Tag: ADHD

DEA Rushes Dangerous, Addictive ADHD Drugs to Market to Meet Demand

Written by Sheila Matthews on October 31, 2024. Posted in Articles.

October 31, 2024

Alert the media! Get Dan Rather on the phone! The United States of America is having a problem producing enough legal, yet highly addictive, and dangerous, mind-altering drugs that are alleged to “treat” attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the federal agency that oversees drug distribution of Controlled Substances, is responsible for setting quotas and controlling the amount of drug that may be legally produced. In this case, there apparently was a shortfall of ADHD medications in 2022 because there was an enormous increase in the diagnosis of ADHD during the Covid Pandemic and the pharmaceutical manufacturers failed to produce the full amount of approved drug, causing a one billion dose shortfall for 2023 and the great catch-up ensued. One billion doses. Geesh! A billion here and a billion there and pretty soon we’re talking about real drugging!

15.5 Million Adult Americans Think They Have ADHD

Written by Sheila Matthews on October 25, 2024. Posted in Articles.

October 25, 2024

October 25, 2024

Like most alleged psychiatric disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a fraud diagnosis. Put simply, and honestly, there is no abnormality in the brain that is ADHD.

The mental health and pharmaceutical industries can say it exists…that it’s a real brain disorder, but it just isn’t true. This doesn’t stop such august institutions like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from reporting that fifteen and a half million American adults suffer from ADHD. Of course, this is the same federal agency that said the covid vaccine was effective, would stop people from getting covid and stop them from spreading covid. Oops!

Nevertheless, the recent report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) claims that 15.5 million US adults are living with the condition and explain that “many are being let down by poor access to treatment.”

1970 Hearing Reveals ADHD as Government-Funded Drug Experiment on Children

Written by Sheila Matthews on September 25, 2024. Posted in Articles.

September 25, 2024

54 Years Ago, September 29, 1970, US House Heaerings

In 1970 a lawmaker wanted to know if the federal government had a hand in drugging school-age children that largely has today remained an unspoken, well-funded, uncontrolled clinical drug trial.

September 29, 1970, New Jersey Congressman Cornelis E. Gallagher held a hearing into the federal government’s role in promoting the use of amphetamines and Ritalin as behavior modification of grammar school children. Fifty-four years later, AbleChild applauds Representative Gallagher for presiding over the House Special Studies Subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations investigation as it was one of the first hearings to draw attention to the government’s funding of experimental drug research using school-age children.

The Boy Who Burned Too Brightly

Written by AbleChild on August 9, 2022. Posted in Essential Books.

This book is an excellent resource for parents, teachers, school counselors and anyone that works with children. It is an allegorical tale that paints an excellent picture of what it’s like for children diagnosed with ADD, ADHD and other psychiatric labels, and how these children are treated in the school system. The Boy Who Burned Too Brightly, written by David J. Welsh, is a fiction story about a town where everyone has a flame burning on the top of their head. Randall is a boy who is unique and his parents love that about him and don’t think there is anything wrong until a teacher points out the brightness of his flame and he is then brought to a “child pyrologist” who diagnoses him with Defective Flicker Syndrome.

In the book, Randall is then medicated with a drink called “quiescence,” which is representative of the psychiatric drugs such as Ritalin, Adderall, Prozac and Zoloft that millions of children are prescribed in our world today. In The Boy Who Burned Too Brightly, Randall’s differentness is suppressed, and those around him want his behavior to be more consistent with those around him, instead of magnifying his special and unique attributes and letting them truly shine. The book shows that to some people a flame may be too bright, but to others, brightness is a true gift that should be encouraged and shone to the world.

About the Author

Dr. David J. Welsh is an educational psychologist who has been in private practice in Forth Worth, Texas since 1985. Aside from writing books, he was also a producer and host of a show called Issues of the Mind from 1987 to 1997. He received his bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University in 1975, then went on to get his master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1978, and was awarded his PhD in educational psychology from the University of Texas in 1984. Dr. Welsh is a member of the American Psychological Association and Texas Psychological Association. He is also a former president of the Tarrant County Psychological Association.

Reviews

Jane L. Brown, RN, Center for Effective Learning, Virginia Beach, VA:

“I missed several words on my first read–I had tears in my eyes. It’s absolutely wonderful!”

Ron Rubin, Center for Developmental Disabilities, Univ. of Vermont:

“In a world that espouses honoring diversity, it stands out as a heart-felt treatment of what ‘honoring’ truly means.”

La Nelle Gallagher, Learning Disabilities Association of Texas:

“This book is probably the most creative and clever book on learning differences I have ever read!”

Author Dr. Thomas Armstrong:

“Certainly hits the nail on the head. I enjoyed reading it and will share this book with others.”

The Hyperactivity Hoax : How To Stop Drugging Your Child And Find Real Medical Help

Written by AbleChild on August 8, 2022. Posted in Essential Books.

This book is written by neuropsychiatrist Dr. Sydney Walker, who is willing and determined to find the root of hyperactive behavior in children, instead of rushing to place psychiatric labels on them. With the rampant diagnoses of children with ADD, ADHD and hyperactivity, Dr. Walker examines what these labels mean, and whether the prescribed treatment of stimulants such as Ritalin is working.

In Dr. Walker’s private practice, he often discovered that a child that had been labeled as ADD or ADHD was misdiagnosed and in fact had displayed the hyperactive symptoms because of an underlying medical illness such as diabetes, food poisoning or allergies. In The Hyperactivity Hoax : How To Stop Drugging Your Child And Find Real Medical Help, Dr. Walker helps parents find safe and effective treatments for their child’s symptoms without prescribing them psychotropic drugs that are likely to be unnecessary and potentially cause other long-term issues for the child due to their side effects. The book also offers some entertainment with how candidly Dr. Walker calls out the psychiatric field and DSM-IV.

Dr. Walker offers valuable advice in this book for parents regarding how to determine if your child needs medical attention, how to find the medical help you need, alternative treatments for their child’s behavioral issues, how to stand your ground when dealing with doctors and school officials, and how to provide better overall care for your child.

About the Author

Sydney Walker III, M.D., is a board-certified neuropsychiatrist, Director of the Southern California Neuropsychiatric Institute, and founder of Behavioral Neurology International. His other books include Help for the Hyperactive Child, Psychiatric Signs and Symptoms Due to Medical Problems, and A Dose of Sanity.

Reviews

Marilyn Chase, The Wall Street Journal:

“His mission is to embolden families to say ‘no’ to the Ritalin fad.”

Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., Director, Autism Research Institute:

“Dr. Walker’s book is must reading for parents who want real solutions for their children–not just ‘wastebasket’ labels such as hyperactivity and ADD. I recommend it highly to parents–and their doctors.”

Publisher’s Weekly:

“Walker, director of the Southern California Neuropsychiatric Institute, makes a dramatic case against the widespread use of the drug Ritalin to treat hyperactive children, [pointing] a finger at hurried doctors who treat symptoms without identifying underlying causes.”

Charles Inlander, President, People’s Medical Society

“Finally someone breaks the myth about hyperactivity….Not only does it clearly show that hyperactivity is a professional excuse for medical incompetence, but it gives parents a real action plan for helping their children. It’s about time an esteemed physician spoke out. Bravo, Sydney Walker.”

Unraveling the ADD/ADHD Fiasco

Written by AbleChild on July 15, 2022. Posted in Essential Books.

This is another groundbreaking book from psychologist Dr. David B. Stein, which was published in 2001. Unraveling the ADD/ADHD Fiasco is, like other books written by Dr. Stein, based on his highly successful Cargivers’ Skill Program, which provides parents with skills to teach their children to approach learning with more enthusiasm, and to respect and honor authority figures in the home and at school.

In the book, Dr. Stein addresses the rapid rise in children being diagnosed with ADD and ADHD, and questions the pharmaceutical solutions that are so often being provided to treat these conditions in children. Dr. Stein raises concerns over the theories of ADD and ADHD, and the riskiness of prescribing amphetamine drugs like Ritalin to children as a way to treat these behavioral disorders. Dr. Stein suggests that this sudden rise in ADD and ADHD diagnoses are being brought on by children misbehaving and not being able to perform in school, which could be a result of the current status quo in modern society’s parenting and teaching institutions.

To help educators, physicians, therapists and parents treat these growing behavioral problems in children, Dr. Stein suggests an alternative to medications. His Caregivers’ Skill Program has been proven highly effective, and Stein uses case studies from his own practice to demonstrate this. This solution will lead to happier, healthier, better educated and better behaving children who have more harmonious relationships with their authority figures.

About the Author

Dr. David B. Stein is a psychologist who worked as a clinical practitioner and professor of psychology in Virginia. He also was deputized with the Prince George Co. Police Department in Virginia, and worked as a criminal profiling consultant for Petersburg and Virginia State Police. Dr. Stein is an accomplished author who spent most of his career fighting against and exposing the evils of using amphetamine drugs such as Ritalin to treat children with ADD and ADHD. His other books include The Psychology Industry Under a Microscope, Controlling the Difficult Adolescent: The REST Program, Ritalin is Not the Answer: A Drug-Free Practical Program for Children Diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, and Stop Medicating, Start Parenting. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 73 years old, and is survived by his wife, two sons and two grandchildren.

Reviews

Dr. Bose Ravenel, co-author of The Diseasing of America’s Children: Exposing the ADHD Fiasco and Empowering Parents to Take Back Control:

“I am a practicing pediatrian with a heavy emphasis on behavioral problems. After reading Dr. Stein’s former book RITALIN IS NOT THE ANSWER, although skeptical because so much of conventional ‘wisdom’ about managing ADD was challenged, I cautiously began to offer this approach to select parents. The results were impressive in several cases, and this fueled my desire to learn more about Dr. Stein’s approach. Having now begun to offer the CSP (Skilled Caregivers Program) for any parent who prefers a non-medication method of dealing with ADD/ADHD behaviors, I continue to experience success in a number of cases where previously medication offered the only hope for improvement. The current volume amplifies on what Dr. Stein has previously written, and adds a number of areas to supplement the fundamental behavioral premises and techniques. Having had an opportunity to read the manuscript twice prior to its current availability, I am most impressed and unhestitatingly recommend it for any parent dealing with this issue and for professionals who would like to be able to help parents to manage their child’s behavior problems effectively without having to resort to medications.”

Ritalin is Not the Answer: A Drug-Free Practical Program for Children Diagnosed with ADD or ADHD

Written by AbleChild on July 13, 2022. Posted in Essential Books.

This book, written by psychologist Dr. David B. Stein and published in 1999, highlights the fact that nearly one-tenth of American children are being prescribed psychotropic drugs which have a slew of serious side effects, and he offers an alternative to these medications. Most of the children on these medications are diagnosed with either attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). How strange is it that twenty years earlier, these psychiatric labels did not exist?

The common side effects of many of the medications prescribed for ADD and ADHD include insomnia, irritability, anorexia, nausea, dizziness, and heart palpitations. And there is a growing trend of drugs like Ritalin and other speed-like medications in this category being used recreationally and sold as street drugs.

Ritalin is Not the Answer: A Drug-Free Practical Program for Children Diagnosed with ADD or ADHD challenges the status quo and offers parents and teachers an alternative solution to the prevalent go-to use of psychiatric drugging. In the book, Dr. Stein lays out a step-by-step behavioral treatment program called the Caregivers Skill Program. This plan is based on clinical trials and research, and is meant to help children behave better at home, focus better in school, and to be more motivated and emotionally healthy overall. The program is easy to put into action, and the book also provides advice and insight for parents feeling pressured by the school system and psychiatric profession to put their children on medication.

About the Author

Dr. David B. Stein is a psychologist who worked as a clinical practitioner and professor of psychology in Virginia. He also was deputized with the Prince George Co. Police Department in Virginia, and worked as a criminal profiling consultant for Petersburg and Virginia State Police. Dr. Stein is an accomplished author who spent most of his career fighting against and exposing the evils of using amphetamine drugs such as Ritalin to treat children with ADD and ADHD. His other books include The Psychology Industry Under a Microscope, Controlling the Difficult Adolescent: The REST Program, Unraveling the ADD/ADHD Fiasco, and Stop Medicating, Start Parenting. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 73 years old, and is survived by his wife, two sons and two grandchildren.

Reviews

John Rosemond, Family Psychologist, Author and Nationally Syndicated Columnist:

“My faith in my profession is almost renewed! Stein not only flies in the face of conventional psychological ”wisdom” where ADD/ADHD is concerned, but he has written a book that is completely devoid of psychobabble. Even if you don’t have a child with attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, buy ”Ritalin Is Not the Answer”. Thank you, Dr. Stein, for bringing a thousand rays of sunshine to America’s children.”

John W. Verheul, diplomate, American Academy of Family Practice:

“This book should be read by every physician before prescribing Ritalin and is an absolute must for any parent of a child diagnosed as having ADD and ADHD.”

Edward D. Smith, professor of psychology, Longwood College:

“Stein has years of experience at successfully treating hyperactive children without the use of drugs. Any parent who thinks his or her child may have an attention disorder (ADD or ADHD) should read this clear and practical book before seeking treatment.”

The Diseasing of America’s Children: Exposing the ADHD Fiasco and Empowering Parents to Take Back Control

Written by AbleChild on June 24, 2022. Posted in Essential Books.

This book, written by psychologist John Rosemond and pediatrician Dr. Bose Ravenel, exposes the fallacy behind the creation of these behavioral and developmental “diseases” such as ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and early-onset bipolar disorder (EDOBD). These diagnoses do not conform to the scientific definition of what a disease is, and lack tangible evidence, yet children are being diagnosed with such labels at alarming rates.

In the book, Rosemond and Dr. Ravenel uncover how the “ADHD Establishment” – which includes mental health professionals, physicians, patient advocacy groups, and the pharmaceutical industry as a whole – have tricked parents, teachers, patients, consumers and medical professionals into believing they suffer from an illness and need medication for it. There is little evidence that this particular illness exists, and all the while, the ADHD Establishment continues to amass growing profits. The Diseasing of America’s Children: Exposing the ADHD Fiasco and Empowering Parents to Take Back Control explains the new age pseudo-science that has been used to create these “diseases,” and examines how the school system is part of the problem.

This book reveals the dangers posed by many of these behavioral drugs prescribed for these so-called conditions. Finally, backed by scientific research and years of professional experience, Rosemond and Dr. Ravenel outline methods proven effective to address behavioral issues such as defiance, tantrums and disrespect. These solutions can help children at home and in school without the need for pharmaceuticals or professional help.

About the Authors

John Rosemond

John Rosemond is a family psychologist and parenting expert. He has written thirteen books on parenting issues and is a syndicated columnist for over 200 newspapers. His latest book is The Bible Parenting Code: Revealing God’s Perfect Parenting Plan. Rosemond and his Certified Leadership Parenting Coaches answer questions at www.ParentGuru.com. Rosemond is also an in-demand speaker on parenting and family issues, having appeared on a number of major television talk shows.

Dr. Bose Ravenel

Dr. Ravenel is a distinguished pediatrician repeatedly recognized as one of the Best Doctors in America prior to his retirement in March 2020. He is a member of several professional organizations, and a author and speaker in the areas of child discipline and parenting. He received his medical degree from Duke University, and trained in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Ravenel also published a commentary titled A New Paradigm for ADD/ADHD and Behavioral Management Without Medication.

Critical New Perspectives on ADHD

Written by AbleChild on June 17, 2022. Posted in Essential Books.

Critical New Perspectives on ADHD is an in-depth exploration, drawn from the analyses of experts worldwide, of the ADHD phenomenon that occurred in the 21st century. This book, edited by Gwynedd Lloyd, Joan Stead and David Cohen, explains how the concept of ADHD came to be, and the background surrounding it’s development. It examines the significant ways ADHD has altered schools, families and the lives of children across the across the world, and it seems that this psychiatric disorder is becoming more prevalent as each day passes.

The book takes a deep dive into the parallel growth of the pharmaceutical industry, examining how these pharmaceutical companies needed new markets for their medications, and how they have profited in recent years. Critical New Perspectives on ADHD, published in 2006, enters new territory, laying out theories and bringing to light evidence that can’t be found in most accepted reading material on this topic. The book takes a bold perspective, questioning current practices in the psychiatric industry that are based on controlling children’s behavior with medication. It’s a must-read for anyone curious about ADHD and other mental diagnoses.

Teaching the Restless: One School’s Remarkable No-Ritalin Approach to Helping Children Learn and Succeed

Written by AbleChild on June 17, 2022. Posted in Essential Books.

With over 6 million children in the United States being labeled with psychiatric disorders and prescribed medications for said labels, this book makes a strong case against such practices. Teaching the Restless: One School’s Remarkable No-Ritalin Approach to Helping Children Learn and Succeed was published in 2004 and written by Chris Mercogliano, an experienced educator who is the co-director of the Albany Free School in Albany, New York. Mercogliano is able to draw from his experience with the practices from the Free School, which forgoes psychiatric labeling and drugging. Instead, the Free School offers alternative ways to help children learn how to relax, concentrate, manage their emotions, run their lives in a responsible manner and develop healthy relationships. Many of the approaches used at the Free School are community-based.

One main theme of the book is the case study of nine students of the Free School (six boys and three girls) who were all given psychiatric labels and medications at their previous school. Mercogliano reveals in Teaching the Restless how these children succeeded with the Free School’s approach. Mercogliano theorizes that for children with oppositional behavior the best approach is to give them the freedom to choose what they want to learn and to what aspects of the school they want to devote most of their time This teaches the children to look within themselves for motivation. This freedom-based approach also teaches these children to be accountable for themselves, and to their peers and the community.

Teaching the Restless is an excellent tool for both parents and educators to help them understand how to deal with hyperactive children. The book encourages readers to make more of an effort to understand these children and help bring out their positive attributes instead of suppressing them.

About the Author

Chris Mercogliano is an American author who has written numerous books containing well-researched material about children’s education, development and mental health. Beginning in 1973, he taught, and eventually became co-director, at the community and freedom-based inner-city alternative school the Albany Free School . He worked at the Free School for over 30 years. He also serves on advisory boards for other democratic schools. Mercogliano has authored numerous essays. Other books he has written include Making It Up As We Go Along: The Story of the Albany Free School (written in 1998), How to Grow a School: Starting and Sustaining Schools That Work (written in 2006), and In Defense of Childhood: Protecting Kids’ Inner Wildness (written in 2007).

Reviews

Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of Magical Child:

“Teaching the Restless is a very important book for our time. That we continue to prescribe drugs to our children in such massive numbers is appalling. There are no historical precendents for a society perpetrating such a travesty on its offspring. Chris Mercogliano deserves a medal for his courage and insight, as well as his years of hard work on behalf of America’s children.”

Ron Miller, executive editor, Paths of Learning magazine, educational historian, author of What are Schools For?:

“Teaching the Restless is a finely crafted moral commentary on a society that would rather “tranquilize our children than create a more tranquil world for them to grow up in.” Chris Mercogliano is a gifted writer as well as a superb observer of children’s lives. Here, he offers a rich blend of insights and observations based on his own extensive teaching experience. His stories of real kids struggling against the cultural constraints on their lives, including inappropriate labeling and drugging, are deeply moving and convincing.”

John Breeding, clinical psychologist, author of The Wildest Colts Make the Best Horses:

“God bless Chris Mercogliano. He has turned his lifelong commitment to the creation of free learning communities for children and families toward a passionate defense against the oppression of children by psychiatry and the schools. May his longstanding drug-free school zone in Albany extend throughout our country and the world.”