He and his colleagues were continuing to follow the almost 600 children in the M.T.A. study, and by the mid-2000s, they realized that the new data they were collecting was telling a different — and less hopeful — story than the one they initially reported. It was still true that after 14 months of treatment, the children taking Ritalin behaved better than those in the other groups. But by 36 months, that advantage had faded completely, and children in every group, including the comparison group, displayed exactly the same level of symptoms
This was a particularly shocking quote for me. I've been on ADHD meds for close to 4 years now, and last year I definitely felt like my meds weren't helping me all that much, at least compared to how it was for the first year I used it. Only halfway through and can't read the rest now, but a good article.
Also maybe they say it further on, but so far they haven't claimed ADHD is a scam or that it has just been used to get people hooked on amphetamines. In the opening few paragraphs, it outright says the scientists doing studies on Ritalin in the late 90s were doing it with good intentions.
He and his colleagues were continuing to follow the almost 600 children in the M.T.A. study, and by the mid-2000s, they realized that the new data they were collecting was telling a different — and less hopeful — story than the one they initially reported. It was still true that after 14 months of treatment, the children taking Ritalin behaved better than those in the other groups. But by 36 months, that advantage had faded completely, and children in every group, including the comparison group, displayed exactly the same level of symptoms
This was a particularly shocking quote for me. I've been on ADHD meds for close to 4 years now, and last year I definitely felt like my meds weren't helping me all that much, at least compared to how it was for the first year I used it. Only halfway through and can't read the rest now, but a good article.
Also maybe they say it further on, but so far they haven't claimed ADHD is a scam or that it has just been used to get people hooked on amphetamines. In the opening few paragraphs, it outright says the scientists doing studies on Ritalin in the late 90s were doing it with good intentions.
I used to coach college, the number of kids coming into school with a list of prescriptions was crazy. It used to be one or two kids, now it is rare to find a kid taking nothing.
ADHD medicine, anti depressants, anti anxiety etc. I really don’t think any of them needed all of those meds but rather a lifestyle change.
Not everyone is meant for the way modern society is set up currently.
lot of folks need very active and engaging jobs, not a life spent pushing keys behind a screen
My son who received this diagnosis and worked through it with and ultimately without meds, would love to meet you in a dark alley. It was hell for him in school. He is now a senior executive with a global brand you would know and leads a large team. He also wrestled and played football and still lifts and runs today. He would kick your ass for free and I would help. Typical LR pinhead quote
In fairness to the OP, the article was great, even if you don't agree with all their conclusions.
If you read the whole thing, it would leave you wondering why it was easier for us to medicate about 9 million kids instead of providing behavioral training, one-on-one teaching, activity-rich lifestyles, dietary changes, sleep changes, and screen-time changes for those 9 million kids?
If we just did these six things, think how much better these kids' lives would be?
Obviously, the answer was that even though the drugs had only the same outcomes as the non-pharmaceutical approaches, drugs are cheaper and easier compared to the interventions listed in the article (and above).
People, including the kids themselves and the families of the kids, would have to "change everything" to be okay without their meds. Meds are easier.
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
My son who received this diagnosis and worked through it with and ultimately without meds, would love to meet you in a dark alley. It was hell for him in school. He is now a senior executive with a global brand you would know and leads a large team. He also wrestled and played football and still lifts and runs today. He would kick your ass for free and I would help. Typical LR pinhead quote
Adhd is a real condition, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a common "change" in people's brains like being left handed. But society is getting more and more "streamlined" in a way that is bad for people with adhd. We force them to adapt to the system instead of having a system that let them do well in school without medication. It is like forcing left handed people to suddenly write with their right hand once they get to high school.
The rush you get from adderall when you have no tolerance is one of the better feelings life has to offer. But you build a tolerance quick and it makes you an a-hole and the comedowns can get pretty awful. I don't think any kids should be prescribed that stuff, even if they have ADHD. Straight up amphetamine pills
Adhd is a real condition, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a common "change" in people's brains like being left handed. But society is getting more and more "streamlined" in a way that is bad for people with adhd. We force them to adapt to the system instead of having a system that let them do well in school without medication. It is like forcing left handed people to suddenly write with their right hand once they get to high school.
ADHD and left-handed people have it better now than at any point in history. Back not too many decades ago, instead of acknowledging that ADHD was a thing, these people were put in remedial classes, labeled as troublemakers and generally neglected. If you were left-handed, teachers would whack you on the hand with a ruler when you dared try to write with your dominate hand. Also, teachers blatantly humiliated students if they didn't go along perfectly with the prescribed curriculum.
We force them to adapt to the system so much less than in the past. Is that good enough? Probably not, but I really don't understand the argument that it is more difficult for ADHD students now than in the past. I find it to be the opposite.
Add and adhd are a tad less authentic disorders than autism. All 3 are way way overdiagnosed.
Where I'm from in Oklahoma, the only one if these 3 impairments that parents usually consider medicating their children for is ADD. For most parents, medicating the other 2 is out if the question and not necessary for a classroom setting.
Please note, the hesitancy to medicate any of these 3 things is typically out of resistance to make the child "not their natural self"
I saw tons and tons of classmates on Ritalin, which is a downer. Not a single time did I see any of them on Adderall. Atleast not on oklahoma. Adderall is used more on adults in my state.
ADHD and left-handed people have it better now than at any point in history. Back not too many decades ago, instead of acknowledging that ADHD was a thing, these people were put in remedial classes, labeled as troublemakers and generally neglected. If you were left-handed, teachers would whack you on the hand with a ruler when you dared try to write with your dominate hand. Also, teachers blatantly humiliated students if they didn't go along perfectly with the prescribed curriculum.
We force them to adapt to the system so much less than in the past. Is that good enough? Probably not, but I really don't understand the argument that it is more difficult for ADHD students now than in the past. I find it to be the opposite.
Very true statement!
Remember, the church of scientology is against medication entirely.
Add and adhd are a tad less authentic disorders than autism. All 3 are way way overdiagnosed.
Where I'm from in Oklahoma, the only one if these 3 impairments that parents usually consider medicating their children for is ADD. For most parents, medicating the other 2 is out if the question and not necessary for a classroom setting.
Please note, the hesitancy to medicate any of these 3 things is typically out of resistance to make the child "not their natural self"
I saw tons and tons of classmates on Ritalin, which is a downer. Not a single time did I see any of them on Adderall. Atleast not on oklahoma. Adderall is used more on adults in my state.
Restless legs syndrome is real, though.
Kidding. Full blown autism is very real and very devestating. ADD and ADHD maybe completely made up
Adhd is a real condition, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a common "change" in people's brains like being left handed. But society is getting more and more "streamlined" in a way that is bad for people with adhd. We force them to adapt to the system instead of having a system that let them do well in school without medication. It is like forcing left handed people to suddenly write with their right hand once they get to high school.
ADHD and left-handed people have it better now than at any point in history. Back not too many decades ago, instead of acknowledging that ADHD was a thing, these people were put in remedial classes, labeled as troublemakers and generally neglected. If you were left-handed, teachers would whack you on the hand with a ruler when you dared try to write with your dominate hand. Also, teachers blatantly humiliated students if they didn't go along perfectly with the prescribed curriculum.
We force them to adapt to the system so much less than in the past. Is that good enough? Probably not, but I really don't understand the argument that it is more difficult for ADHD students now than in the past. I find it to be the opposite.
It's all about the system wanting to grind down kids who won't conform.
Be good and get rewarded with good grades and shiny ribbons and honors.
I also think that modern life - the constant pings and pop ups and demands for our attention, the ever increasing amount of information we're forced to/encouraged to process, the high pace of everything - make many who in the past would be regarded as and feel neurotypical, struggle in similar ways those with legit ADHD do
