re: Scientist says ADHD is Bullsh*t

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ADHD is real.

I used to be on the ADHD-is-bullshite bandwagon until I saw my own son struggle with it.

I tried everything to change him, without medication, for years. Finally, one day at baseball practice when he was about 10, I looked at the kid and his eyes were literally moving non-stop in his head with overstimulation.

I had his doctor write him a prescription for vyvanse. The next day, he was dead-on task with everything. I felt like a fool.

All the yelling... all the fighting... all the behavioral modification techniques... all the punishment... worthless. I thought if I was just harder on the kid, he would change.

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Went through the same thing with my kid. We were in denial about it and thought it was BS. He just needed to try and apply himself more. We thought this because we know it is often just a catch all and over diagnosed.

We'd ground him from XBox, iPad for weeks and months. Tried all kinds or punishment and reward type things for two years (1st and 2nd grade).

Just at the end of last school year (3rd grade) we got him on Vynase and what a night and day difference. I was in complete shock and he got on the honor roll his first grading period this past school year and he did it every grading period for the year.

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Where is the downside

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Already in bed with big-pharma I see.

The downside are side effects.

Common side effects of Adderall include:
Nervousness.
Dizziness.
Restlessness.
Headache.
Stomachache.
Decreased appetite.
Trouble sleeping.
Dry mouth.

Decreased appetite + less sleep + increased heart rate= stunted growth or other issues. There really aren't that many long-term studies to see how this affects someone on it for 30+ years.

Not to mention what adderall and vyvanse do to someone's blood pressure or heart rate. Sounds totally safe.

but, what's the downside right?

Ritalin was pretty bad. It's what I imagine coming down from a 4-day meth bender feels like....but I did it every day as a kid. Adderall is so much better, it is ridiculous

I am well prepared for some teacher, who is only at her job because she gets summers off, to tell me my son needs to be medicated.

As someone who has ADHD and has kids who have ADHD, I agree with this. It is completely natural for kids to be hyperactive and have short attention spans. What isn't natural is making them sit in a desk quietly for 7 hours a day and giving them hours of homework to do at home.

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I am well prepared for some teacher, who is only at her job because she gets summers off, to tell me my son needs to be medicated.

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Sounds like you already know you have a shitty kid and intend to be an a-hole.

I had a tutor who taught middle school, high school, undergraduate, and tutored a lot, and he did not completely understand it until tutoring me for a few classes. He saw it in kids, but they could not explain it, and he was not trained enough to understand it well. That's a very large amount of experience, and he acknowledges it is real....but overdiagnosed heavily.


Eta: I also have another diagnosed impulse control disorder

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Common side effects of Adderall include:
Nervousness.
Dizziness.
Restlessness.
Headache.
Stomachache.
Decreased appetite.
Trouble sleeping.
Dry mouth.

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Worth it. Nervousness/restlessness/trouble sleeping easily counteracted with l-theanine--all the cognitive improvements without the anxiety. Decreased appetite is a good thing that I wish was a permanent side effect for me, but it went away pretty quickly. Dry mouth is a bitch so I always have water on hand. Headache also counteracted with hydration. Don't get the dizziness and stomachache.

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Not to mention what adderall and vyvanse do to someone's blood pressure or heart rate.

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Yes, definitely carries those risks; I rarely consume caffeine anymore and completely gave up energy drinks. I monitor my blood pressure regularly, and my Dr. requires I get EKGs annually. Just got one today actually.

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Not sure if it runs like that everywhere, but my wife as a teacher isn't even allowed to mention ADHD to parents.

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It's a pretty big no no here to suggest to parents that their kids need meds. And as you said, before a diagnosis like that occurs on a school-level diagnostic tests have to be run, parent permission has to be given, doctor's get involved, etc.

The biggest issue I see on a school level is people who have figured out that they can get a disability check if their kid is diagnosed for ADHD and will fight tooth and nail for the school to support the diagnosis through an IEP. I can't tell you how many times when I was in a PLA school that I was cussed out by a parent because I didn't fill out the "checklist" with enough "evidence" to support them receiving the benefits.

Moustache
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I caught that one too.


PS: I wonder what impact mother's out of the home working since the 50's at an increasing rate has had on this symptomatic occurrence?