Ritalin And Other Stimulant Medications Can Do More Harm Than Good In Treatment Of ADD/ADHD

Report shows that usage of Ritalin in America is five times more than world usage. This is a staggering 90% of the world’s Ritalin. Peter Breggin, M.D provides further insights.
- Current statistics indicate that as many as 10% of the nation’s children have been diagnosed as having ADD/ADHD.
- More than five million children are taking Ritalin or another stimulant medication for the treatment of ADD/ADHD.
- Hundreds of children every year receive, or take, doses of stimulant medications that are too high, resulting in overdose.
- 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.
Here are some of the dangers it can bring:
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 may be more potent than cocaine!
Findings of a European study shows that Ritalin can be more hazardous than cocaine. Although in pill form, Ritalin does not produce immediate effect, once metabolized it can occupy more dopamine receptors than cocaine. Addicts who are users of cocaine have also claimed that Ritalin, when injected will produce the same effect as cocaine.
In their clear conscience, pediatrics and ethicist have also voiced their concerns treatment without clear diagnosis that leads to usage of Ritalin as well as other stimulants to treat children who do not do well in school and adults who are failing in their careers and are procrastinators. They question the worthiness of this means of treatment.
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 have been many reports of misdiagnosis of ADD/ADHD and the controversy surrounding the diagnosis of it does not help ease the situation. Therefore, one can take precautions in receiving diagnosis that leads to ADD/ADHD.
Some good rules to follow whenever ADD/ADHD might be suspected are:
- One should not settle for a single diagnosis of ADD/ADHD by any practitioner even so after a single observation alone.
- Never accept a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD on face value alone. A diagnosis that has been delivered without eliminating the possibility of another disorder, nutritional imbalance, or food allergies and sensitivities is not a real diagnosis. A real diagnosis never involves a lets-try-this-medication-and-see-if-it-helps approach.
- 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.
A good decision on what medical treatment best suit oneself is one that educated individuals should be making and it is not only to safeguard yourself but your loved ones.

Article Source: http://myarticlezine.com

Jimmy Brownen is a leading expert in the field of ADD/ADHD and has years of experience in the treatment of it. For more information on the disorder or for alternative means of curing ADHD, please visit his site.

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