I would love to send this to my many friends who are suddenly ADHD and happily medicated, but I fear the blowback. They think they are doing well on the medication and I barely recognize them anymore.
Are we all having a hard time concentrating sometimes? Absolutely. Could it have anything to do with the hyper-novel world we live in and the technology that we can’t keep up with because we are mere humans? Nah. Couldn’t be that.
I wonder that this topic did not elicit more comments. I would need to read the book you link to be informed beyond my own anecdotal observations, but having said that, I do have a niece who did seem helped without developing a flat affect. (In fact she’s actress and singer by training.)
Still, I have noticed that some kids seem to have what I might call Delayed Executive Function — Their mothers pull out their hair over forgotten homework and messy rooms and wake up one morning to find not-so-little Jason cleaning the kitchen without being told.
I also think bad sleep hygiene, lack of outdoor exercise and play and like things could be factors.
I just discovered this article, thank you. And many thanks for the link to the book exposing the ADHD industry. As you say, the ADHD juggernaut is at large in the US and it's doubtful any authority's weighing in against the use of stimulants for a mongered illness will make any difference now. I know people in their twenties who see nothing at all wrong with going to a doctor, claiming to be ADD/ADHD, getting a prescription for Adderall or Ritalin, and justifying it by saying "I only use it acutely". I taught at a state university for close to twenty years and the students using the stimulants seemed to be humorless. They would come to me with "accomodations" for ADHD, and tell me they were treating it with the usual pills. But they seemed crushed in spirit to me. And even older adults I know yammer about their attention deficits. As Mars points out below, we live in a fragmented way now because of cell phones and the other electronic distractions and it's possible that has more to do with out scattered brains than anything else.
I will be reading ADHD Nation as soon as I can get my hands on it-thank you for the suggestion!!
My 14 son (diagnosed ASD/ADHD) was on a stimulant for just under 2 years. We recently took him off because we noticed changes in his behavior-he was angry, had a chip on his shoulder and seemed suspicious of everyone. I didn’t recognize my child. We took him off and within two weeks, we had our boy back-funny, affectionate and quirky-just the way God intended him. We have found help in natural supplements like Magnesium, L-Tyrosine and L-theanine. I will NEVER put him on stimulants again.
This epidemic has far reaching consequences we haven’t even begun to understand. Is there a connection between meds and school violence/shootings?
'Is there a connection between meds and school violence/shootings?'
'The Decades of Evidence That Antidepressants Cause Mass Shootings: As we have seen with the vaccines, almost no social cost can keep a lucrative pharmaceutical off the market.'
Just reading this today, thank you for linking it in your other post. My 21-year-old son has been on Vyvanse since about age 9. My efforts to get him to research alternatives for himself or to try a homeopathic alternative (Brillia, I think) fall on deaf ears. I think video game addiction is a big part of his distraction issues, and I have seen his personality change from sweet and loving to indifferent over the years. I wish my ex-husband and I had found a better way to deal with this back when he was 9.
Thank you. Any articles that you’d recommend that I could try and get him to read (shorter is better) re: negative side effects and long term health consequences of remaining on the medication? I just helped him apply for a job the other day and it irritated me that on the various checkboxes for gender and sexual orientation, the “I have a disability” option now includes “neurodivergent” - ADHD, etc - as a choice. We need to stop enabling this.
I know in his recent interview on Allie Beth stuckey’s show, Dr Mcfillin said he would be updating his website this summer with short articles and other resources, so keep an eye out for that, and in the meantime maybe some of his ADHD podcasts? :
Otherwise unfortunately the best resources I know of are book length, like the book mentioned above, which goes into a lot of stories about side effects, or Stolen Focus by Johan Hari
A potential employer can NOT ask about race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, and genetic information (including family medical history). These are protected classes under the EEOC. So, if anyone, even in California, is being asked these things on an employment application, this is absolutely illegal, and must not be answered. So, what exact employer is asking these questions?
Sir, so grateful to have found you on Substack!! You bring to LIGHT so many things that I have often pondered on,that deep down one senses are not right or healthy.
My son was diagnosed with ADHD in the early 2000s. Luckily, even though we tried medication, he refused to take it after one dose because he didn't like the way it made him feel. Nevertheless, we struggled through his entire childhood because of the fallout of the ADHD — school problems, depression, friendlessness, family breakup, etc.
So we dodged a bullet on the medication. Now I am interested to read theories that vaccination might be one contributing factor of the ADHD epidemic. A little late for us, but it might save other families.
"Vaccinosis" is what it's called by homeopathic vets for companion animals. They see many animals who've been unnecessarily over-vaxed for rabies... which is more than maybe twice in their lives. Yes, looking into vaccines seems like a super smart idea.
One of my younger son’s teachers suggested he was ADHD and needed medication. I flatly said NO. His pediatrician, a blessedly old-school guy, would have scoffed at the idea. I wonder how many kids get put on this medication because their teachers need better classroom management skills.
And btw, he’s just fine now. He struggles with some anxiety and depression, but has found that the solution for him is to have a second job and stay as busy as possible.
I would love to send this to my many friends who are suddenly ADHD and happily medicated, but I fear the blowback. They think they are doing well on the medication and I barely recognize them anymore.
Are we all having a hard time concentrating sometimes? Absolutely. Could it have anything to do with the hyper-novel world we live in and the technology that we can’t keep up with because we are mere humans? Nah. Couldn’t be that.
I wonder that this topic did not elicit more comments. I would need to read the book you link to be informed beyond my own anecdotal observations, but having said that, I do have a niece who did seem helped without developing a flat affect. (In fact she’s actress and singer by training.)
Still, I have noticed that some kids seem to have what I might call Delayed Executive Function — Their mothers pull out their hair over forgotten homework and messy rooms and wake up one morning to find not-so-little Jason cleaning the kitchen without being told.
I also think bad sleep hygiene, lack of outdoor exercise and play and like things could be factors.
Absolutely!
I just discovered this article, thank you. And many thanks for the link to the book exposing the ADHD industry. As you say, the ADHD juggernaut is at large in the US and it's doubtful any authority's weighing in against the use of stimulants for a mongered illness will make any difference now. I know people in their twenties who see nothing at all wrong with going to a doctor, claiming to be ADD/ADHD, getting a prescription for Adderall or Ritalin, and justifying it by saying "I only use it acutely". I taught at a state university for close to twenty years and the students using the stimulants seemed to be humorless. They would come to me with "accomodations" for ADHD, and tell me they were treating it with the usual pills. But they seemed crushed in spirit to me. And even older adults I know yammer about their attention deficits. As Mars points out below, we live in a fragmented way now because of cell phones and the other electronic distractions and it's possible that has more to do with out scattered brains than anything else.
I will be reading ADHD Nation as soon as I can get my hands on it-thank you for the suggestion!!
My 14 son (diagnosed ASD/ADHD) was on a stimulant for just under 2 years. We recently took him off because we noticed changes in his behavior-he was angry, had a chip on his shoulder and seemed suspicious of everyone. I didn’t recognize my child. We took him off and within two weeks, we had our boy back-funny, affectionate and quirky-just the way God intended him. We have found help in natural supplements like Magnesium, L-Tyrosine and L-theanine. I will NEVER put him on stimulants again.
This epidemic has far reaching consequences we haven’t even begun to understand. Is there a connection between meds and school violence/shootings?
This article is heartbreaking but also on topic:
https://deeprootsathome.com/what-could-cause-a-young-girl-with-adhd-to-kill-her-little-brother/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=a_call_to_prayer&utm_term=2023-06-13
Thank goodness he’s ok!
'Is there a connection between meds and school violence/shootings?'
'The Decades of Evidence That Antidepressants Cause Mass Shootings: As we have seen with the vaccines, almost no social cost can keep a lucrative pharmaceutical off the market.'
https://amidwesterndoctor.substack.com/p/the-decades-of-evidence-that-antidepressants
WOW-the whole article is eye opening! Thank you so much for sharing. I will do the same!
AMD's articles are always thought-provoking.
Just reading this today, thank you for linking it in your other post. My 21-year-old son has been on Vyvanse since about age 9. My efforts to get him to research alternatives for himself or to try a homeopathic alternative (Brillia, I think) fall on deaf ears. I think video game addiction is a big part of his distraction issues, and I have seen his personality change from sweet and loving to indifferent over the years. I wish my ex-husband and I had found a better way to deal with this back when he was 9.
It’s not your fault at all! Everybody was doing it, everybody still does it. And I’ve seen plenty of people stop taking it so don’t give up!
Thank you. Any articles that you’d recommend that I could try and get him to read (shorter is better) re: negative side effects and long term health consequences of remaining on the medication? I just helped him apply for a job the other day and it irritated me that on the various checkboxes for gender and sexual orientation, the “I have a disability” option now includes “neurodivergent” - ADHD, etc - as a choice. We need to stop enabling this.
I know in his recent interview on Allie Beth stuckey’s show, Dr Mcfillin said he would be updating his website this summer with short articles and other resources, so keep an eye out for that, and in the meantime maybe some of his ADHD podcasts? :
https://www.drmcfillin.com/
Otherwise unfortunately the best resources I know of are book length, like the book mentioned above, which goes into a lot of stories about side effects, or Stolen Focus by Johan Hari
Thank you so much. Will take a look at both and the website. I really appreciate the information!
Why would a job application ask about gender and sexual orientation, when it is illegal to ask a job applicant about either of those things?
Not illegal in California. They’ll ask your preferred pronouns, your gender identity, your orientation, you name it.
A potential employer can NOT ask about race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, and genetic information (including family medical history). These are protected classes under the EEOC. So, if anyone, even in California, is being asked these things on an employment application, this is absolutely illegal, and must not be answered. So, what exact employer is asking these questions?
Sir, so grateful to have found you on Substack!! You bring to LIGHT so many things that I have often pondered on,that deep down one senses are not right or healthy.
Thank you Sir!! Will repost and restack. 👍🏻💪⚡️🙏
I truly appreciate it!
My son was diagnosed with ADHD in the early 2000s. Luckily, even though we tried medication, he refused to take it after one dose because he didn't like the way it made him feel. Nevertheless, we struggled through his entire childhood because of the fallout of the ADHD — school problems, depression, friendlessness, family breakup, etc.
So we dodged a bullet on the medication. Now I am interested to read theories that vaccination might be one contributing factor of the ADHD epidemic. A little late for us, but it might save other families.
Thank you for listening to him and not making him take it!
"Vaccinosis" is what it's called by homeopathic vets for companion animals. They see many animals who've been unnecessarily over-vaxed for rabies... which is more than maybe twice in their lives. Yes, looking into vaccines seems like a super smart idea.
How fast do you think I will lose my PMHNP license if I start sharing this with my patients and colleagues?
One of my younger son’s teachers suggested he was ADHD and needed medication. I flatly said NO. His pediatrician, a blessedly old-school guy, would have scoffed at the idea. I wonder how many kids get put on this medication because their teachers need better classroom management skills.
And btw, he’s just fine now. He struggles with some anxiety and depression, but has found that the solution for him is to have a second job and stay as busy as possible.
Thank you for standing up for him!
Excellent article Sir! Thank you!!👍🏻