VOLUME 5, NO. 11 NOVEMBER 16, 2000
NJ ADD/ADHD ADULT NEWSLETTER
ADD ADULT SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP
FOR ADD/ADHD ADULTS
AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS
MEETING: THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ADD ADULT SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 16, 2000 AT 7:30 PM AT MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER, ROOM 114 STEINAM HOUSEMAN, LONG BRANCH, NJ. GO TO THE RECEPTION DESK IN THE MAIN LOBBY AND GET DIRECTIONS. THE TOPIC WILL BE: ADD AND RELATIONSHIPS. (BRING YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER FOR A MORE LIVELY MEETING.)
RESEARCH: IN AN ARTICLE BY STEPHEN FARAONE, PH.D. GENETICS OF CHILDHOOD DISORDERS: XX. ADHD, PART 4: IS ADHD GENETICALLY HETEROGENEOUS?, J. AM.ACAD.CHILD ADOLESC.PSYCHIATRY, 2000, 39(11):1455-1457, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY TWO GENETICALLY HOMOGENEOUS SUBGROUPS OF ADHD FAMILIES: ONE WITH EITHER ADHD +CONDUCT DISORDER AND OR BIPOLAR DISORDER, AND THE OTHER ADHD SUBGROUP WITHOUT THESE DISORDERS. META-ANALYSIS SHOWED AN INCREASED FREQUENCY OF ADHD AMONG CHILDREN OF BIPOLAR PARENTS AND AN INCREASED FREQUENCY OF BIPOLAR DISORDER AMONG THE ADHD CHILDRENS' RELATIVES. ADHD, CONDUCT DISORDER, AND BIPOLAR TENDED TO BE TRANSMITTED TOGETHER IN FAMILIES.
COMMENT: THESE STUDIES ARE COMPLEX BUT VERY INTERESTING. THEY SUGGEST THAT ADHD WITH CONDUCT OR BIPOLAR DISORDER COULD BE A GENETICALLY MORE SEVERE FORM OF ADHD. THE STUDIES ALSO SUGGESTS THAT WHEN ADHD IS PERSISTENT INTO ADULTHOOD, IT MIGHT BE A MORE GENETICALLY SEVERE FORM. WE DO KNOW THAT WHEN CONDUCT AND/OR BIPOLAR DISORDER ARE PRESENT IN CHILDHOOD WITH ADHD, THERE IS A GREATER LIKELIHOOD THAT ADHD WILL CONTINUE INTO ADULTHOOD WITH MORE DIFFICULT ADJUSTMENT ISSUES. THIS RESEARCH AGAIN SUPPORTS OUR VIEW THAT ADHD IN ADULTHOOD CREATES SPECIAL CHALLENGES FOR US. THIS ARTICLE IS WORTH READING, BUT IT IS VERY TECHNICAL.
RESEARCH: PETER BREGGIN, MD. PSYCHOSTIMULANTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD: RISKS AND MECHANISMS OF ACTION, INTERNATIONAL J. RISK & SAFETY IN MEDICINE, 1999, 12: 3-35. THIS ARTICLE IS A HIGHLY CRITICAL VIEW OF THE DIAGNOSIS OF ADHD AND THE USE OF RITALIN, DEXEDRINE, AND ADDERALL FOR THE TREATMENT OF ADHD. THE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE PRESENTED ARGUES THAT THE PSYCHOSTIMULANTS ARE TOXIC TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM WITH THE FOLLOWING SIGNS: INCREASED ENERGY, HYPERALERTNESS, OVERFOCUSING ON ROTE ACTIVITIES, OBSESSIVE/COMPULSIVE AND PERSEVERATIVE BEHAVIORS, INSOMNIA, AGITATION, HYPOMANIA, MANIA, SEIZURES, PHYSICAL WITHDRAWAL, APATHY, SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL, EMOTIONAL DEPRESSION, AND DOCILITY. THE AUTHOR FEELS THAT THE PSYCHOSTIMULANTS SUPPRESS SPONTANEOUS AND SOCIAL BEHAVIORS AND ARE BEING USED ON OUR CHILDREN TO CONTROL THEM CHEMICALLY. THE ARTICLE DOES NOT DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE ISSUES AS THEY APPLY TO ADHD ADULTS WHO ARE FREE TO DECIDE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENTS.
COMMENT: DR. BREGGIN HAS WRITTEN A BOOK TALKING BACK TO RITALIN WHICH INCLUDES MANY OF THE STUDIES REPORTED IN THIS ARTICLE, IF YOU WANT TO READ MORE. HE MAKES SOME INTERESTING POINTS. MOST STUDIES OF THE PSYCHOSTIMULANTS HAVE BEEN SHORT TERM; PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES HAVE FUNDED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF THE RESEARCH IN THIS AREA; STUDIES ON ANIMALS SHOW THAT THERE CAN BE TOXICITY WITH LONG TERM USE OF THESE MEDICATIONS. WARNING: YOU MAY DECIDE NOT TO USE ANY MEDICATIONS LONG TERM AFTER READING THIS ARTICLE OR HIS BOOK. MANY OF THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED IN THE ARTICLE ARE INCONSISTENT WITH OTHER RESEARCH FINDINGS FROM MANY DIFFERENT AUTHORS. NONETHELESS, THESE WARNINGS REMIND US THAT NATURAL APPROACHES TO TREATMENT ARE SOMETIMES LESS RISKY. LET'S DISCUSS THIS AT OUR MEETING!!!
PEACE!!!
Bob
NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE AT: www.drlopresti.com
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