VOLUME 7, NO. 1                                                                            JANUARY 24, 2002

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 JANUARY 24, 2002 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 FROM THE WORLD'S AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS' PERSPECTIVES.

MEDICATION ISSUE: ADDERALL XR (EXTENDED RELEASE) IS NOW AVAILABLE AND BEING USED BY SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS.  THE CAPSULE COMES IN 10, 20, AND 30mg DOSES AND CAN BE SPRINKLED ON APPLESAUCE FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SWALLOW WELL.  THE CONTENTS ARE ENCAPSULATED IN TINY BEADS.  SOME OF THE BEADS ARE DESIGNED FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, WHILE OTHERS ARE DESIGNED FOR SUSTAINED RELEASE.  IT HAS A DEMONSTRATED EFFECTIVENESS FOR 12 HOURS IN MANY INDIVIDUALS. 

NEW ADD MEDICATION: RITALIN NOW HAS BEEN FURTHER REFINED.  A NEW FORMULATION CALLED FOCALIN (DEXMETHYLPHENIDATE) HAS JUST BEEN MADE AVAILABLE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE REGULAR RELEASE RITALIN.  IT'S THE d-isomer OF METHYLPHENIDATE.  REGULAR RITALIN IS BOTH d-and l-isomers.  THE RECOMMENDED DOSE OF FOCALIN IS HALF THAT OF RITALIN.  THOSE ADDers WHO HAD A WEAK RESPONSE TO RITALIN MAY WANT TO TRY THIS FORMULATION AFTER CONSULTING WITH THEIR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.

MARIJUANA WITHDRAWAL: IN AN ARTICLE BY BUDNEY et al. MARIJUANA ABSTINENCE EFFECTS IN MJ SMOKERS MAINTAINED IN THEIR HOME ENVIRONMENT, ARCH. GEN.PSYCHIATRY, 2001,58:917-924, IT WAS FOUND THAT ABSTINENCE FROM MARIJUANA(MJ) PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: INCREASES IN ANGER, IRRITABILITY, INCREASED SENSITIVITY, AGGRESSION, POOR SLEEP, WEIGHT AND APPETITE LOSS, MJ CRAVING AND OTHER SYMPTOMS. 

COMMENT: WHEN YOU TRY TO STOP MJ, YOU WILL LIKELY BE FACED WITH SOME OR ALL OF THESE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS.  THESE RESEARCH RESULTS PARTIALLY EXPLAIN WHY SO MANY INDIVIDUALS FIND IT HARD TO STOP MJ.  MANY MJ USERS BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN QUIT MJ EASILY IF THEY WANT, AND THAT THERE ARE NO SIDE EFFECTS OR WITHDRAWAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH MJ.

ADHD AND OCD.  IN AN ARTICLE BY GELLER, D. et al. ADHD IN CHILDREN & ADOLESCENTS WITH OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD): FACT OR FICTION?, J. AM.ACAD.CHILD ADOLESC.PSYCHIATRY, 2002, 41(1): 52-58, IT WAS REPORTED THAT WHEN ADHD WAS DIAGNOSED IN THIS SAMPLE OF 297 ADDers , THE CO-OCCURENCE OF OCD DID NOT EFFECT THE ADHD SYMPTOMS.

COMMENT: ADHD AND OCD CAN OCCUR IN THE SAME INDIVIDUALS.  WHEN A PERSON HAS OCD, THEY CAN STILL HAVE ADHD AS A SEPARATE PROBLEM AND VICE VERSA.  I HAVE SEEN THIS FOR YEARS.  

                                                PEACE!!! 

                                                                Bob

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