Thread: ADHD? Real or bogus?

Originally Posted by Jack Napier

A 'bandwagon'.

So, what, should they just be left to die then, right?

You mean, like what use to be the case in the US? Oh wait, that's never happened, except in government institutions where they are treated with all sorts of experimental drugs and, at one type, frontal lobotomies and electroshock.

Your unfounded fears feed right into the hands of your masters.

Originally Posted by BleedingHeadKen

You mean, like what use to be the case in the US? Oh wait, that's never happened, except in government institutions where they are treated with all sorts of experimental drugs and, at one type, frontal lobotomies and electroshock.

Your unfounded fears feed right into the hands of your masters.

Bandwagons.

Fears.

Masters.

Ken, quite simply, and I am going to blame myself here, I have no idea what you are on, and do not know what you are even talking about.

This was a thread about ADHD.

I happened to ask if anyone knew another who had either Borderline Personality Disorder, or was Bi Polar.

It was you who told me, I am sure, about a female friend of yours who cannot leave the house, for months at a time, due to her condition, for which she has my every empathy, and anyone like that.

I am not from the US, and merely asked what the welfare or social arrangments and support systems, for someone like that are in the US, so that I could compare them to those here, in my own country.

Nothing to do with electroshocks and lobotomies.

Okay?

Originally Posted by Jack Napier

I am not from the US, and merely asked what the welfare or social arrangments and support systems, for someone like that are in the US, so that I could compare them to those here, in my own country.

Nothing to do with electroshocks and lobotomies.

Okay?

Hence the hyperbole, "left to die in the streets" ?

Originally Posted by squidward

Hence the hyperbole, "left to die in the streets" ?

I wasn't asking you though, you see.

Originally Posted by Jack Napier

ADHD.

Many here will have heard of it, you may even believe you know someone with it.

But is it a controversial condition?

Is it a true condition, and have we perhaps over pathologised some behaviours, thus creating a condition?

Or is it ignorant to think that ADHD is any other than a very real, potentially serious, and disabling condition, at times?

What do I know of it?

I have a friend who works at a school for kids with special needs, be they mental or physical.

They sometimes admit the odd pupil with ADHD.

She says they can lash out, have anger issues, and do not concentrate.

Her private view is that she is not 100% convinced that it is a true condition, in the way that schizophrenia may considered to be, for example.

What do you think?

Are we doing the right thing in recognising it as a condition in it's own right, or have we made the mistake of over pathologising certain behaviours in kids, behaviours which may be more to do with their environment?

Jack

My older son (he's 27 now) was tested....and they didn't think he had adhd but suggested Ritlin anyway. He went from an F student to an A student and was on the honor roll for two years. My son was never overtly disrespectful or angry--he got distracted easily and couldn't concentrate. He'd either forget to take home his homework...or do it and forget to take it back to school. Very forgetful.

My stepson was affirmatively diagnosed with it--took Ritlin and it did nothing. I never thought he had it. He was fine at our house and out of control at his Mom's. So unless the disorder occurs only in certain environments.......

Its a very intangible thing.

Originally Posted by CKW

My older son (he's 27 now) was tested....and they didn't think he had adhd but suggested Ritlin anyway. He went from an F student to an A student and was on the honor roll for two years. My son was never overtly disrespectful or angry--he got distracted easily and couldn't concentrate. He'd either forget to take home his homework...or do it and forget to take it back to school. Very forgetful.

My stepson was affirmatively diagnosed with it--took Ritlin and it did nothing. I never thought he had it. He was fine at our house and out of control at his Mom's. So unless the disorder occurs only in certain environments.......

Its a very intangible thing.

Much of the time, if a given med works, the doctors cannot fully explain how.

Some drugs meant for epilepsy are used on people with, for exampe, bi polar.

For many it does help, but they are not sure precisely how it works.

Originally Posted by jmpet

My opinion does not matter as I am not a doctor- and neither are any of the posters here.

well good grief, you could say that about everything and then there would be no debating at all. "I am not a scientist so I can't debate anything scientific, I am not a politician so I can't give an opinion on politics, I am not a statistian so I can't give an opinion on statistics...etc"

Originally Posted by Jack Napier

Much of the time, if a given med works, the doctors cannot fully explain how.

Some drugs meant for epilepsy are used on people with, for exampe, bi polar.

For many it does help, but they are not sure precisely how it works.

That is correct. I was told that they would prescribe the medicine and we would see the outcome. The teachers and my son were excited when it helped dramatically.

We jokingly called it....the "A" Medicine. I will say...straight F's and hopelessness to Honor roll was quite an experience.

Regardless---he does struggle in his adult life. He won't take the medicine or even consider it.

Originally Posted by CKW

That is correct. I was told that they would prescribe the medicine and we would see the outcome. The teachers and my son were excited when it helped dramatically.

We jokingly called it....the "A" Medicine. I will say...straight F's and hopelessness to Honor roll was quite an experience.

Regardless---he does struggle in his adult life. He won't take the medicine or even consider it.

It may just be me, but I am of the view that before prescribing anything to anyone, esp for a condition involving a mental state, that doctors should really be able to explain HOW said med works, in a given patient.

There are several reasons why I beleive this.

1) If they admit to not knowing precisely how it works, then be definition, they cannot surely know unknown damage? Perhaps the long term damage will be much worse than the original condition?

2) By determining HOW it works, they can determine why it does NOT work on others. This is key, since quite often the meds only have about a 40% success rate, at best.

3) Ethics. If you are responsibly placing something inside someone's body, as a doctor, surely it is ethical to know not just what it is, but how it works on the brain?

Otherwise, you may as well go to a site like this, spend a few hundred, and experiment with each one on the site.

http://www.purechemicals.net/buy-mdai-sparkle-15-c.asp

Originally Posted by Jack Napier

It may just be me, but I am of the view that before prescribing anything to anyone, esp for a condition involving a mental state, that doctors should really be able to explain HOW said med works, in a given patient.

There are several reasons why I beleive this.

1) If they admit to not knowing precisely how it works, then be definition, they cannot surely know unknown damage? Perhaps the long term damage will be much worse than the original condition?

2) By determining HOW it works, they can determine why it does NOT work on others. This is key, since quite often the meds only have about a 40% success rate, at best.

3) Ethics. If you are responsibly placing something inside someone's body, as a doctor, surely it is ethical to know not just what it is, but how it works on the brain?

Otherwise, you may as well go to a site like this, spend a few hundred, and experiment with each one on the site.

http://www.purechemicals.net/buy-mdai-sparkle-15-c.asp

I'm not in disagreement. But frankly...I was pretty desperate. I wonder if that is an influencer in these types of things.