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Extracts from…..Talking Back to Ritalin
by Peter Breggin M.D.
Ritalin is a central nervous stimulant. It is primarily being used for the treatment of minimal brain dysfunction or ADD in children. Common signs of this disorder are short attention span, easy distractability, emotional instability, impulsiveness, and moderate to severe hyperactivity. Many professionals feel that Methylphenidate offers only a temporary solution because it does not permanently change behaviour patterns -- IT IS NOT A CURE.
Chronic or abusive use of Methlyphenidate can lead to drug dependence or addiction. This drug can also cause severe psychotic episodes. It must be taken with caution if a person is extremely tense or agitated.
Side Effects: Most common in adults is nervousness and an inability to sleep, which is generally controlled by reducing or eliminating the afternoon dose. The most common side effects in children are loss of apetite, stomach pains, weight loss (especially during prolonged therapy), sleeping difficulty and abnormal heart rhythms.
Symptoms of overdosage: Stimulation of the nervous system, such as vomiting, agitation, tremors, convulsions, euphoria, confusion, hallucinations, delirium, sweating, flushing, headache, high fever, abnormal heart rate, high blood pressure, and dryness of the mouth. (from: The Pill Book interactive. Simon & Schuster publishers)
Barbara Linde PhD. of the United States recently shared exerts from the newsletter of the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology. The exerts contained a summary from "Talking Back to Ritalin" by Peter Breggin M.D. Following are some of the statements from that book:
Ritalin and amphetamine have almost identical adverse effects on the brain, mind and behaviour, including the production of drug-induced behavioural disorders, psychosis, mania, drug abuse and addiction.
Ritalin and amphetamine frequently cause the very same problems they are supposed to treat…..inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
A large percentage of children become robotic, lethargic, depressed or withdrawn on stimulants.
Ritalin can cause permanent neurological tics, including Tourette’s syndrome.
Ritalin can retard growth in children by disrupting the cycles of growth hormones released by the pituitary.
Ritalin routinely causes gross malfunctions in the brain of the child. There is research evidence from a few controlled scientific studies that Ritalin can cause shrinkage (atrophy) or other permanent physical abnormalities in the brain.
Withdrawal from Ritalin can cause emotional suffering including depression, exhaustion, and suicide. This can make children seem psychiatrically disturbed and lead mistakenly to increased doses of medication.
Ritalin is addictive and can become a gateway drug to other addictions. It is a common drug of abuse among children and adults.
Short-term Ritalin suppresses creative, spontaneous and autonomous activity in children, making them more docile and obedient, and more willing to comply with rote, boring tasks such as classroom, school work and homework.
Short-term Ritalin has no positive effect on a childs’ psychology or on academic performance and achievement. This is confirmed by innumerable studies and by many professional reviews of the literature.
Labelling children with ADHD can limit their future career choices, and stigmatise them for life. It can ruin their own self image and subtly demoralise them and discourage them from reaching their full potential.
Ciba-Geigy spends millions of dollars to sell parent groups and doctors of the idea of using Ritalin. Ciba also helps support the parent group C.H.A.D.D. and organised psychiatry.
The US Department of Education and the National Institute of Mental Health push Ritalin as vigorously as the manufacturer of the drug.
These drugs do not heal emotional woundedness; however in this quick-fix culture, psychotropic medication, alcohol and street drugs are seductive short acts, but they only deaden pain. Deadening pain does not build a life. If you are not going to help a person do that it is better to do nothing at all. First do no harm………………….
For further information contact:-
Rosemary Boon
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The Whole-Life Connection Wholistic Health and Well-Being Centre |
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Telephone: +61 2 9727 5794 |
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