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The Untold Danger-Ritalin And Other Stimulant For Treatment Of ADD/ADHD

By: Jimmy Brownen

Report shows that usage of Ritalin in America is five times more than world usage. This is a staggering 90% of the world’s Ritalin. Peter Breggin, M.D provides further insights.
- As shown by recent statistics, 10% of our children have been diagnosed ADD/ADHD.
- More than five million children are taking Ritalin or another stimulant medication for the treatment of ADD/ADHD.
- There have also been cases that hundreds of children who took these medication have taken more than the recommended dose every year.
- Those with higher risk of overdose are children between the ages of six to nine.
As school officials, medical professionals, and other caretakers pressure parents to put their children on medication for the management of ADD/ADHD, few take the time to inform parents what the use of stimulant medications as a daily maintenance medication entails. Stimulant medications such as Ritalin, when given to children, are far more dangerous than parents are being led to believe. Stimulant medications produce far more than mere side effects, they endanger the lives of children by producing a host of dangerous health problems and risks by damaging the functioning of the cardiovascular system, central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, and more.
The hazardous effects are:
Cardiovascular System
Rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat, and heart attack.
Central Nervous System
Altered mental status, hallucinations, convulsions, seizures, convulsions, depression, excitement, agitation, irritation, anxiety, nervousness, hostility, nervousness, compulsive behavior, tics, jerky movements, tourette’s, drowsiness, confusion, lack of sleep, unhappiness, depression, over-sensitivity, decreased social interest, zombie-like mannerisms, impaired mental abilities.
Gastrointestinal
Eating disorders, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, stomach ache, and cramps, dry mouth, constipation, growth problems, and endocrine and metabolic disorders.
Other
Blurred vision, headaches, dizziness, excessive sweating, incontinence, fever, joint pain, blood disorders, rash, conjunctivitis, hives, skin inflammation, and hair loss.
Withdrawal and Rebound
Worsening of symptoms, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, irritability, over-activity, and stimulant “crash”.
Ritalin may be more potent than cocaine!
Although in pill form, Ritalin does not produce the immediate stimulant effects as cocaine, addicts that crush and inject Ritalin have found the “rush” to be just as pleasant. One European study found that, even though encapsulated Ritalin (pill form) didn’t produce an immediate rush, once metabolized, the drug occupies more dopamine receptors than cocaine does. In essence, Ritalin has more of an effect on brain receptors than cocaine.
An article published in the New York Times asks the questions “Is it appropriate, ethicists and pediatricians ask, to medicate children without a clear diagnosis in the hope that they will do better in school? Should the drug be given to adults who may complain that they are failing in their careers or are procrastinators? Are the ends worthy of the means?”
This concern have also been voiced out in the January 2005 issue of Pediatrics in which the large discrepancies between pediatricians’ practice patterns and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for the assessment and treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was bought forth. The article also stated that because the medical community didn’t come to a consensus on how to diagnose ADD/ADHD, they should not be making extensive decisions as to how to treat individuals who have been diagnosed with the disorder.
In light of the growing controversy surrounding the diagnosis, and increasing misdiagnosis, of ADD/ADHD and the questionable administration of stimulant medications as a form of treatment, it is wise to proceed with caution whenever symptoms might lead to such a diagnosis.
If you find yourself in a position where ADD/ADHD is suspected, then some guidelines to follow are:
- Don’t settle for one diagnosis of ADD/ADHD by a medical professional what’s more after just one observations.
- Never accept a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD on face value alone. A diagnosis that has been delivered without eliminating the possibility of another disorder, nutritional imbalance, or food allergies and sensitivities is not a real diagnosis. A real diagnosis never involves a lets-try-this-medication-and-see-if-it-helps approach.
- If ADD/ADHD does indeed appear to be the appropriate diagnosis, never automatically administer maintenance medications such as stimulants without exploring other possibilities first. The side effects and dangers involved in administering ADD/ADHD medications, especially to a child, are just far too great to take the risk.
- Do not fall for quick fix solution because they would usually involve medications such as stimulants. All type of quick fix fad should be perceived with suspicions.
An educated individual is one who is best able to make intelligent decisions regarding his or her own medical treatment, or regarding the treatment of children.

Article Source: http://articleaddict.com

Jimmy Brownen is a leading expert in the field of ADD/ADHD and has years of experience in the treatment of it. For more information on the disorder or for alternative means of curing ADHD, please visit his site.

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