ADHD is a controversial topic in itself. Some people believe strongly in its existence and others are not easily convinced. I believe regardless of our opinions of its validity we can all agree lots of children who do not have it are diagnosed with it and treated for it.
Many doctors have been speaking out about this problem for years and all the while others do not hesitate to slap an ADHD label on just about any ‘problem’ child. One of those speaking out against this diagnosis is Richard Saul who happens to be a neurologist. He has had a very long career in patients with short attention spans and those who also struggle with focusing. Saul has mentioned on more than one occasion that he strongly believes ADHD is a ‘fake disorder.’
When it comes to reading about ADHD there are lots of things out there that could and would make it sound quite real but to be honest, if it is real, it is nowhere near real on the scale it is diagnosed in current times. The condition itself is a scapegoat for many parents who merely do not wish to deal with their children being ‘hyper.’ Sure, some children are more hyper than others but drugging them is not the answer.
Joe Jarvis actually wrote a piece on this not too long ago on ADHD and how he believed it was a ‘fake disease,’ he made some very good points that I would like to go over. He says that the way we teach our children makes a difference which, you cannot deny that it does. He says that by trying to fit them into a mold we are also ensuring they are never able to excel as well as those around them. He mentions how some school will literally harass parents who refuse to comply with drugging their children.
…Experts have voiced concerns that students are being diagnosed with ADHD simply as a matter of convenience. Children who display behaviors such as inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity are often singled out for assessments. Some would say these are pretty typical behaviors for young people depending on their personality, but many public schools are quick to tell parents to bring their child to a psychiatrist for a diagnosis in the knowledge that the child will be far less disruptive once they’re medicated. It’s easier and faster than teaching them proper behavior, right?
A UCLA study found that kids with ADHD are more likely than the general population to abuse drugs in the future. But the rate of addiction was the same among children with ADHD who were prescribed medication versus those who were not. So it appears that the drugs themselves do not lead to future addiction if this study can be trusted.
But what if the ADHD diagnosis itself causes the future problems?
Kids are labeled at a young age as having a disorder. They are treated differently by teachers, peers, and even parents. They may develop social isolation from this. And as we discussed the other day, isolation is the main contributor to drug addiction.
So perfectly normal kids are having their lives ruined by a diagnosis of a fake disorder. It is only real in the sense that it is a social disorder. And I would say not fitting into the current public school system is an asset, not a disorder.
With the number of diagnoses on the rise and no end in sight, I can’t say that I don’t see where he is coming from. What do you think about all of this? Please feel free to check out the video below for more information.
If you have an IQ of an idiot you will believe this.
Bahaha
No, it’s real. They may have used it to push drugs on kids that didn’t need them, and even those who did, because it was easier & cheaper than behavioral therapy…but it is real.
Its bullshit. ADHD is a subtle brain injury. It has multiple correlates such as abnormal cerebellar and vestibular signs. As far as I can see the major generators of symptoms relate to impaired spatial perception, and co-ordination, impaired oculomotor co-ordination (leading to reading difficulties) and orthostatic intolerance, causing episodes of impaired cerebral blood flow, and brain fog, with major sympathetic response, leading to restlessness, and impulsivity.
As you know Trent Wiseman, I have the condition. It was diagnosed when I was 46, and has been progressively improving since I
1) Firstly started stimulants and working with organisational skills (both which are a crutch to help us get by, but do really help.
2) Learned meditation- which has helped reach a more stable, clear mental state, has trained me to continually check my mental state so I know before hand what shape I am in before I start the task, and to get better at avoiding impulsive emotional responses which create trouble.
3) Started work with a chiropractor specialising in Functional Neurology.
It has taken me 10 years to make real progress with this- but all is now going very well, and need for medication is decreasing.
However:
I was denied the diagnosis and the help that I have had from all therapies by this sort of ill informed, malicious garbage.
That caused serious preventable harms to myself and to my family members and resulted in my divorce, and a series of severe breakdowns.
Though it is not routine to do so in the medical profession, any competent clinician with halfway decent examination skills can demonstrate the neurological signs of the problem that I have outlined above.
Stimulant medications are short acting and it is easy to do a trial of medication in anyone who is significantly impaired by the condition- and to back off and change direction if the medications do not work, or cause unacceptable side effects.
The ollder stimulants (methylphenidate and dexamphetamine) are generics, and they are very cheap, and not a major source of profit. For instance, in Australia it costs 5c a tablet to manufacture dexamphetamine- ie $5 a bottle. Retail price for my last supply of 200 tabs was $22.78. That is not a lot of profit and this one fact refutes the profit motive argument.
As you can see I have had a range of treatments which not all would be able to access. I do not advocate stimulant only treatment, nor do any of the treatment guidelines developed to date. Equally it will be some time before we have an adequate pool of clinicians able to deliver the above interventions. I am sure that drug company intervention in attempting to sideline these treatments or allege that they are not evidence based (eg that Dishonest Australian group calling themselves “Friends of Science in Medicine”) does occur but that is not the point here.
This article is poorly researched, and may prevent people from reaching treatment that will help them. The author should be ashamed of himself.
The last thing is that successful ADHD treatment helps people become more clear and think better. Would anyone in government or the medical-industrial complex (NOT individual doctors) want that.
It is said that anonymous has become infiltrated by various secret services, and many articles are a psy op. I’m betting this is an example.
In a small minority of patients side effects will be an issue- but that is why we have doctors because ALL MEDICATIONS are classed as “drugs and poisons” and need experienced and responsible monitoring.
I have Saul’s book and have read it. He is correct to look for neurological causation and his approach is actually similar to the way I think about it, but he does not understand the nosology of the DSM classification system, nor does he seem to grasp that the studies on ADHD and the effectiveness of stimulants have been based on the DSM diagnosis. Therefore the general comments about the effectiveness of stimulants apply to all ADHD individuals regardless of neurological causation (which is not listed as an exclusion to diagnosis). I don’t know how he can write a supposedly authoritative book on the subject when he can’t get that right.
This sort of tripe masquerading as journalism scares people and leads to delayed diagnosis and preventable harms.
ADHD adults are creative, lateral thinkers, and are not natural friends of the establishment- but are usually too dysfunctonal to get it together and convert their ideas into outcomes. Effective treatment changes that, but who would want that- it would be a threat to the power of the incumbents.
We know that Anonymous has been well infiltrated by the Secret Services- and the article looks and smells like a psyop to me.
If as I do you have children who are mega intelligent top scores when tested, not disruptive at allbut come out low in exams because of the way people assess academic intelligence you would realise ADHD is a different way of thinking. It’s soul destroying for incredible bright children to not be able to show the world their talents. We have had comprehensive testing that proves our children have a less functioning working memory for example. Also QEEG has shown parts of their brains don’t communicate so well I could go on. We resisted medication but when our children could choose allowed them to decide. One did take it said it made him “feel” better and that was his choice. The second took enough to work in a person twice his size at the insistence of a Doctor didn’t,are any difference. He now has a better diagnosis of high functioning austism. The third doesn’t want to try so that is fine. We allowed them to be themselves and videos like this are just so negative that they don’t help.
Cite more than one scientist if you want to pretend you took science into account here.