIO of a major corporation. Retired now, I don't regret something like ADHD was possibly my diagnosis. I only feel I overcame a hurdle without intervention, on my own. I think children today should be explained the limitation given alternatives and be managed and counseled before being simply said DOPED up. I feel it has become too easy for parents and the medical field to just prescribe rather than work out the problem. Society is too easy to give up... I see this everywhere. Some in thought think it is a developmental issue, I do not. I believe it is still theoretical, non- conclusive. Please understand this is one person?s opinion. I am still discovering myself, learning and, retaining now.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
I thought that Robin Williams actually had bi-polar
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
And here I was, thinking that Robin Williams had Bi-Polar....
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Well
Drugs will make you more "normal".
Looking at the state of thins, I wonder if we do them a dis-service.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Would you please repeat that?
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09/15/09 | Report as spam
I have ADHD
had been 1st gen diagnosed. Ritalin wasn't avail to me then. It was Stellazine, Norpramine, Novaine, and Lithium. Nasty cocktail when put all together. All of em were consider anti-psychotics. Now everyone knows is best based on us guinea pigs who mad this happen for the newer gens to take hold. My life is no diff than then, I just know how to control it better. Age did that, and the fact I disn't want to not be in control anymore
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
@dave - great reply. Very apropos to turn their logic around.
The reason most people are against ADD/ADHD meds is that the entire disorder is misnamed. It is really irritating. As a successful adult, i was recently diagnosed after doing about a year of research on my own to try and understand my concentration and priority issues.
The thing that really confused me at first and most other people is that i have the ability to hyper-focus. Just like i think most ADHDers do. The disorder should really be called Executive Function Disorder.
I don't always have the Executive Function to focus on the appropriate things. And if i hyperfocus on the wrong thing i can "snap out of it" an hour later and realize i lost track of time.
It really makes sense though. It's easy to focus on things that create a dopamine response. Exciting things are easy to focus on.
Don't you think Arguments create the same physiological response that stimulants do? What about risk-taking activities?
For all the people that are "anti-drug," maybe you should consider taking away glasses, contacts, crutches, wheelchairs, and braces away from your kids? Drink coffee in the morning? Shame on you for needing drugs!
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Omega-3s does wonders to balance out our suite of neurotransmittters. I was ADHD and bipolar (still am as those are permemant traits that can ohly be managed well or poorly), and taking and eating high-quality fish (oils) has done wonders. it's easier to focus and think. mood is more event. it brings balance back to life. sadly, it's pretty cheap and the economics are such that it doesn't really make anyone monies to market this in the US at least so it is bread and butter stuff which works but get shortchanged in the press and everyday conversation. so here I am doing my small part.
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dopamine and Parkinson's
ADHD and Parkinson's not the same, but they do both involve dopamine pathways.
In Parkinson's, I believe it's been traced to failure to convert the melanin stored in
the substanta nigra into dopamine, due to lack or low level of an enzyme. The
reason levo-dopa treatments worked for a short while, is that they drove up the
dopamine levels. Unfortunately, the person's homeostasis can then cause
receptors to be removed from service, as it were, to get back to what it "believes"
is the "normal" state of lower satisfaction signals. This is also seen when SSRIs
are used, but I haven't seen any such problem happening with Ritalin or Adderal.
But some teachers known they can sometimes get an ADD child to calm down by
giving him a cup of coffee.
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re: other possibilities
This article caught my attention since I've spent a lot of time in the last couple years reading about ADHD. My 7 year old daughter was initially diagnosed as having ADD, after her school complained about her inability to concentrate and refusal to follow instructions in the classroom. (At home, it was a little more difficult to confirm or deny the school's issues, since the home environment was much different than the classroom; only the 2 of us at home vs. a whole class full of kids around her age and less structured.) But I definitely noticed she was a very active kid (hyperactive, some might say - while others would insist that she was just "a normal, but very active and curious kid").
Honestly, the first psychiatrist I had her visit, I had no confidence in. He branded her with the ADD diagnosis after only spending 3-5 minutes with her and quickly skimming some of the notes the school gave us. His initial plan was to try some experimental things, including a blood-pressure lowering medication that was supposedly shown in at least one small trial to help ADD/ADHD in a percentage of the kids tested. (It seemed to show some promise initially, but after 2 weeks or so, I'd say she returned to her normal behavior.)
In the meantime, I found quite a bit of information on the Internet about childhood bi-polar disorder, and much of it sounded like it could describe her pretty well. (This seemed like an even greater potential possibility because my ex-wife was diagnosed as bi-polar.) When I gave all my printed out research to the psychiatrist, he immediately prescribed lithium for her! I hesitantly tried that for a short time (along with regular blood tests they required to go along with it), and it seemed to have no effect.
At this point, I tried a 2nd. psychiatrist, who acted like the lithium and bi-polar diagnosis was "way out in left field" and went back to the ADD/ADHD idea, prescribing Adderall XR. We tried that for several months, and the daily reports I got home from her school were really mixed. On one hand, they seemed to believe she was doing better, now that I finally "listened to their suggestions" and put her on medication -- but at home? I saw no consistent changes in her behavior. I finally took her off the medication for a while (not telling the school), and the reports still indicated she was "doing better with the medication".
Finally, I had her tested at a local center specializing in autism disorders, and they concluded after an 1 1/2 hour long test that she actually had Asperger's Syndrome! (They didn't rule out the possibility that she *also* had ADD and/or ADHD, but indicated that many Asperger's kids are falsely diagnosed as ADD/ADHD because some of the symptoms are so similar.)
This qualified her to go to class in the special school district, where she's enrolled in a classroom that handles kids with similar issues. It seems like she's doing much better since then, without any medications involved I have a feeling a big part of this may simply be her growing up and getting more mature, though, too.
The more I read about all of these disorders, and the more parents I meet with kids suffering from them, the more I'm convinced that they're all more alike than different. Some of these diagnoses given seem like splitting hairs, and in some cases (like "childhood bi-polar"), I can find quite a few psychiatrists who don't even believe it exists, while others say it does, but young kids are developing too rapidly for it to be ethical to attempt treatment that early, and of course still others say it's treatable and SHOULD be diagnosed and treated as young as age 4 or 5.
With my daughter, I'm glad I'm not giving her any medications right now, even if it's arguable they do her *some* small measure of good in the short-term. I really think that if such treatment is necessary, it will become clearer only as she gets older and can express her feelings and emotions in a more advanced way.
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I can't get the drug that works for me...
ritalin and adderall give me panic attacks, when I was a kid I took
dexadrine, after taking that I understand how some people accomplish
so much. With that I could do anything, now I find it difficult to
concentrate on anything that I don't find utterly fascinating.
I self medicate through frequent use of alcohol and sex. Trust me, it's
no life to lead. All drugs, especially aphetamine based drugs, should be
CAREFULLY monitored. They can cause a healthy individual sever
brain damage and should NEVER be taken recreationally. But to tell a
kid he has to find a way to self medicate can lead to DANGEROUS
behaviours that will take them a lifetime to recover from, THAT is worse
than them taking a drug. All decisions regarding the health of your child
should be consulted with more than one profesional and considered and
prayed about before taking action (meditation if you don't believe in
prayer)
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
These wonder drugs are a cash cow for Big Pharma.
www.cchr.org
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Sidney Barros
The first concentrated diagnosis and treatment of ADHD was done at
Purdue in the early 1960s. I was diagnosed in 1964, but my mom rejected
the diagnosis. (You're not putting my kid on drugs.)
I know about Purdue because my son's teacher in elementary school,
Joan Teach, did some of that original diagnostic work while a grad student.
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natural remedies
I want to second some of the natural remedies (it's not really a
comment about the article, but some of the commenters might find it
interesting)
I have tried and seen a small benefit from, again this is what I
personally have done and only give the amount I took as an indicator
that I was taking more or less than a regular amount
Omega complex supplements (8 count dose)
Vitamin B complex supplements (4 count dose)
(costco sells a balance of vitamins called focussmart, 4 count)
St. Johns Wort (4 count)
Salvia leaf (unconcetrated, smoked)
Time released caffine
There are many other "natural" remedies, these are the only ones I
found had any effect for me. Unfortunately none of these really work
that well, and some seem to cancel each other out.
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Kingtj
The most important asset an ADHD kid can have is a parent who is
willing to work as hard as you do and try to get things right. The actual
diagnosis is a lot less important than finding relief from the symptoms,
and there are many avenues available -- diet is one, therapy a second,
drugs a third.
The focus of drug therapy is to get relief from the symptoms. If you're
not getting relief on Ritalin, you may be among the 30% of ADDers who
don't respond to stimulants.
On a personal note, your child will bless you one day. Just don't expect
it to be any time soon. My son still doesn't get along with me. He's 18
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Shadfuhrman
Ritalin doesn't work in 30% of cases. That goes for all stimulants. But
there are some non-stimulant medications available, and other avenues
worth exploring.
ADHDers do tend to self-medicate. I did, in young adulthood, stopping
some years before I learned of my diagnosis.
I have no argument with trying "natural" supplements, but all chemical
formulae -- whether manmade or "natural" -- are chemical formulae. So
all the warnings we offer on drugs should be made on other chemicals.
If you're getting relief check for side effects (gills?).
I have been recommended to take more Omega 3 recently, but it is for
my ongoing heart condition -- high cholesterol runs in my family like
ADHD does.
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CCHR
CCHR stands for the "Citizens Committee for Human Rights," an anti-
psychiatry group that calls psychiatry "an industry of death."
There are adverse reactions to all drugs, by the way, not just those
impacting the mind. There are people who don't respond to stimulants
yet have ADHD.
But to call psychiatry "an industry of death" is to paint with a broad
brush, in a provocative way, an entire class of people who are dedicated
to serving people and helping them find relief -- by a variety of means --
to what ails them. It's prejudice.
There is a lesson here. Mental health is a scary subject. Treatments
are expensive and they don't always work. Mental health diagnosis and
treatment is far behind physical diagnosis and treatment, with regards
to success rates and accuracy.
That's no reason to give up.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Yes, your article was quite good. But your answers and rebuttals are outstanding! Very informative; very patient; very polite; very sentive & understanding. Most of us who have not walked in the shoes of others just love to put them down.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Interesting article and comments...but we are missing one thing....diet.
I was an ADHD kid. Mom took me to the doctor and was told the same thing - drugs. She said no way. She also did her research at the time, and started studying authors like Adelle Davis (Let's Have Healthy Children). my siblings and I were taken off of wonder bread and p-butter sands, no velvetta and salad dressing, no more tang and cheap soda pop, Mom started making things from scratch instead of from a box... Guess what? Us kids out grew the ADHD! -
My son also was diagnosed with ADHD, was prescribed Ritalin. Sure- it helped. But the Doctor never questioned his diet, which consisted of white bread, cheap soda pop, boxed food and doritos. He became out of control, and his mom sent him to me, not knowing what to do.
First day at my home, I threw out the Ritalin. He had Life, Cherrios, or good old fashoned home made granola for breakfast (bye-bye froot loops and coco-puffs), He had non-fat milk, not cocolate milk, fresh fruits, vegetables, fresh meat,, etc. Pretty much a well rounded diet, and healthy snacks (fruit/veges, nuts, etc)- basically Superfoods - yes- Adelle Davis new back in the seventies what they were.
He also was put in a routine - up at a certain time, school, home, 1/2 chores, 1 hour homework, dinner, 2 hours free time, and bed at a certain time. It took all of 3 weeks to break the old habits, create the new ones; he went from a D-/F student to an A student, he was active in things at school and home, and had a very exceptional recovery.
His doctor couldn't believe the change, and still tried to recommend the drugs. My current wife and I also worked long hours, and weren't home to monitor him all the time, but I was strict about the house rules, and he followed. He liked the routine, because he felt that he accomplished so much more, and felt good about himself. I didn't even have to remined him to brush his teeth or shower!
He went back to his moms, lost the routine, was fed doritos and soda again, and basically fell back into old habits, hence prescribed Ritalin again. Until he 'outgrew the drug, and eventually dropped out of school.
Several years ago, I convinced him to get back on a normal diet, just to see if he would see any change, and he did.
I'm not saying this will work for every one, but to prescribe a drug without evaluating ALL aspects of a person's life, like his/her diet, is criminal, in my opinion.
I believe that a healthy diet can curb many deficiencies, and only then if one is still having issues, should alternate methods be considered, such as drugs.
I am not saying eliminate the big macs, just don't live on them.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
I would like to know what kind of physical tests there are to diagnose ADD or AD/HD. I can well relate to the commentor who said that things must be stimulating for thier attention. With me, if it's not a "have to do" thing it must be interesting or I have to painfully force
myself to get into it. More often than not things I need to do just get looked at and put off, sometimes for weeks.Thanks.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Although I have little personal experince of ADD, I recall an interesting theory that struck a chord and may resonate here. In our nomadic ancestors, ADD would have been a useful trait for exploration outside safe, established areas.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
@cukoobajube
There are no definitive tests. But using qEEG, they are getting good results in making positive detections for ADD. What i mean by that is they are getting like a 90% hit rate with people that have been diagnosed with ADD. This is one of the most promising objective tests that has come along.
I highly recommend the book Delivered from Distraction. (the one written before it was Driven to Distraction).
One interesting thing to note about yourself, is how much caffeine you are currently taking. If you are taking a large amount right now you are pretty much self-medicating.
Only a licensed doctor can make an official diagnosis but you can be on the lookout for some of the symptoms that I started noticing in myself:
- procrastination (the stress of the impending deadline creates focus for me)
- hyperfocus - video games, interesting topics, and losing an hour or more like coming out of a dream
- skipping around - i'm interested in many things at once, i always thought it was just a personality trait.
- Mis-prioritizing - when writing a list i can properly prioritize but the execution wanders to the most interesting things
- Getting off track - start cleaning the house, need to run to the basement for something, and soon i'm fixing the step in the basement or doing some task, 4 tasks away
- focus impotency - inability to focus even with extreme effort
- caffeine improvement - great improvement from caffeine
Any number of the above can just be personality traits, lack of discipline, and poor behaviors, but eventually there is enough weight to make a diagnosis. The fact that meds work so well for me without making me jittery or anything else is a clear sign to me.
I also tried really hard at behavior modification before asking for meds. My wife works with kids on IEPs including ADD, so she tried to help me out, but i ended up spending all my effort trying to stick to a plan that i didn't have any effort left over to do the tasks. Basically, the special educator facilitates executive function. It's a lot harder as an adult having someone nag you to stay on track and can up being really frustrating.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
As a child growing up in the 60's I was diagnosed as a "Hyper active child" and saw many different doctors...I don't know what kinds they were, I was a child...but as a child, most of the doctors I saw, I realized just how stupid they were...
Eventually, I was prescribed Dexadrine. From 2nd grade till about 8th grade, I was on "my pill" several times a day...I don't remember too much about those days...I was basically out of it. Dexadrine acted more like a depressant to me than a stimulant and as such, I was marked absent in class because I was so quiet and basically only there in body.
My problems also included slight dyslexia and mild tourretts that manifested its self with a stutter.
Eventually, my mother found out about something called the "Feingold Diet" which basically said no artificial ingredients in my diet at all. I became a regular shopper at the local health food stores...I hated it! The natural food had no flavor, was hard to get everywhere and was very expensive. I grew to despise whole grains and carob. While all my friends were stopping at 7-11s and getting "truck stopper" sandwiches, I was eating granola and raisins. yuck!
Eventually, I discovered Hypnosis. Through a self hypnosis tape, I trained myself to make my Hyperactive-ness work in my favor, I got rid of the stuttering (I still have mouth spasms, but only when I'm very tired) and a post hypnotic suggestion was put in place to automatically check myself to fix my dyslexia. I'm now in my 40s and haven't had to reinforce my hypnotic suggestions in 20 years...they are now routine and my brain has adopted the hypnotic suggestions as routine and it happens automatically now.
Ed
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Dana, thank you for this article. My feelings on ADHD as a "condition"
and on Ritalin have swung back and forth like a pendulum over the
years.
When I was going to elementary school in the early 80s I was "out of
control" spending a lot of time in detention, sitting in a corner with tape
over my mouth, being a bully, etc. After my parents were interrogated a
number of times about potential abuse (there was none) or alcoholism
(nope) they finally suggested I see a doctor, who prescribed me Ritalin.
For the teachers, the result was a dramatic improvement.
But I also became introverted and found that I was the one being picked
(this comeuppance was one of the few lasting benefits of Ritalin for me,
as it made me more compassionate and cured any meanness I had). I
remember in Junior high feeling that Ritalin dulled me. I stopped taking
it in the 8th grade.
Like others have mentioned, I became a heavy smoker (which I've been
able to quite) and remain a big coffee drinker, both of which calm me
down and help me concentrate.
As an adult, I've been able to run start and run businesses, got to law
school, pass the bar exam of a couple of states, all without taking
Ritalin. I find computers help for some reason. I can be "spacey" and
very tangential in conversation, am always missing turns when driving,
and need a strong system to keep organized (I use David Allen's
Getting Things Done approach with on-line task management tools
synced with smart, phones, computer, Web, ...I can't rely on keeping it
on my mind). At the same time I'm well above average in my capacity
to handle stress and work long, long hours and tedius but high-stake
tasks. I can go a couple nights and days without sleep when I'm really
focused on something.
I've always felt that ADHD was just another way of being. I've even read
studies giving evolutionary arguments for ADHD and the benefits of this
in hunter-gatherer, nomadic societies. See the Economist June 12,
2008 article, "The Misfits" at http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?
story_id=11529402 (I know that I've always been particularly sensitive
to seeing critters and small details that most people seem to filter out).
I also have felt that kids labeled with ADHD were being punished for not
fitting into to an educational system designed for the industrial age,
these education factories are not a good environment for many kids to
thrive in. So I was once very against Ritalin and drug treatment of
ADHD kids.
But my wife who worked for years in NYCs early childhood intervention
program has seen it really help a lot of kids and I've had friends with
kids whose kids seems to have greatly benefited from treatment.
I still don't know whether we are artificially adding drugs to our kids to
make them better fit into modern, urban environments, but I would try
diet, exercise, cutting TV and more parental involvement before trying
pills, but I'm no longer so quick to judge those who, after trying
everything, find that Ritalin helps their kids live happier, more
successful, lives.
What I would like to see more studies focus on are comparing other
dopamine-stimulating activity, such as exercise, to drugs like Ritalin.
Would enrolling your kid in a structured, high-energy sport like soccer,
swimming, gymnastics, etc. help as much as Ritalin?
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The benefits of ADHD
BeastofBurden offers an interesting point I have thought of a lot.
ADHD would have had many benefits to the people who had it in prehistoric times. Some might have become shamans, others lookouts, others messianic leaders.
ADHD is also considered part of a continuum. When you're bad enough they call it Asperger's Syndrome. Einstein and Isaac Newton had Asperger's Syndrome. Wouldn't you love your kid to have Einstein's Disease? It's all in the branding.
At the high end, of course, ADHD can become autism. That is one reason I suspect that environmental mercury -- from coal-fired power plants for instance -- may have something to do with the rising levels of ADHD. Because we're also finding more autism.
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Jollyacedia
I understand your ambivalence. Being told your kid needs powerful drugs to fit into a structured environment is a tough deal.
I didn't get them. I wound up getting a fine university education. My son did get all kinds of intervention, yet his ADHD has so far kept him out of college despite fine grades. So I don't have the answers. I'm just reporting here.
As to structured sports, one of the current ADHD "poster boys" is swimmer Michael Phelps. He was also given stimulants. He has also self-medicated. So there you go.
There are no easy answers. What I have learned in my own struggle, and that of my family, is that you have to keep pitching, keep trying things, keep advocating, and not let those who deny the reality in your mind get you down.
Thanks to everyone for writing.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
I'm 52. My parent's first attempt to explain my 'deer in the headlights' stare when others would speak to me was via examination by an audiologist at the age of 5. My hearing was normal and my pitch recognition near perfect at 119/120. Since I tested well on standardized IQ tests, my inattentive nature was eventually dismissed as laziness, not trying hard enough, etc. by teachers and other authority figures. My parents were tolerant of it, essentially reconciling it as "just the way he is". Back then, it was called called minimal brain dysfunction though I avoided that diagnosis in large part due to my relatively good grades early on combined with my superior IQ results.
It wasn't until I became an alcoholic and ended up homeless as an adult that I began to search for an answer. I had heard of ADD but assumed that hyperactivity was an integral part of a diagnosis. I was leafing through the DSM-IV in the library one day when I happened upon ADD-Inattentive Type, which described my behavior quite accurately. Inattentive Type ADD wasn't formally accepted as a form of ADD until the 80's. By then, my life had already disintegrated. I subsequently requested treatment for ADD on at least a couple of occasions over the next ten years or so but was considered to be drug seeking due to my alcoholism. It wasn't until I was 46 that a psychiatrist prescribed Adderall after I provided the results of an online ADD test at initial consultation that he just happened to use for screening patients. My craving for alcohol, as he suggested might be the case, immediately subsided to a degree that for the first time in 20+ years, drinking was no longer planned as a necessary activity. I rarely drink nowadays and haven't relapsed since I began Adderall, about six years ago. Prior to that, I, at times, would binge for 30 days straight, or longer.
ADD, as are so many disorders, isn't visible. You don't wear a cast, or bandage, or use crutches, or recover in the hospital. We and everything around us is comprised of atoms that are invisible to the naked eye, yet we still exist.
It therefore seems quite closeminded to assume that because some can't see ADD that it too, doesn't exist. I think these people are of a type that would rather lay blame than err on the side of compassion and admit that even though it isn't visible, it's still likely real. Had my teachers and psychiatrists chosen to err on the side of compassion, I might not have had to wait until I was 46 to get effective treatment.
I had the highest I.Q. score ever recorded in my school in the sixth grade. I've had a private pilot's license since the age of seventeen. I received a B.S. in Business Administration, Finance at twenty-two with two and one-half years of Mechanical Engineering. Now I am 52 and I tape cardboard boxes for a living. If you think all drugs are evil, then it might be entirely possible that you suffer from an undiagnosed psychological disorder that would benefit from drug treatment. Then again, it might be easier just to demonize something rather than put forth the effort to understand it. After all, who does it hurt, besides yourself, to take the less compassionate route and do nothing. It does seem to be the rule rather than the exception these days and, as such, you'll likely have alot more company. If, at times however, you find your own company somewhat tedious, then you might discover that it's not be the kind of company you might always enjoy.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Great article and some great comments as well. When I was a child, no one knew about ADD. We were simply labeled "lazy". I got diagnosed as an adult. My life completely turned around.
Thanks for sharing. Any open minded person might learn something here.
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I did not learn of my diagnosis until I was an adult
I learned in the mid-1990s, after my son was diagnosed with ADHD,
that I was diagnosed the same way in 1964.
I think knowing what it is, knowing you're not alone, can be very
empowering for the adult with ADHD. There are many strategies you
can then put into your life that will let you get the benefits of ADHD and
minimize the downsides.
We usually think of ADHD as something that just impacts kids, but it
does impact adults. The development delay in that part of the brain that
learns kindergarten lessons, that shortage of dopamine in the brain,
these are things we need to know about and take action against.
Sometimes that action is chemical. Sometimes it's therapy. Usually it's
a bit of both, and lifestyle changes. Simple things like always putting
your keys in the same place. And accepting when things go wrong, as
they will.
If you can forgive your own ADHD you can learn to deal with it. That's
the bottom line.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
I am like O-My-Goodness, I have been suffering lately. 2 years ago, I became very ill, [had a fever of 109* for 8 weeks, was hospitalized for 11 months] and I have lost nearly all of my memory surrounding certain [MOST] events, even important ones, thru-out my entire life. I also lost every thing I owned, as well as came out of the hospital, imprisoned & chained to a wheelchair, without any tools to try to figure it out. My Mom came to see me finally a couple of months ago, and told me that I had FINALLY been diagnosed with ADHD, later in life, because when I was very young they called it something else, however I do not actually remember this diagnosis, and do not know who to turn to. Where do I go? I also lost my hip 2 years ago, and have lived with-out a hip or upper femur bone and I guess I am just a mess. I use this manual wheelchair to do my shopping as I lost my car, clothes, house, you name it, it's gone. not to mention my mind, memory, hip & bones. my name is Gina by the way, and I have begun to feel very aggitated, alone, unable to connect to others. I can't really follow thru with a single task, and I really know I have a few that require my seriously focused attention, and I just can't get it done. Important stuff, someone stole & used my personal Informatoin while I was nearly dead, there are some things on my credit report, I was trying to go to college online to become re-employable, [My Mom says thaat was always a hard one for me anyways] please-let me stop rite now, I go off in 100 directions.
thank you all
gmdp@live.com
gina corser
yucca valley, CA.
7604185460
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Ya know I guess my Mom said I was also on Ritalin early on, however, no matter what anyone thinks, right now, I am a mess, and My Mother says I have always been so smart I'll figure it out, I do not feel smart right now, I feel confused, scared, abandoned, and tormented. I can't decide if I want to buy the tiolet paper or a bullet [trying to get a point across]. I see everyone discussing something that works 4 some people, like "Who-Cares" believe me, if You felt, like I feel, You would CARE. Nevermind I should not have started writing any replies.
gina
yucca valley, CA.
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09/21/09 | Report as spam
Some suggestions
1. Read "Driven to Distraction."
2. Start interviewing therapists. You need to interview them to find someone who uses a coaching technique rather than a standard you think" interview style.
3. There are drugs other than stimulants that are proven to work with some ADHD people. Sounds like you're suffering from depression as well as ADHD symptoms right now. Since that's in front of the ADHD, you might want to deal with that first, then the ADHD. But I'm not a doctor.
4. Here is a link to start at http://www.addresources.org/article_adhd_good_therapist_grold.php
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Look, I was a mess when I was three..
and my father fixed this problem with a healthy dose of the switch. Just look at the old testament - "spare the switch, hate the child". (this being proper jewish translation). He didn't do this with my sister because he didn't know how to handle female dicipline; but my mother failed in this and my sister had a lifetime of emotional problems.
I think it is interesting that a correlation was found with obesity. We are both obese now(but not as juveniles), and we were the problem children. I still feel my father's upbringing was a labor of love, and I had a VERY happy childhood despite the hyperactive problems I exhibited.
I can still exhibit hyperactivity, as I have a very hard time going to bed; and try to remain active; but I don't have to hardly eat a thing to remain obese! My skeleton is almost worn out; I don't know what to do; but I can't give up!
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Great article. Speaking as a 40 year old adult that only recently figured out why I've had so much difficulty with concentrating, sitting still, impulse control and other issues, ADD meds do work. The improvement in my productivity after getting treated is nothing short of amazing. Even doing something simple like cooking a meal was incredibly difficult before I started taking meds because my mind would literally flip around from one task to another almost at random.
Ironically, I was one of those folks who used to deny the existence of ADD until I started doing some research to see why I was having the above problems. Only then did I realize that I was a victim of something I was denying even existed.
Whoever made the analogy to diabetes and insulin was right on the money. Times and treatments change. Keep up with them.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
@purevw
Comparing diabete and ADHD is a good example of how mental diseases are treated.
Lots of psychiatrists consider ADHD as something you have just as diabete is something you have. For diabete, it's right, since you have blood and you make insulin which directly impacts the way your body handles its sugar rate.
But ADHS is something you are : that is you ! the way you think, you live, you feel is ADHD. Your being is ADHD.
You have a brain, you make dopamin, but you do not have ADHD since there is no simple link between dopamin rate and mental behavior. It's not a leak you have to stop...
Drugs can help, and must be used to help heavily suffering patients, but the solution, if any, is in self education.
I am very worried by the heavily drug-oriented therapies which let us think we are disordered machines... Our bodies can be fixed, but not our souls.
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RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
I had undiagnosed ADHD as a child.
I was finally diagnosed last year. While Ritalin is part of the puzzle,
behavioral therapy and coaching is necessary to improve performance.
Or so I am told, because I have not had much success integrating the
necessary habits into my life.
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09/22/09 | Report as spam
Child abuse cures nothing
JCitizen: I am sad to read you were abused as a child and sadder still to read that you have chosen to become an abuser. That's how child abuse is passed down, from abusive parent to abusive son.
Your "cure" has nothing to do with the topic, though. ADHD is an emotional condition whose chemistry we now know. It's not an excuse for violence.
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Kartaguez
If someone offered me a pill that would "cure' ADHD tomorrow, I would resist it just as you do.
ADHD has many, many advantages. I have creative insights, and I can hyper-focus on a topic for as long as it takes to get the work done. Others can't. This is common with ADHD'ers.
You just have to learn to deal with the side-effects, both in terms of your emotional life and just getting along.
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Bloefeld
Take it slowly. Spend a week on one small change, until it becomes a habit. Then try another, then another.
That's how ADHD coaching works.
Actually, acknowledging the condition can get an adult halfway toward a "cure." Adults have the self-awareness necessary to take information like this, and adapt to it.
Takes time, though.
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68
09/22/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Hey! you are intelligent than me, you work harder than me, you reason things much better than me, you seem more sane than me, in whole, you are definitely different from me, so you must be an alien or i will have to find an answer or a disease referring your symptoms as syndrome for your own sanity. I may call it ADHD for now, will think of another when it comes to be your next generation with much more heightened symptoms.
My greatest admiration for the dad who is to father three such kids!
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69
09/23/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
There was research done some years ago with hyperactive children in Britain. Instead of Ritalin, coffee in measured doses, at specific intervals through out the school day, was used to good effect. You may want to research those results if you're adverse to administering the drug.
Upon Ritalin's introduction in the 50's, dosages, much like the first birth control pills, were higher than required for positive results. There wasn't enough empirical information available.
I was one of the children initially prescribed the drug but the changes in my personality were so dramatic I was taken off it. Later as an adult, when I had a choice and more empirical data were available, I went back on. It has helped measurably in my private and professional and professional endeavours.
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70
09/24/09 | Report as spam
Coffee and ADHD
There's a continuum of ADHD, and coffee can help for those on the low side of the continuum. IT can't hurt.
Coffee does, however, have a diuretic effect. (So does exercise.) If a patient is susceptible to that they may actually fall asleep.
Where you fit on the continuum is usually part of a general diagnosis, but that psychological work up doesn't necessarily reflect your physical condition. Thus there is art as well as science in this, and medication remains a case of trial-and-error.
This is especially true for teens. Teens are growing fast, and their chemistry is changing. Thus what worked well at 11 may not work at all at 14. At the same time they are maturing mentally, which can help them mask some ADHD symptoms.
I personally think self-awareness and a willingness to adjust daily behavior can be powerful in dealing with the side effects of adult ADHD. Knowing you have it, and having some tricks to get past the problem areas, in other words, can effect a "cure" even though you are still just as ADHD as you were before.
This is the goal of therapy, to manage the condition so you get the benefits and can deal with the challenges.
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71
09/30/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
The question that persons who are too ignorant and/or not smart enough (and/or too "AEVASIVE" or - put in a less abbreviated, less in-depth, and less balanced way - too "neurotically defensive") don't care to ask and pursue the answer to, is:
What common but seldom contemplated environmental come "conditioned-in" (that is, transformed into more or less chronically symptom generating, insidious, endogenous influences) combination of factors or causes are behind the symptoms that Ritalin can work against?
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72
09/30/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Notice the trillions now spent on our gunship anti drug programs. Next we'll find that we are sending young men and women to Afghanistan to kill poppies.
Anyway, Adderall allows me to see 2 0r 3 reasons for stupidity instead of 57. As far as addictive, there ain't no buzz -- sorry folks.
"Work hard and listen closely." ---- Are you out of your mind?.
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73
09/30/09 | Report as spam
Befe
Can you be more specific?
Environmental mercury may well be increasing the rate of birth defects. But if it had an impact on ADHD, we should see higher rates of it in Europe. We don't. It remains, primarily, an American disease.
My theory remains that if you were a European, a century or two ago, and you had ADHD, the first thing you'd think of doing would be emigrating.
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74
09/30/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Coffee - ADD
As a 20year, 20cup/day molten coffee drinker I say it helps ADD somewhat. I could have a 5 shot latte before bed and have no trouble sleeping. Caffeine is a stimulant, though the amount in coffee only nudges ADD.
But Coffee is not a diuretic. Yes caffeine is a diuretic, but the amounts in coffee are "drowned" by the amount of H2O. Coffee does not dehydrate a person, the opposite actually. Check out latest studies. Working physically outdoors for 20 years, Coffee was all I drank - hot or iced -- speaking of dehydration I seem to remember a stretch of Bourbon and Beer that took precedence over coffee even mornings.
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75
10/01/09 | Report as spam
Your mileage may vary
I was just on my second cup of coffee a little while ago when my body shut down and I had to rest for 20 minutes. Everyone's different.
Just as some ADD people react well to stimulants while others do not.
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76
10/09/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
This document and the methods of Tony Buzan have proved to be a great help...
http://www.parentlinkbournemouth.com/adhd.pdf
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77
10/09/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
As nicotine affect many of the same areas of the brain is that why some of us have such difficulty unhooking ourselves?
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78
10/13/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Hi there..
Another use of Ritalin is one I don't see here, after having a large bone infection for over twenty years and having to take a great deal of morphene for the horrific pain since they cannot get rid of it I was too tired to get out of my own way and gained a great deal of weight with my low metabolism and other weight-gaining medications, my doctor prescribed Ritalin for me and my life is a changed one for the better...I still take my morphene for the pain but I now have the energy to live my life normally instead of sleeping it away or living in a stupor as I used to and my weight has gone back to normal so i cannot say enough good things about this drug...it wouldn't work for just anyone but if you have no choice in taking a lot of prescrption pain relievers and can't get through even a part of your day this drug is for you with the guidance and vigilance of a good doctor as you have to have your blood pressure checked a good deal while taking this medication. Good Luck to all and thanks for the great article.
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79
10/14/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
There is also another very important use for Ritalin. It is also prescribed for those of us who have narcolepsy. For us, it works to help us to stay awake, and to give us a normal state of alertness, without "hyping us up". After falling asleep while driving in traffic, I was evaluated for sleep disorders, and after testing, was diagnosed with narcolepsy. I have been taking Ritalin for it for more than 20 years, and it has been changed my life. Now I understand how it works for keeping narcolepsy patients from falling asleep inappropriately, and yet can also work to calm down patients with ADHD. Thank you.
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80
10/15/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
I've been accused (& rightfully so) of often oversimplifying things. I've thought about why Ritalin often works for ADHD. And I'm going to oversimplify here again. In mathematics, 2 negatives = positive. Same here - ADHD (-) + Ritalin (-) equal a positive result. Call me idiotic but that's my take on this one.
gl
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81
10/18/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
very interesting article and discussion. even the people who are anti-drug and anti-adhd had something to contribute -- they provided the opportunity for others to respond with thoughtful discourse.
I hesitate to add yet another comment to an already very long conversation. at this point I suspect only a hyper-focused adder would read this far 
I do not agree with the mandatory drugging of children. and apparently a lot of schools have tried to require this, and as we have seen from this discussion, the drugs only help about 70% of them and for some can be quite detrimental. I suspect it is the stridency of the schools in demanding drug treatment that is causing the backlash of anti-drug sentiment.
----
I had some wonderful teachers in school, they really tried hard to help me, they would say things like, "we know you are very smart and capable of doing the work, but we also see how hard you are struggling, and we don't understand why you aren't getting the work done.... and we have no idea how to help you..."
That's because this was years ago before anybody had heard of add/adhd.
Even worse is that at that time -- and perhaps still do??? -- schools assumed that spelling skill was equivalent to reading skill, so being a poor speller with strong dysgraphia, I was put in the remedial reading class despite the fact that I was actually reading at a college level. and of course being bored to death is a form of intellectual death.... which just makes things even harder.
I'm not trying to boast, just documenting phenomena; Fact is my IQ is off the charts, literally. did you know that if you ace the standard IQ test that the highest score you will be given is 140??? and that the people giving the test are usually ignorant of this? so instead you get misclassified as being very smart but not a genius (and therefore not qualified for the gifted program). Well, if you have been told your IQ is *only* 140 then you should insist on taking the Extended IQ test, have you ever even heard of that test? I never knew about it until just a few years ago. I won't bore you with the details, but I did score *considerably* higher. On the other hand I do find this whole thing about IQ testing to be rather dubious, there are some seriously flawed assumptions; All the more so if you consider how much difficulty adders have staying focused long enough to even take the test, compounded by problems such as dyslexia and generally slower speed and generally higher susceptibility to performance stress. But I digress.
The point is, how many potential Einstein's and Edison's do we throw away every year because we don't know how to help them, or worse yet, nobody tries to help them?!?!
It was not until I was in my mid-forties that I happened to come across an article about ADD -- had never paid any attention to it before then -- and as I read it I kept saying, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, that's me they are describing, that's my life (of chaos) that they are describing... and that is the first I knew, or had really even heard of the problem.
So I read the usual books and found a doctor who specialized in adhd treatment, the very first one in this area, they hadn't even finished painting yet, that's how new the clinic was.
I'd love to tell you about my great success story, but it hasn't actually happened yet.... I managed to scrape up enough money for the evaluation which confirmed my self-diagnosis. And then I was able to pay for a couple of months worth of drugs, which seemed to help. I was also supposed to get counseling. But all of this is very expensive and I was never able to afford the counseling. And after about 3 months I used up the last of my money and could no longer afford the drugs either. and it just was not a long enough time to be able to get back on my feet.
You see, I'm homeless...
oh, I did work at a large software company, once; one that thrives on adhd behavior. but after a few years there, the pace and pressures (and other factors) were too much and I crashed and burned, and I have not worked a steady job since. well, actually for most of my life I have not worked a steady job...
I've been doing computer consulting, but even though I am good at solving people's problems, much of the time I'm not focused enough to send out a bill, so I often don't get paid for my work.
Meanwhile, I owe money to everybody, and I'm in trouble with the irs because I can't manage to fill out the forms required to show to them that being homeless I did not make enough money to actually owe them anything.
I'm trying to start a software company, I've got some good ideas and have written some great stuff. But I'm finding it a pretty tough road, especially when all I have left is a friends couch to sleep on and a laptop with a broken hinge. But I keep trying...
Welcome to the wonderful world of undiagnosed and untreated ADHD...
any questions?
------------
as to causes, I think there are a lot of candidates... our environment has never been more toxic than it is now. And the insanity of nuclear power the *clean* energy, actually threatens to destroy all life on this planet -- how do you store thousands of tons of a lethal substance for the next 16 billion years and who exactly is going to pay for it? and then there is the birth-cord fiasco which started sometime in the 50's where these wonderful know-it-all doctors got the bright idea to ignore hundreds of years of experience and start cutting the birth-cord *immediately* at delivery thus depriving the baby of essential oxygen and blood, which I am pretty sure was done to me.
There also appears to be some merit to the idea that there are evolutionary benefits, that adhd people tend to think outside the box and be more explorative and also often more intelligent than average.
It's a very strange mix... but what we do know for sure is that for many people, it causes them to not be able to function within this society. for instance, in writing this message I have had to correct an average of two spelling errors per sentence, without a built in spell checker I would not have even attempted to write this at all. But with the spell checker it took me probably 3 times as long as it would have taken most people to write this; the mitigating factor is that just possibly I have more insight to offer than most people.
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82
10/19/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
P.S. For more information about the birth-cord fiasco and how a routine medical practice is causing widespread brain damage in babies, with a coinciding rise in learning disabilities and autism, check out these links:
http://web.archive.org/web/20041010105210/www.cordclamping.com/braindamage.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20040924124133/http:/www.cordclamping.com/
http://web.archive.org/web/20080316065442/http://www.cordclamp.com/
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83
10/28/09 | Report as spam
For shadfurman re: Panic Attacks and ADHD
For: Shadfurman (I hope he gets this):
NIMH (National Institute for Mental Health) has done some completely fascinating work which I've just become aware of. They've done PET scans of brains of people who tend to get panic attacks, and traced down a usually-genetic *cause*.
When I saw this, I thought of you, and I thought I would pass it along:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2004/emotion-regulating-protein-lacking-in-panic-disorder.shtml
This is the first time -ever- that I've been able to look at a scan of a panic attack, something awful that's happened to me for the past 30 years. Now I can *see* it. It's pioneering work. Really, check it out.
What happens is apparently those of us who are prone to panic attacks have 30% less of a key component in some brain sites. This component is part of the fear-controller-"gate" that outputs serotonin, which in this context is a "don't-transmit" part of nerve transmission. (Lower serotonin levels, more likely to transmit.)
So, some signal from what I call "the crocodile brain", very low in the brain, very powerful, comes up to this "fear controller", and because the controller is only 60% of what it should be, it doesn't make enough serotonin to close the gate and block the signal, as normal brains do.
So the fear blows right through ... and goes right into the cerebral cortex -- the thinking mind -- as raw fear. And that's very deep terror -- a "panic attack".
If you take a med that's an "SSRI", or, (this is a mouthful) "Selective Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitor", which just means, when the serotonin at a nerve junction gets used, it's slurped up by the nerve. But with an SSRI med present, the serotonin hangs around for a while -- it's not "uptaked". This raises the overall serotonin level, and shuts the "fear-controller-gate" another way. SSRI's are meds like Prozac, Zoloft, and so forth. Very successful.
People who gets these attacks tend to be depressed. (They have something to feel depressed about!) But actually there seems to be something about the same brain structures that contributes to depression.
Can you have panic attacks and ADD/ADHD? Sure! I have that. You just treat both of them. Shut down the panic disorder *first*. I've just told you one good method, an SSRI. Then fix the ADD. I do this every day and it works great.
I wish you the best of luck.
Take care,
David Small
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84
10/28/09 | Report as spam
RE: CCHR
Dana, you failed to mention that CCHR is also largely funded and run by the "so-called" Church of Scientology--another shady link...
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85
11/08/09 | Report as spam
betty09, CCHR et al.
I must start with betty09 (No.16 in comments). I do not think it is healthy what she said.
Anyone stop to think that drugs for so-called ADHD (aka normal childhood behavior) are STIMULANTS
When you are at a professional level to identify the differences in brain structure (such as Psychiatrist specialising in Neuroscience) then come back and dare say that. Denying what is proven above you is ridiculous. As said there is a lack of dopamine travelling. This is not the 'norm' against the majority of the population. Would you deny Schizophrenia's existence ? Probably not, but then it is the way some perceive illness by only seeing physical illness.
ADHD (Formerly ADD) does exist and it is not going to go away if it is denied.
ASSESSMENT: Next up, the drugs talk. To be formally diagnosed with ADHD in most western countries (the medicial forefront) you first must get past the General Practitioner and be referred to a specialist. To get this far you would have a past history of inattentiveness and hyperactivity with the parents trying many methods before getting here. Schooling/Work becomes a difficulty way past the normal expectations that come from them. Then when you see the Pyschiatrist who specialises in ADHD and Autism Spectrum disorders and neuro-disorders your entire school and medical history is looked at. You will probably be made to go to through an ECG and/or CAT scan. I had both, thank you NHS. Then you must have many tests which are stringent and reviewed against the latest research every few years (an Education Pyschologists report is sometimes additionally suggested). You are then assessed at that moment also to make sure the problems have been continuous.
TREATMENT: Yes, after all that you can now start speaking drugs, possibly. From your past it can be identified if you have had addiction problems (frequent in ADHD as Dana pointed out Robin Williams was an alcoholic - which was most likely for the dopamine release along with other factors) if so some treatments aren't given or you are watched a lot closer. Children usually don't have past addiction problems thank god. Those that are given Ritalin/Equasym are usually monitored every 3 months for the first year and then every six months or a year (more often if dose changes). In addition to medication it is advised (heavily) that you take part in groups to help identify key problems caused by your ADHD as it is different person to person as well as other advice to treat it in these sessions. A psychiatrist is also suggested.
Many people speak about medication needing to be hand in hand with other methods. It is. If you have a child or yourself have not had this chance then please speak to your doctor immediately.
CCHR - this is a group as said above funded by Scientology that believes in the "global eradication" of psychiatry. Oh, did I mention Scientology also believes psychiatrists is the main cause of the holocaust, when my grandmother found that out she was disgusted at that idea. If you want a lot of people to go untreated and higher suicide rates (mental illness + depression) and crime rates (http://www.adders.org/news113.htm) then sure go ahead and follow this anti-institution front. You ever hear of the person who kept saying they are fine when they are clearly ill? Meet CCHR, poor things.
Finally: and I realise this is a long post but concise I cannot do without my Equaysm (Methylphenidate hydrochloride) and not being a 'druggy' I do not take it at this time at night - oh god! what do I mean! It is a stimulant drug obviously I want to get HIGH!!!! Wahey drugs, woooo, waaaaaayyy. No! Sorry, a stimulant for some will be an upper that gets you 'high' whilst for me and the other Adders it gets us to a normal level (like you or are we beneath you and should stay that way?). I am finding it quite disgusting the linking of illegal drug use and those who take Methylphenidate as legally approved drug abusers. Without my medication I lose 80% in my rate of retention (EdPysh report) putting a 22 year old at the ranks of a 7 year old child. I was raised with healthy nutrious non-processed food in a caring and bourgeois family and I have ADHD-C (Combined inattentive and Hyperactive) so to those who are thinking it is bad parenting, bad schooling or a drug people are abusing should really think again. I have my opinion, you have yours: but make sure you do the research when you present it as a must for society to follow. I have. Institute of Pyschiatry have some intresting papers
P.S. Yes the drug has side effects, did you know that ibuprofen the over-the-counter medication has these side effects:
"Fluid retention (edema), blood clots, heart attacks, hypertension and heart failure have also been associated with the use of NSAIDs." Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/ibuprofen/article.htm as referenced from the FDA Prescribing Information
Both drugs most severe side effects are seriously (and again) seriously low.
Sorry to go on, at points there were tangents I should have stopped. Those with ADHD probably understand what I am going on about!
Dana - very interesting what you said about praise, did you know that those with ADHD find it harder to give themselves praise? The study is ongoing (as I am part of it) but IoP should have some available or NIMH.
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86
11/17/09 | Report as spam
ADHDer
Hugs also stimulate dopamine production.
Lots of hugs!
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87
11/24/09 | Report as spam
I( used to believe drugs for ad/had were BAD....
I once thought giving drugs to children to treat AD/HD was child abuse.
Then my son told me he thought he had AD/HD. I let it go for a year or two, and finally let him be tested. He started taking Adderal and said it really helped him.
A few years later my wife and I were watching TV and saw a commercial about the six common symptoms of AD/HD - and I had at least five of them. I was tested, got drug treatment, and it has certainly helped me also - I lived 50 years before my diagnosis without any treatment.
By the way, video games also help AD/HD people build concentration and confidence, I believe.
I have an adopted grandson who has AD/HD, and drug treament has been a godsend for him. It gives him the ability to control himself.
I wonder how many people are in prison right now, for trying to self-medicate AD/HD? Our great grandchildren will think we were cruel and ignorant barbarians....
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88
12/11/09 | Report as spam
What about Strattera?
So how does this apply to Strattera which is dopamine neutral but
affects reuptake of norepinephrine? Is NE interchangeable with
Dopamine in terms of attention?
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89
12/13/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Thanks for the great article!
I've mentioned it in this post:
http://everythingsysadmin.com/2009/12/feeling-vindicated.html
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90
12/13/09 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
Great article! I've referenced it in
http://everythingsysadmin.com/2009/12/feeling-vindicated.html
Tom
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91
12/22/09 | Report as spam
drug test issue problems
Thanks to Dana, and all the very thoughtful replies on this subject.
There is an issue with using Ritalin or Adderall this has not be addressed here. That issue is drug testing, whether a surprise on the job test, or during a job application process. Ritalin and Adderall are amphetamine derivatives. Amphetamine use is illegal.
You could be denied a job because you tested positive for an illegal substance. (One thing I have not seen mentioned yet is that, as I understand it, Ritalin and Adderall are formulated to be slow release, such that even normal doses should not give but a limited high to a non-ADHD person.) The potential employer does not have to tell you why you were denied the job. I have taken all the various approaches to tackling this situation: going off my Adderall for at least a week before the drug test, but then I am not as sharp as I need to be for an interview; telling the interviewer that I took Adderall, and why, still being denied the job, probably through ignorance or stigma or prejudice; NOT telling the interviewer about my ADD/ADHD, hoping, but eventually still being denied a job, still not knowing if it was due to amphetamine being detected in my urine. I don't know what the answer is, other than better education for people who have little to no interest in being educated about the condition.
My doctor told me that the laws in the various states are different enough, that it is possible for you to be reported to the police if you have tested positive for amphetamine. Showing a current prescription bottle of Adderall or Ritalin won't necessarily help. I guess what I am getting at here is that, right now, I am looking for work, and hate being on Adderall because of the drug test issue, and hate being off of it, too. A "Catch-22" situation.
I have to say that I was very much relieved to hear about the PET scan study, as even though I knew I had ADD/ADHD, I also knew there was much that was subjective about diagnosing it (as the many replies in this thread have shown). It just feels vindicating to know that there is now objective proof that ADD/ADHD is a real condition.
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92
01/11/10 | Report as spam
RE: Now we know why Ritalin works
RE: post 70
DanaBlankenhorn
09/24/09
Coffee and ADHD
-----------
I used coffee (8 espressos per day)to treat my ADD, but it eventually led from getting a great clear headed effect to a not so great dramatically angry head, easily pissed off by everyday annoyances in traffic and public and private places. Coffee wasn't the answer for me at all. In fact it made me quite dangerous and intimidating to aggressive, pushy and impolite people. So I wasn't good news for the many boss types while suffering coffee 'come down' effects.
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93
02/07/10 | Report as spam
MuratCan
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Zaytoz.com - Cakma orumcek Webmaster Forumu 2011 Seo Yarismasi
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Why do stimulants like Ritalin turn ADHD kids normal but turn normal kids into hopped-up screaming meamies?
