-Caveat Lector- > Studies now show no significant behavioural differences between children > diagnosed ADHD and children without the diagnosis. Ritalin, then, becomes > a vast, institutional MC programme. Geri & Alfred, Vancouver, BC > > ===== > > 12.3.99 > > Ian Goddard on Mass Psych Drugging of Children > > > > > > Ian strikes again with some more research and commentary on the > > terrible, grotesque and unfortunately fast-growing trend in modern > > Western society to drug our kids (especially male) into oblivion at the > > slightest sign of the questionably-named "hyper-activity" (what used to > > be called boys being boys), not to mention inquisitiveness, > > individuality, originality or creativity. > > > > > > NewsHawk� Inc. > > > > -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- > > > > -------- Original Message -------- > > Subject: Mass Psychotropic Drugging > > Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 22:14:36 -0500 > > From: Ian Goddard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > > > > It's amazing to think that as of 1996, 10 to 12 percent > > of schoolboys in the U.S were on an addictive drug, Ritalin, > > about which the manufacture states: "Sufficient data on safety > > and efficacy of long-term use of Ritalin in children are not yet > > available. ... Long-term effects of Ritalin in children have not > > been well established." (1998) While the statements are an effort > > to avoid liability for any harm caused by their product, they're > > also largely true: after being on the market for decades, there > > are few if any long-term studies on Ritalin use. But there are > > some clues. The manufacture's insert also notes that growth > > suppression has been reported. Some research suggests > > the possibility of brain atrophy after chronic use. > > > > Those concerns may prove unfounded, but what if they prove > > true and millions of lives are forever diminished during a > > reckless diagnostic fad that redefines normal young-male > > behavior as a psychiatric disorder requiring drug addiction? > > > > It's good to see a popular columnist like George Will take on > > this reckless and even totalitarian venture into mass drugging: > > > > Boys Will Be Boys, or you can just drug them. George F. Will: > > http://www.sacbee.com/voices/national/will/will_19991202.html > > ============================================================== > > The subtitle appears in The Washington Post (12/02/99, A39). > > Here's a select excerpt: > > ============================================================== > > > > Boys Will Be Boys, or you can just drug them. > > > > By George F. Will (12/02/99) > > > > [...] > > > > One theory holds that ADHD is epidemic because of the modern > > acceleration of life--the environmental blitzkrieg of MTV, > > video games, e-mail, cell phones, etc. But the magazine Lingua > > Franca reports that Ken Jacobson, a doctoral candidate in > > anthropology at the University of Massachusetts, conducted a > > cross-cultural study of ADHD that included observation of two > > groups of English school children, one diagnosed with ADHD, > > the other not. He observed them with reference to 35 behaviors > > (e.g., "giggling," "squirming," "blurting out") and found no > > significant differences between the groups. > > > > Children, he says, tend to talk, fidget and fool around-- > > "all the classical ADHD-type behaviors. If you're predisposed > > to label any child as ADHD, the distracted troublemaker or the > > model student, you'll find a way to observe these behaviors." > > So what might explain such a predisposition? Paul R. McHugh, > > professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins, writing in Commentary, > > argues that ADHD, "social phobia" (usual symptom: fear of > > public speaking) and other disorders certified by the American > > Psychiatric Association's "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual > > of Mental Disorders" are proliferating rapidly. This is > > because of a growing tendency to regard as mental problems > > many characteristics that are really aspects of individuality. > > > > So pharmacology is employed to relieve burdensome aspects of > > temperament. "Psychiatric conditions," says McHugh, "are > > routinely differentiated by appearances alone," even when it > > is "difficult to distinguish symptoms of illness from normal > > variations in human life," or from the normal responses of > > sensitive people to life's challenges. But if a condition > > can be described, it can be named; once named, a distinct > > disorder can be linked to a particular treatment. McHugh > > says some experts who certify new disorders "receive > > extravagant annual retainers from pharmaceutical companies > > that profit from the promotion of disorders treatable by > > the companies' medications." > > > > The idea that most individuals deficient inattentiveness > > or confidence are sick encourages what McHugh calls > > pharmacological "mental cosmetics." This "should be > > offensive to anyone who values the richness of human > > psychological diversity. Both medically and morally, > > encumbering this naturally occurring diversity with the > > terminology of disease is a first step toward efforts, > > however camouflaged, to control it." Clearly some children > > need Ritalin. However, Ken Livingston, of Vassar's department > > of psychology, writing in the Public Interest, says Ritalin > > is sometimes used as a diagnostic tool--if it improves a > > child's attention, ADHD is assumed. > > > > [...] > > > > READ FULL GEORGE WILL EDITORIAL: > > ========================================================= > > http://sacbee.com/voices/national/will/will_19991202.html > > ========================================================= > > http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-12/02/110l-120299-idx.html > > ========================================================= > > > > Peter Breggin's letter to JAMA on Ritalin: > > http://users.erols.com/igoddard/breggin.htm > > Can child Ritalin use violate anti-Nazi law?: > > http://users.erols.com/igoddard/nazi-rit.htm > > Young boy on Ritalin goes on shooting spree: > > http://www.erols.com/igoddard/conyers.htm > > Excerpts from Breggin's book on Ritalin: > > http://breggin.com/ritalinbkexcerpt.html > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > GODDARD'S JOURNAL: http://www.erols.com/igoddard/journal.htm ===== DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. 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