On Tue, 21 Sep 1999, Al Cone went:
> Background. My friend described how wonderful Ritalin was for his
> 7-year-old grandson. He supported how great it was by saying how
> awful the kid was when the drug "wore off." I couldn't help
> myself. I asked him to describe what the kid did when the Ritalin
> wore off. The more detail he gave, the more I found myself thinking,
> "He's describing withdrawal."
Stimulants don't have much in the way of withdrawal syndromes. After
a euphorigenic dose, there can be a "crash" into lethargy or
depression, but Ritalin isn't prescribed at doses high enough to
produce euphoria. Can you tell us more about how the kid behaves when
Ritalin wears off--and about how he behaved before the Ritalin was
ever prescribed?
Another thought: Ritalin does have a pretty short half-life. If he's
missing doses, maybe he becomes frustrated with his suddenly
diminished ability to focus.
So what it is that the kid does?
--David Epstein
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
