Going Off Ritalin

For Devin Barclay, life with attention-deficit disorder has been a winding road.

[Noelle Talevi]

Is life not a winding road for all of us?
I am happy that so many of these young adults are deciding to take themselves off of these drugs. I do hope they are aware that they should do so under a medical doctors supervsion, as the withdrawal effects can be severe, even deadly. If one looks in the Physicians Desk Reference, suicidal ideation is a side effect of withdrawing from Ritalin.
I also must point out that ADD/ADHD was literally voted into existence ny the American Psychiatric Association. There is not one objective, scientific test to prove the existence of this "disorder".I find it profoundly interesting that the "symptoms" that so many children display abate or disappear when they grow up.
ADD/ADHD and the drugs used to "treat" them are a mult-billion dollar business. Parents need to remember that before agreeing to put their children on mind altering substances. Again, well done to those of you who are geeting yourselves off these drugs and seeing what life feels like without them.

[Drug War Hypocrisy]

Noelle Talevi wrote:

I am happy that so many of these young adults are deciding to take themselves off of these drugs. I do hope they are aware that they should do so under a medical doctors supervsion, as the withdrawal effects can be severe, even deadly. If one looks in the Physicians Desk Reference, suicidal ideation is a side effect of withdrawing from Ritalin.
I also must point out that ADD/ADHD was literally voted into existence ny the American Psychiatric Association. There is not one objective, scientific test to prove the existence of this "disorder". I find it profoundly interesting that the "symptoms" that so many children display abate or disappear when they grow up. ADD/ADHD and the drugs used to "treat" them are a mult-billion dollar business. Parents need to remember that before agreeing to put their children on mind altering substances.

All so true! The war on drugs is very fake and hypocritical, the pharmy co's that bought the American Psychiatric Association and wrote the DSM have saturated our society with drugs based on suspect research and speculative and vague neurotransmitter theories. These kids are getting a behavioral diagnosis, not a medical one, and they are being given what the street dealers call "crank," that is, Ritalin is a lot like methamphetamine, and in fact I've heard Ritalin fetches a street price based on that drug similarity.

Everybody's brain is unique, and besides, who gets to say its a medical problem? Maybe its the natural range of good brains and maybe the cubicle-academic discipline is not appropriate for every personality, maybe some of these kids need apprenticeships and guilds and vocations and by the way that's no insult because a good carpenter knows a helluva lot and is a highly skilled worker.

Besides, there's no way you can say the majority of kids on Ritalin have ever undergone any of the physiological tests it would take to line them up with the physiological differences pharmy co's cite as indicators of the condition. In the vast majority of cases, it is very much a behavioral diagnosis and a pragmatic "medicating" with compliance and convenience high on the order of adult priorities.

[Parent in Georgia]

My sons were on Ritalin for a brief period of time. I was uneasy about the medications and, after doing some research, found the work of Dr. David B. Stein ("Ritalin is Not the Answer," and other books) I urge every parent who questions whether or not to medicate their child to first read Dr. Stein's books and articles. You can find out more at http://www.drdavestein.com

[timemachinist]

Parent in Georgia wrote:

My sons were on Ritalin for a brief period of time. I was uneasy about the medications and, after doing some research, found the work of Dr. David B. Stein ("Ritalin is Not the Answer," and other books) I urge every parent who questions whether or not to medicate their child to first read Dr. Stein's books and articles. You can find out more at

http://www.drdavestein.com

Giving kids Ritalin is pretty close to giving them methamphetamine. Also the stimulant effects on the attention and concentration are similar to cocaine, also considered a performance-enhancing drug in some situations. But this is NOT the way to teach kids to manage their attentions and behavior and feelings.

My favorite critic of Ritalin is Dr. Peter Breggin, who has published many books critical of the pharmaceutical approach to mental health, psychiatry and behavior.

http://www.breggin.com/

http://www.slate.com/id/2076413/

[George Miller Jr]

How true. I think this whole ADD/ADHD/whatever the hell they come up with next is a farce. My kid was diagnosed with this "disorder" and for the last five years his meds have been tweaked so bad it isn't funny. He's gone from not eating and being underweight to eating like a pig and becoming fat. Which is a very bad thing as I was diagnosed with this crap (called hyperactitvity in the 70's) when I was nine or ten. I got put on ritalin (yes ritalin has been around just that long), and it really sucked because one of the huge side effects while taking it, is that its a wonderful appetite suppressant. The other huge side effect is that once you go off of it, you eat like a freakin' pig. End result? By the time I finished high school I weighed 250lbs; wore a size 44 pants and couldn't stop stuffing my face. Oh yeah, became a diabetic too.

So don't tell me drugging up children is a good thing. Don't accept the almighty word of the doctors who say that because your child has alot of excess energy, they have the ADD/ADHD/bulls***. This is just a way for lazy dumba** parents to abdicate their personal responsibility in looking after their children.

Being pharmacuetically (misspelled I know) challenged is not a good way to go through childhood, male or female. And anybody who thinks that drugging up children because they may have excess energy is a good thing, should be forced fed themselves with the exact same addictive narcotics, so that they could experience the "wonderful joy" of being a listless zombie.

[Deb W]

You say there is not "one objective, scientific test to prove the existence of this "disorder".

There aren't any tests to prove the existance of migraine. It doesn't show up on a cat scan, MRI or blood test. All the doctor can do is rule out things like a brain tumor. It's the same with ADHD, it's a diagnosis based on reported behavior/symptoms.

The number of people diagnosed with migraine is growing, as is the number of those diagnosed with ADHD. Perhaps this is due to better diagnostic techniques or more people seeing help rather than a group of MDs wanting to make money.

Kids can outgrow migraines, too. My daughter seems to have done this. Just because an individual outgrows a condition doesn't mean it wasn't there in the first place.

Noelle Talevi wrote:

Is life not a winding road for all of us?
I am happy that so many of these young adults are deciding to take themselves off of these drugs. I do hope they are aware that they should do so under a medical doctors supervsion, as the withdrawal effects can be severe, even deadly. If one looks in the Physicians Desk Reference, suicidal ideation is a side effect of withdrawing from Ritalin.
I also must point out that ADD/ADHD was literally voted into existence ny the American Psychiatric Association. There is not one objective, scientific test to prove the existence of this "disorder".I find it profoundly interesting that the "symptoms" that so many children display abate or disappear when they grow up.
ADD/ADHD and the drugs used to "treat" them are a mult-billion dollar business. Parents need to remember that before agreeing to put their children on mind altering substances. Again, well done to those of you who are geeting yourselves off these drugs and seeing what life feels like without them.

[CCa]

Ritalin kills childrens personality. It is an attempt to control a child through forcing them to conform. I was a Ritalin kid. It ruinded me. Especially when i found out i could crush them up and snort them in fourth grade. Yep that is the starting line on my long strage trip.

[SJVP]

I am an adult (43) that has been on ritalin now for 12months or more. Personally I whish my parents had picked up on my ADD and Depression long before I sat in a car one night with a hose connected to the exhaust. Luckily it did not have the impact I was hoping for and I have found doctors and theropists that have made a difference in my life. As with many I was totally against medication of this type but now I am a convert if all pros and cons are considered.

I would be reluctant to put my kids on such medication but will never discount it totally given the positive outcome I have had.

[timemachinist]

SJVP wrote:

I am an adult (43) that has been on ritalin now for 12months or more. Personally I whish my parents had picked up on my ADD and Depression long before I sat in a car one night with a hose connected to the exhaust. Luckily it did not have the impact I was hoping for and I have found doctors and theropists that have made a difference in my life. As with many I was totally against medication of this type but now I am a convert if all pros and cons are considered.
I would be reluctant to put my kids on such medication but will never discount it totally given the positive outcome I have had.

I'm glad things have turned so much for the better for you! Do we agree that the same drug that can be helpful or useful or performance-enhancing to some can also be dangerous and harmful to others, or even to the same person under different conditions?

Parents and guardians should stop being so naive and trusting about giving their kids the many dangerous and harmful psychiatric/behavioral drugs that are making billions of dollars in profits for pharmy co's and all their ad agency friends. The "treatments" making fortunes and careers in psychiatry today will soon be seen as having been as ridiculous as we now see the psychiatric treatments of a few decades ago.

I think the "medicalization" and diagnoses of "disorders" for much of the normal range of human behaviors and feelings has become dangerous because 1) people let the doctors define them and tell them they are sick or have a "disorder", and/or 2) people trust the doctors and the drugs they prescribe as if they are safe or effective or helpful. In many cases they are not.

Once people realize that all drugs are dangerous they will start to see that individuals, though under a doctor's advice and counsel, must still become responsible for making the final decisions deciding which drugs are helpful or harmful to them.

Its not so much that nobody should ever use any drug as it is that all people should be very thoughtful and cautious about taking any drug. Especially with kids, especially for behaviors. That is doping a kid, not "treating" him. I bet that 99.9% of the behavioral drug prescriptions would be much better addressed with a more appropriate education program and career path for the kid. And that 99.9% of "depression disorders" and other DSM diagnoses would be better treated with good friends and a satisfying vocation than with pharmy dope.

[Cameron from Canada]

Well, a lot of what i have read on here does hit home with me as i have been on ritalin for 16 years now. I would describe myself as adhd but now as i am nearing 30 years old and trying to get off the drug many problems are appearing with my withdrawl. I am not mentally addicted to it but my body is sure used to its affects...does anyone have any suggestions as two months into the weening off process i am now at half my regular dose and feel like shit alot of the time, dizzy, confused, hungry all the time...so many other negatives it almost makes me want to go back on it. The reason i am quitting are simple, i did not want to go on it and now that i am done with school for the most part its time to see who i really am, i have forgotten who i really am as everyday i needed 40 mg or more of this drug to wake up as the Cameron me and my world has come to know? Not to mention the fact that finding a doctor to prescribe a 30 year old this drug for kids is proving more and more difficult all the time.

Any help or advise
[e-mail]
thanks

[hurt and offended]

wow...

I have suffered for years with attention issues and have, as an adult, started taking Ritalin... it's helped immeasurably. My nephew has been taking it since he was a child...to excellent affect.

Ritalin has a 60 year track record, if you want to research long term trials. It works for those who do indeed have the disorder which CAN, contrary to the ignorant statements, be tested and targeted.

Denying the existence of a disorder puts those of us who have it at a disadvantage. Go find yourselves some other conspiracy to bash to death.

good god...ignorance is not bliss... it's the bane of our civilization.

[adhd man]

a.d.h.d. is very real I cant sit still for more than ten seconds and my relationships are suffering because of it do not listen to anyone who says otherwise if anyone wants to talk about it email me at [e-mail]