HARRIET LEVY was thinking about ADD and ADHD and keyed into cyberspace:
HL>On (27 Oct 97) MARK PROBERT wrote to ALEX VASAUSKAS...
HL> MP> AV>I have seen at least 70 children weaned of Ritalin. I usually
HL> MP> AV>recommend weaning off of Ritalin for a 2-3 week period, while
HL> MP> AV>administering the herbs.
HL> MP> "Weaning" implies addiction. Prescriptive doses of
HL> MP> methylphenidate are not addictive. The pharmaceutical has a
HL> MP> serum half life of four hours. The biggest problem that people
HL> MP> have is remembering to take their medication. I wonder what the
HL> MP> motive of this critter is? 
HL>Au Contraire.  Ritalin is indeed addictive, and a patient must be
HL>weaned  off of it, so as not to damage the nervous system.
HOGWASH. The biggest problem people who have been prescribed 
methylphenidate have is remembering to take their medication. In 
therapeutic doses, there is NO addiction.
HL>The other "danger", if you will, of ritalin usage in children is that
HL>it has been noted that there is a higher than average incidence of 
HL>later "self-medication" with cocaine, crack and methamphetamine
HL>(commonly known as speed)
Exactly 180 degrees wrong: Children with ADHD who are undiagnosed and 
untreated are the group that is likely to become self-medicators, while 
those who are adequately treated are highly unlikely to be self 
medicators. If you were familiar with the studies from NIMH and 
Massachusetts General you would be aware of this.
Within the population we are discussing, you are also partially wrong 
about which are the usual "self administered medications". Cocaine use, 
while it does happen, is not common. Crack use, as a self administered 
medication, if it does happen at all, is very rare.
The use of methamphetamine is slightly more common. However, the most 
common drugs self administered administered are caffeine, marijuana and 
certain over the counter cold preparations that contain pseudoephedrine.
Your information is woefully incorrect in this regard.Isuggest a visit 
to the library and reading. Find some books by Hallowell and Ratey, or 
Russell Barkley. Tom Phelan is good, and Thom Hartmann is very 
knowledgeable, but with a different perspective.
A visit to the CHADD website will link you to many good resources.
               The Few. The Proud. The Chosen.
                     markprobe@aol.com
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 * CMPQwk #1.4 * UNREGISTERED EVALUATION COPY
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