PAUL NOURSE (On 30 Jan 97) was overheard expounding to ALL
 Paul:
 PN> I have been reading some of the posts and feel that alot of people
 PA> like Ritalin use to cure their kids.
 My almost 10 year old has been taking ritalin for almost 3 years.  It
 has not, and will NOT, _cure_ ADD/ADHD.  I don't "like" using
 ritalin, and I seriously doubt that any other parent "likes" doing
 it.  Liking or disliking something is an emotional response not an
 intelligent one.
 PN> As it has a place in treatment of ADD/ADHD it should be ONLY as a
 PN> last resort.
 For most of us it is the last resort.  Everything else has been
 tried, often more than once or twice, and eliminated.
 PN> Lately there's been a pandemic of ADD/ADHD diagnosis's and the
 PN> cure of choice is RITALIN.
 Pandemic?  (Nice $.05 word btw)  Widespread -  yes, large numbers - no;
 you need to recheck your sources.
 PN> I can fix my car engine by replacing the engine anytime it has a
 PN> problem but ofcourse that is over kill.
 There is some relationship between that comment and ADD/ADHD?
 PN> There are those that read on the safety of the drug but fail to
 PN> understand who did the studies where their research money came
 PN> from.
 Okay...suppose YOU tell us, _specifically_, where it comes from and why
 YOU think the funding source(s) exert undue influence on the
 researchers.  Please name the funding source(s) and the researchers
 who bow down to the cash cow.
 PN> Ritalin is a bull in a china shop. For some it is a miracle for
 PN> others it is a grand experiment a potential Big risk.
 It is none of those.  A statement like that comes from someone who
 knows little or nothing of the history of the med, the effect it
 produces or what the risk factors are.
 PN> I have a friend who is a lousy parent and has a
 PN> misbehaving child. Now after 10 years on Ritalin he is now a manic
 PN> depressive.
 There it is...the first "I have a friend who..." followed by an
 outrageous and unverifiable claim that ritalin caused ....
 If your friend is a lousy parent that undoubtedly contributed to the
 bipolar disorder in the child, didn't cause it but sure didn't help
 it either.  If the child has been taking ritalin for 10 years that
 would put him well into the teenage years.  The BPD was there all
 along and your lousy parent friend accepted an incorrect diagnosis.
 PN> Oh yes the last few years the Doc was trying to ADJUST
 PN> his dose of Ritalin (speed) to correct the symptom.
 Ritalin is not speed - don't even go there with that.
 PN> Did  I mention that he tried committing suicide!
 No, as you well know, you did not.
 That's not uncommon in those with BPD.  Surely you are not trying to
 convince anyone that ritalin caused the suicide attempt?
 PN> Bodybuilders use Steroids ...
 ---8<---
 So.... what's your point?  That body builders who take steroids
 shouldn't take ritalin?  If they don't take their ritalin they'd
 forget to take the steroids and soon all that muscle tissue would be
 sagging and wagging like Grandma's upper arms.
 CONTINUED NEXT POST
 
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