Ritalin and other Stimulant Medications can do More Harm than Good in Treatment of ADD/ADHD

American is using Ritalin more than five times the usage of the world combined. This is actually 90% of the world’s Ritalin. Peter Breggin, M.D unfolds more.

- As shown by recent statistics, 10% of our children have been diagnosed ADD/ADHD.
- For treating ADD/ADHD, more than 5 million are using Ritalin or other stimulant.
- There have also been cases that hundreds of children who took these medication have taken more than the recommended dose every year.
- Children aged six through nine are at the greatest risk for overdose.

As school officials, medical professionals, and other caretakers pressure parents to put their children on medication for the management of ADD/ADHD, few take the time to inform parents what the use of stimulant medications as a daily maintenance medication entails. Stimulant medications such as Ritalin, when given to children, are far more dangerous than parents are being led to believe. Stimulant medications produce far more than mere side effects, they endanger the lives of children by producing a host of dangerous health problems and risks by damaging the functioning of the cardiovascular system, central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, and more.

The hazardous effects are:
Cardiovascular System
Rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat, and heart attack.

Central Nervous System
Altered mental status, hallucinations, convulsions, seizures, convulsions, depression, excitement, agitation, irritation, anxiety, nervousness, hostility, nervousness, compulsive behavior, tics, jerky movements, tourette’s, drowsiness, confusion, lack of sleep, unhappiness, depression, over-sensitivity, decreased social interest, zombie-like mannerisms, impaired mental abilities.

Gastrointestinal
Eating disorders, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, stomach ache, and cramps, dry mouth, constipation, growth problems, and endocrine and metabolic disorders.

Other
Blurred vision, headaches, dizziness, excessive sweating, incontinence, fever, joint pain, blood disorders, rash, conjunctivitis, hives, skin inflammation, and hair loss.

Withdrawal and Rebound
Worsening of symptoms, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, irritability, over-activity, and stimulant "crash".

Ritalin might do more harm than cocaine!

Although in pill form, Ritalin does not produce the immediate stimulant effects as cocaine, addicts that crush and inject Ritalin have found the "rush" to be just as pleasant. One European study found that, even though encapsulated Ritalin (pill form) didn’t produce an immediate rush, once metabolized, the drug occupies more dopamine receptors than cocaine does. In essence, Ritalin has more of an effect on brain receptors than cocaine.

Pediatricians as well as ethicists have also voiced their concerns in usage of these stimulants. In an article published in the New York Times, they have questioned the appropriateness of medicating children without a clear diagnosis in hopes that they do better in school. They also asked whether the drugs should be given to adults failing in their careers or are procrastinators. They question the worthy of this method.

This concern have also been voiced out in the January 2005 issue of Pediatrics in which the large discrepancies between pediatricians’ practice patterns and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for the assessment and treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was bought forth. The article also stated that because the medical community didn’t come to a consensus on how to diagnose ADD/ADHD, they should not be making extensive decisions as to how to treat individuals who have been diagnosed with the disorder.

There are some necessary steps that can be taken to ensure that whenever symptoms are suspected to indicate ADD/ADHD thus providing stimulant medication as the form of treatment. This is obviously to safeguard oneself and loved ones so as to not contributing to the statistics of misdiagnosis of ADD/ADHD.

Some good rules to follow whenever ADD/ADHD might be suspected are:
- Never assume that ADD/ADHD is the correct diagnosis. Never insist that a medical professional issue a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD on observations alone.

- The diagnosis of ADD/ADHD should be one of a final diagnosis and if this did not involve eliminating the possibility of another disorder, nutritional imbalance, or food allergies and sensitivities then it is not a real diagnosis.

- If ADD/ADHD does indeed appear to be the appropriate diagnosis, never automatically administer maintenance medications such as stimulants without exploring other possibilities first. The side effects and dangers involved in administering ADD/ADHD medications, especially to a child, are just far too great to take the risk.

- Never fall for the quick fix. Any fad diagnosis that causes society to turn immediately and without question to the latest popular solution that offers a quick fix - in this case, stimulant medications - should be suspect.

As an educated individuals, one should be seeking the best form of treatment for oneself and for the best interest of your children.