Chiropractic Healthiness » Chiropractor » Ritalin
Ritalin
Question:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >: > Most people would agree that it’s generally not good to give >: >Xanax to someone with a history of drug or alcohol dependence. >: There’s NO truth in that. Benzodiazepines are the mainstays of >: getting people off alcohol in just about every medical treatment >: program there is. It’s certainly hard (sometimes as hard) to get >: people off benzodiazepines, but at least they don’t rot your brain and >: liver and make you violent…. >True, benzos are used (and properly so) in acute alcohol detox for >several days. That was not what I was referring to. >I’m not disagreeing that long-term benzo use poses less health risks than >alcohol use, either. What I was saying was that hardly anyone is going to >prescribe them, for routine, regular use, for someone with a suspected >alcohol problem. In fact in today’s era of DEA scrutiny, it’s pretty rare >that anyone is going to get Rx’s for these drugs on a regular basis, >alcoholic or not.
You simply do not know what you are talking about. That’s okay– igorance can be cured. Simply look in a phonebook (your local yellowpages) for an medical alcohol treatment program near you, and call them. Ask if they have anybody on long term benzodiazepines. Feel free to post details here. It’ll be educational for you. Steve Harris, M.D.
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: > Very like : > a methadone maintainance program. : Is that true? Are there really ‘maintenance’ programs? Or don’t they : typically substitute and titrate down? (I realize maintenance is a : theoretical option, but I’ve never heard of this actually being used in : treating alcoholism.) Is methadone really of any benefit in treating alcoholism? I pretty much thought it was only useful for opiate addiction. In fact, isn’t its use by law restricted to treating opiate addiction, and only in federally approved drug treatment centers?
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> : > Very like > : > a methadone maintainance program. > : Is that true? Are there really ‘maintenance’ programs? Or don’t they > : typically substitute and titrate down? (I realize maintenance is a > : theoretical option, but I’ve never heard of this actually being used in > : treating alcoholism.) > Is methadone really of any benefit in treating alcoholism? I pretty much > thought it was only useful for opiate addiction. In fact, isn’t its use > by law restricted to treating opiate addiction, and only in federally > approved drug treatment centers?
I meant, is there such a thing as benzodiazepine maintenance for alcoholics, analogous to methadone maintenance for narcotic addicts. Please… —
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Randall) writes: >: You simply do not know what you are talking about. That’s okay– >: igorance can be cured. Simply look in a phonebook (your local >: yellowpages) for an medical alcohol treatment program near you, and >: call them. Ask if they have anybody on long term benzodiazepines. >: Feel free to post details here. It’ll be educational for you. >: Steve Harris, M.D. >Steve, why don’t you post where your office is located, what city it’s in, >what hours you keep, what fees you charge. Are you telling us that >someone can just come in with a little alcohol on their breath (easy to >arrange), ask for Valium and get it?
No, asshole. Suggest you read those messages again. Steve Harris, M.D. Will you write the blue ones or do – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->you charge extra for them? How many refills do you give? If we "lose" the >prescription on the way to the pharmacy (cause we’re too drunk) will you >write use another one? Hey, all I think the town Dr. Feelgood has >arrived!!!
Response:
> Of course it would not be done like that. If the physician is not > comfortable treating alcoholism, he’ll refer to a treatment clinic, > where they very well might prescribe Ativan or Xanax in limited > amounts, with close followup as part of an over all program.
Ativan or Xanax? More likely something longer acting, like diazepam or chlordiazepoxide, or phenobarbital. IIRC. > Very like > a methadone maintainance program.
Is that true? Are there really ‘maintenance’ programs? Or don’t they typically substitute and titrate down? (I realize maintenance is a theoretical option, but I’ve never heard of this actually being used in treating alcoholism.) —
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> Which is different than giving a >heroin addict a scrip for lots of refills of a random narcotic and >saying "see you later."
how about a script for a maintenance dose with no refills and timely follow- up visits? is this not cost effective in addition to being supportive and nonjudgemental of the addict? why not treat his/her condition from a purely medical stanpoint and sidestep any legal/personal issues and feelings about certain drugs? i don’t get it. why discard human beings, why allow the machinations of greed and amerikan politics to relegate them to a life of crime for a medical, physiological, treatable condition? everyone has something to offer, and we are all only human. everyone makes mistakes, we all get into situations that can be too deep, too much to handle. i thought that’s what professionals were for. (oh hell, i’m showing my optimism and naivite again) durt for original anarchist art designed for the mind AIDS awareness, corporeal freedom…live from the digital forest http://members.aol.com/durtro/mainmap.htm
Response:
: You simply do not know what you are talking about. That’s okay– : igorance can be cured. Simply look in a phonebook (your local : yellowpages) for an medical alcohol treatment program near you, and : call them. Ask if they have anybody on long term benzodiazepines. : Feel free to post details here. It’ll be educational for you. : Steve Harris, M.D. Steve, why don’t you post where your office is located, what city it’s in, what hours you keep, what fees you charge. Are you telling us that someone can just come in with a little alcohol on their breath (easy to arrange), ask for Valium and get it? Will you write the blue ones or do you charge extra for them? How many refills do you give? If we "lose" the prescription on the way to the pharmacy (cause we’re too drunk) will you write use another one? Hey, all I think the town Dr. Feelgood has arrived!!!
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> : You simply do not know what you are talking about. That’s okay– > : igorance can be cured. > : Steve Harris, M.D. > Hey, all I think the town Dr. Feelgood has > arrived!!!
Just Imagine. A Chiropractor coming to Steve’s defense! I have seen a great many lives destroyed by alcohol; very few by diazapenes. If a better approach is available, Wonderful; let’s embrace it. In the mean time those who object to diazapenes can take valerian. And lighten up on Steve. He’s been very articulate of late. Don C. Royal DC
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Randall) writes: >: > Most people would agree that it’s generally not good to give >: >Xanax to someone with a history of drug or alcohol dependence. >: There’s NO truth in that. Benzodiazepines are the mainstays of >: getting people off alcohol in just about every medical treatment >: program there is…. >I’d like to do a little survey of doctors here. Suppose a patient comes >in and shows signs of being an alcohol abuser. Like having an enlarged >liver, abnormal liver tests, you confront the patient and they admit they >drink "a little too much". How many of you would write them an Rx for >100 Valiums with 3 or 4 refills, tell them "these’ll help you stop >drinking", then show them the door. I’m talking about today, not 25 >years ago. I can’t think that too many doctors would do this, but maybe >I’m wrong.
Of course it would not be done like that. If the physician is not comfortable treating alcoholism, he’ll refer to a treatment clinic, where they very well might prescribe Ativan or Xanax in limited amounts, with close followup as part of an over all program. Very like a methadone maintainance program. Which is different than giving a heroin addict a scrip for lots of refills of a random narcotic and saying "see you later." Your parody of what actually happens in no way means that you know what actually happens. Steve Harris, M.D.
Response:
: > Most people would agree that it’s generally not good to give : >Xanax to someone with a history of drug or alcohol dependence. : There’s NO truth in that. Benzodiazepines are the mainstays of : getting people off alcohol in just about every medical treatment : program there is…. I’d like to do a little survey of doctors here. Suppose a patient comes in and shows signs of being an alcohol abuser. Like having an enlarged liver, abnormal liver tests, you confront the patient and they admit they drink "a little too much". How many of you would write them an Rx for 100 Valiums with 3 or 4 refills, tell them "these’ll help you stop drinking", then show them the door. I’m talking about today, not 25 years ago. I can’t think that too many doctors would do this, but maybe I’m wrong.
Response:
Randall) writes: >I’d like to do a little survey of doctors here. Suppose a patient comes >in and shows signs of being an alcohol abuser. Like having an enlarged >liver, abnormal liver tests, you confront the patient and they admit they >drink "a little too much". How many of you would write them an Rx for >100 Valiums with 3 or 4 refills, tell them "these’ll help you stop >drinking", then show them the door. I’m talking about today, not 25 >years ago. I can’t think that too many doctors would do this, but maybe >I’m wrong.
we all know many people who have operable benzo habits, i’m not saying that abstinence and withdrawl are "easy" by any stretch…but if the patient wanted to stop drinking, why not write him an Rx for 30 .5 mg. of some benzo? it would be less damaging for the patient in a systemic sense. durt after all, better living is possible through chemistry. for original anarchist art designed for the mind AIDS awareness, corporeal freedom…live from the digital forest http://members.aol.com/durtro/mainmap.htm
Response:
: > Most people would agree that it’s generally not good to give : >Xanax to someone with a history of drug or alcohol dependence. : There’s NO truth in that. Benzodiazepines are the mainstays of : getting people off alcohol in just about every medical treatment : program there is. It’s certainly hard (sometimes as hard) to get : people off benzodiazepines, but at least they don’t rot your brain and : liver and make you violent…. True, benzos are used (and properly so) in acute alcohol detox for several days. That was not what I was referring to. I’m not disagreeing that long-term benzo use poses less health risks than alcohol use, either. What I was saying was that hardly anyone is going to prescribe them, for routine, regular use, for someone with a suspected alcohol problem. In fact in today’s era of DEA scrutiny, it’s pretty rare that anyone is going to get Rx’s for these drugs on a regular basis, alcoholic or not. If you were to hand out Xanax like candy to a problem drinker, how would you know the person wouldn’t continue to drink as well as take the drug. This obviously is dangerous, and often results in a much worse addiction than either drug or alcohol alone. And also, most alcohol treatment people believe that giving potentially addictive drugs to a "recovering" alcoholic creates a serious risk of causing a relapse.
Response:
: Dear Steve, : I saw that you were an M.D. : I have friend addicted to crystal meth. He wants to quit but will not, : will not, will not, go to treatment. He is scared to crash, can he take : Xanex or VAlium along with our support? Or will there be a drug : interaction? : Anyone who knows about these drug interactions or info on when he can : maintain a regular lifestyle and sends a responds will be much : appreciated. Thank you : Erik I’m not an M. D., but I believe your friend needs professional help. Chrystal meth can kill and or cause brain damage. Sudden unhospitalized withdrawl can cause suicidal depression. He/She should be hospitalized ASAP under the care of a psychiatrist/psychotherapist. In addition a group like Narcotics Anonymous or some other support group may be helpful. I’d be careful with benzos like Valium and Xanax too. They are useful, but should be perscribed by a doctor and taken as prescribed, especially with someone with a substance abuse problem like your friend. If he was my friend, I’d research where the best hospital he can go to and help him check in ASAP as he realizes he neeeds help. I think that’s the best way you can help him. But, make sure he decided he wants to check in because such a person can only really be help when he is ready. To do so may really bias him against the idea. Nobody responds positively to being forced to do something. Encouraging him/her to do so in a friendly way is, in my opinion, the best way to help. Sincerely, Jacob Parnas
Response:
>Xanax won’t drive you stark raving mad. But stopping Xanax sure can, >it’s one of the hardest drugs to quit if you take in more than very small >doses.
There’s some truth in that. > Most people would agree that it’s generally not good to give >Xanax to someone with a history of drug or alcohol dependence.
There’s NO truth in that. Benzodiazepines are the mainstays of getting people off alcohol in just about every medical treatment program there is. It’s certainly hard (sometimes as hard) to get people off benzodiazepines, but at least they don’t rot your brain and liver and make you violent. You can take Xanax the rest of your life without killing yourself or others. Therefore, one addition at a time. Worst ones first. Steve Harris, M.D.
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>Dear Steve, >I saw that you were an M.D. >I have friend addicted to crystal meth. He wants to quit but will not, >will not, will not, go to treatment. He is scared to crash, can he take >Xanex or VAlium along with our support? Or will there be a drug >interaction?
Probably not. The important drug interactions with Xanax involve synergistic effects with other "downer" drugs, which of course methamphatamine isn’t. You can usually use it freely to kill anxiety when getting off addictions to most things (but wait until the anxiety hits). Occassionally "downer" type addicts (people who like alcohol or barbiturates) end up dependent on Xanax, but there are worse things to be dependent on (like alcohol!). This happens less rarely with addiction to uppers and narcotics. With excitants like meth and cocaine, the feeling on withdrawal is less anxiety than one of complete and horrendous depression and lethargy, caused by lack of neurotransmitters. Sometimes Xanax/Ativan/Librium/Valium and the like can keep a person from going crazy during this phase. If so, use em. But get him off the meth. It’s a horrible drug, and will eventually drive him stark raving mad. Xanax, at least, will not. Steve Harris, M.D.
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > (Durtro) writes: >> Steve Harris, M.D. >yeah, Steve. that’s it in a nutshell. diagnosis is all subjective, > we >are all "dysfunctional". at least that’s my immediate take on your > post. >thanks >durt > Why no, Durt, diagosis is not subjective, rather it is objective. > You hook these kids up to a machine, and it either prints out "ADD" or > "no ADD". Kind of like taking your car into the garage for an > emissions inspection. What’d you think? And, you know, the damned > machine is NEVER wrong. If it was, we’d introduce an element of > subjectivity, and that would be really scary, wouldn’t it? > Did I say we were all dysfunctional? Where was that? There seem to > be real problems in people thinking they’ve read something other than > what I’ve written. You need to forget that Evelyn Wood stuff when > reading my posts. > SBH
oh well, on the reread i see i misconstrued your post. nobody’s perfect, least of all me. that’s what happens when i don’t get my marijuana. peace durt http://members.aol.com/durtro/mainmap.htm original anarchist art designed for the mind corporeal freedom, digital art now! screw ‘em if they can’t take a joke.
Response:
> Steve Harris, M.D.
yeah, Steve. that’s it in a nutshell. diagnosis is all subjective, we are all "dysfunctional". at least that’s my immediate take on your post. thanks durt for original anarchist art designed for the mind AIDS awareness, corporeal freedom…live from the digital forest http://members.aol.com/durtro/mainmap.htm
Response:
Dear Steve, I saw that you were an M.D. I have friend addicted to crystal meth. He wants to quit but will not, will not, will not, go to treatment. He is scared to crash, can he take Xanex or VAlium along with our support? Or will there be a drug interaction? Anyone who knows about these drug interactions or info on when he can maintain a regular lifestyle and sends a responds will be much appreciated. Thank you Erik – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -(Durtro) writes: > Steve Harris, M.D. >yeah, Steve. that’s it in a nutshell. diagnosis is all subjective, we >are all "dysfunctional". at least that’s my immediate take on your post. >thanks >durt
Why no, Durt, diagosis is not subjective, rather it is objective. You hook these kids up to a machine, and it either prints out "ADD" or "no ADD". Kind of like taking your car into the garage for an emissions inspection. What’d you think? And, you know, the damned machine is NEVER wrong. If it was, we’d introduce an element of subjectivity, and that would be really scary, wouldn’t it? Did I say we were all dysfunctional? Where was that? There seem to be real problems in people thinking they’ve read something other than what I’ve written. You need to forget that Evelyn Wood stuff when reading my posts. SBH
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > "Poor administration or incorrect dosage of Ritalin can lead to >some of the following side effects: `zombie-like’ behavior, growth >suppression, behavior or thought disorder, seizures, headaches, blurred >vision, scalp hair loss, Tourette’s syndrome – including tics, barking >like a dog and babbling profanities. It can also result in drug >dependence and an inclination for criminality." > That what the APA says about the drug they want to give to your child >because he/she is "fussy" in school or loses things like pencils or >homework assignments. > Did you ever lose a homework assignment? Do you think you were "sick" >and in need of a mind-numbing drug to "fix" things?
Another example of the mind-numbingly black-white approach of many people on both sides of the fence here. We are supposed to believe that children can be, at worst, "fussy" in school. Or lose pencils or homework assignments. No discussion whatsoever of the children who spontaneously, and without ever being on any drug, babble, bark like dogs, scream, hit other children, cannot sit in a chair for 10 seconds consecutively, cannot pay attension well enough to learn the answer to 2 + 2, and who literally bounce off the walls in a classroom. These children do not exist in the Spotlight universe. Are all children with ADD this bad? No. Alas, like most diseases, "ADD" is one end of a spectrum of behavior. Most states of ill health consist of too much of something that is present normally in everyone. How much is too much? Ah, there’s the rub. It isn’t obvious unless it’s REALLY too much. And there is no clear dividing line. This is the Greek "sorites paradox," about which I’ve writen before. Qauntitative changes sometimes add up to "qualitative" changes, but it’s hard to see exactly how that happens. It’s sort of mysterious, and has to do with the way we use language. A simple illustration of it is this: when is a child too short? "Midgets" (note the use of language) have a disease, but how short does a child have to be to qualify? There isn’t any good answer. That drives some people bananas. If there is a drug to make children taller (which there is), who do you use it on? Binary people are driven to distraction by such discussions. With "ADD" it isn’t that the American Psychiatric Association is blameless, of course, because like many doctors these folks have a binary mindset also: there is only health or disease, and to them (and for most of our society) the rule is that you are only supposed to use "drugs" on a "disease." Thus, the medicalization of every mental stress or problem. And because of the treatment claus, therefore the definitions of disease become mystic and rather sacred (see the DSM-IV if you don’t believe this). Even when they aren’t really rationally drawn, and can never be. A better alternative to all this is to realize that diseases, in many cases, are contructs of language. What you actually see in life is varying degrees of *dysfunction.* Sometimes these dysfunctions can be helped by drugs, sometimes not. It all depends on the patient and the situation and a hundred other intangibles. Quite often there’s no substitute for trying the drug (starting in very small doses) to see. Simple as that. The definition game is something we do only to satisfy the makers of the "war on drugs" (see "war on the lower classes"), and the fundamentalists of various stripes. Those with degrees, and those without. Steve Harris, M.D.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The SPOTLIGHT December 14, 1992 >Goody, more "news" from this unbiased source. 1992 — that’s hot off >the press, too. > PSYCHIATRY, DRUG PROBLEM LINKED BY HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE > The danger of psychiatric drugs – Ritalin in particular, often >prescribed for children – and the growing power of the psychiatric >industry in American society was the topic discussed on the August >12 broadcast of The SPOTLIGHT’s nightly call-in talk forum, Radio >Free America, with host Tom Valentine. > The guest was Dennis Clarke of the Citizens Commission on Human >Rights (CCHR), >Ah, yes — the front for the Church of S*ientology, isn’t it? That’s >sure the group I’d want in *my* corner. Well, they deserve *you*, at >any rate.
ROFL! It’s almost as though all this was a giant conspiracy by the Church of Scientol*gy… Man, the more you know about C.of.S., the more you think that maybe the conspiracy theorists aren’t entirely wacko. Large irony there. Steve
Response:
Here is another article for those who are interested. It is also goooooood therapy for the dissidents. Without something to disagree, riducule, and exercise their paranometers, they would become pretty dull and loose their enthusiasm for alt.health and would not learn anything (subconsciously) from the rest of us. The SPOTLIGHT December 4, 1995 ESTABLISHMENT `EDUCATORS’ PUSH DRUGS ON DISRUPTIVE, FUSSY CHILDREN The Establishment has an answer to children who "fuss" in school – drug them. By Fred Blahut For a variety of reasons, including boredom, schoolchildren sometimes don’t pay attention the way the teacher would prefer. In times past, the answer has been a suggestion from the teacher to "pay attention," or perhaps a slap on the wrist with the ever-present ruler. That was then. This is now. Today’s answer to fussy children? Drug them. It is a well-established – but politically incorrect – fact that often the most fussy children are the most intelligent. They get bored in a class geared to the less intelligent. That wouldn’t be politically correct (PC). So, in a Machiavellian move to prevent excellence from being rewarded and encouraged, the government – along with the nation’s official "brain benders" – have decided that fussy children have a mental problem. But not to worry; government schools have the answer – it’s drugs. Dope those kids to the point that they’ll sit there in class like good little zombies, never educationally outdistancing their lesser endowed classmates. But first the parents must be convinced that their children aren’t fussy; they’re fruit cakes. "Don’t worry, parents," says the government. We can fix that." And if you don’t believe the government, private industry has jumped on the bandwagon. Recently, a SPOTLIGHT subscriber from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area was visiting his local bank where he found a stack of pamphlets available for customers as a "public service." The name of this pamphlet is Reading, Writing & Ritalin. If you don’t know about Ritalin, it’s a drug; a stimulant used to "stabilize" fussy children. More about that later. First, "fussy children" isn’t scientific enough. No good parent is going to agree to have his child drugged because he or she is "fussy." So the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has come up with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and its associate "disease," Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity or ADHA. Parents are told that their children are "sick." But, again, don’t worry. There’s a solution: drugs. Here’s what the "helpful, community service" pamphlet says: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) affects approximately 2 million school-age children. No one knows for certain what causes ADD. Evidence suggest, however, that a chemical imbalance or deficiencies in certain neurotransmitters may be the root of the problem. To identify ADD a clinical judgment and an objective assessment is needed. ADD is a learning disability, and is approximately 25 percent of the cases other impairments exist, therefore a psycoeducational assessment is needed including the evaluation of: reasoning skills, use of language, perception, attention, memory, visual motor functioning, academic achievement and social skills to establish a pattern. Again, don’t worry. It isn’t your child’s fault he or she is fussy. It’s a chemical imbalance or a problem with neurotransmitters in the brain. That’s a relief. Get out the drugs. The situation has progressed to the point that a teacher reports a "fussy" student to higher authority and the parents are informed that the child should (read:"must" if you don’t want trouble from the child welfare people) get tested for ADD. If you disagree with drugging your fussy child after a member in good standing of the APA decides it’s the right course of action, again, prepare for a visit from the child welfare juggernaut. And what is this Ritalin that "everyone" says is os good for your fussy child? In two consecutive issues (Feb. 27 and March 6, 1989) The SPOTLIGHT published an edited version of an interview conducted by Radio Free America’s Tom Valentine with Dennis Clarke of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. Clarke painted a very grim picture of Ritalin. According to Clarke, in 1989, Ritalin was "the No. 1 street drug in Canada." He identified it as a "speed-type" drug. "You’re talking about a chemical that is manufactured by Ciba-Geigy, a major drug company, one of the biggest in the world, for doctors to five to hyperactive children," said Valentine. "Yes," answered Clarke. "How in the world can a doctor prescribe speed to a hyperactive child?" asked Valentine. Clarke answered: This drug, when given to a child who has not yet entered puberty, has what is called a paradoxical effect. It has a reverse effect to what it would have on you or I as adults. Whenever you give speed to a child, it has the effect of being a downer. Let’s take an example: Quaalude, a heavy psychiatric downer, was taken of the market by Congress in 1984. If that drug was given to a child it would act as a very potent speed on the child. The child would become wildly hyperactive, the pulse would increase and the child would be in serious trouble. Now, on the other hand, when you give speed to a child who has not yet entered puberty, for reasons we don’t fully understand, it apparently overwhelms the child’s central nervous system, cutting the motors, making it difficult for the child out move an to communicate. Ciba-Geigy warns that this drug can cause epilepsy in children as well as in adults. It can cause epileptic seizures where there is no history of it. Here’s what the APA says about the drug: "Poor administration or incorrect dosage of Ritalin can lead to some of the following side effects: `zombie-like’ behavior, growth suppression, behavior or thought disorder, seizures, headaches, blurred vision, scalp hair loss, Tourette’s syndrome – including tics, barking like a dog and babbling profanities. It can also result in drug dependence and an inclination for criminality." That what the APA says about the drug they want to give to your child because he/she is "fussy" in school or loses things like pencils or homework assignments. Did you ever lose a homework assignment? Do you think you were "sick" and in need of a mind-numbing drug to "fix" things? Some of the sponsors of the "community service" pamphlet given out at the bank in the Philadelphia area include Melon Bank, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, (GMC Truck) Delaware Valley Dealers, WPVI-TV, Channel 6 (ABC), Oak Tree Oxford Health Plans and the ever popular American Federation of Teachers, Local 3, AFL-CIO and the New Jersey Education Association. Valentine’s interview with Clarke took place on January 19, 1989. Contact Valentine Communications. P.O. Box 11089, Naples, Florida 33716 for more details.*
Response:
> The SPOTLIGHT December 14, 1992
Goody, more "news" from this unbiased source. 1992 — that’s hot off the press, too. > PSYCHIATRY, DRUG PROBLEM LINKED BY HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE > The danger of psychiatric drugs – Ritalin in particular, often >prescribed for children – and the growing power of the psychiatric >industry in American society was the topic discussed on the August >12 broadcast of The SPOTLIGHT’s nightly call-in talk forum, Radio >Free America, with host Tom Valentine. > The guest was Dennis Clarke of the Citizens Commission on Human >Rights (CCHR),
Ah, yes — the front for the Church of Scientology, isn’t it? That’s sure the group I’d want in *my* corner. Well, they deserve *you*, at any rate. These are my opinions only, but they’re almost always correct. "My theory of evolution: I think Darwin was adopted." – Steven Wright (no relation)
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> The SPOTLIGHT December 14, 1992 > PSYCHIATRY, DRUG PROBLEM LINKED BY HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE
[...} > Certain areas of the country have been targeted, such as the >state of Utah, which has the highest per capita consumption of >Ritalin of any place on planet Earth. > All of this has a serious impact on society in terms of >criminality. These drugs create sociopathic tendencies in >individuals and lead to violence.
I suppose it follows that Utah must be one of the most violent and sociopathic places on Earth. Strange to tell, I grew up in Utah, and didn’t notice (I suppose they must’ve hidden the violent sociopaths in the ice cream parlors). In fact, as an adult I moved away from Utah and spent a dozen years in Los Angeles. Gosh, I could really tell the difference. Bet you think I found L.A. a relief because kids there have less Ritalin. Wrong. I’m back now in Utah. Steve Harris, M.D. Gluton for Punishment
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The SPOTLIGHT December 14, 1992 PSYCHIATRY, DRUG PROBLEM LINKED BY HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE The danger of psychiatric drugs – Ritalin in particular, often prescribed for children – and the growing power of the psychiatric industry in American society was the topic discussed on the August 12 broadcast of The SPOTLIGHT’s nightly call-in talk forum, Radio Free America, with host Tom Valentine. The guest was Dennis Clarke of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), an organization which has been in the forefront of fighting dangerous drugs and exposing abuses by psychiatrists in the treatment of patients. The federal Food and Drug Administration, which disapproves many natural substances such as Laetrile, flax seed oil, hydrochloric acid and l-tryptophan, approved dangerous drugs such as Prozac, Halcion and Ritalin. An edited transcript of the interview follows. Valentine’s questions are in boldface. Clarke’s responses are in regular type. Q. When did you first become aware of the dangers posed by the psychiatric community and its growing power in the arena of social engineering? A. I first got into it in 1967 when I was working as an aide to a state senator. We were researching the old model cities program, a massive federal program out of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, part of the "war on poverty." The first provisions of this program to be implemented were community mental health centers. In order for anyone to get any money to be able to plan a model city, the cities were required to go to the state legislatures and pass civil commitment laws. These laws, which originated as "model legislation" out of the University of Chicago, said that on the signature of two physicians, a person could be picked up by the police and delivered to a mental institution where they could be held indefinitely for treatment and/or observation. Further, they could be transferred to any state in the union that had a reciprocal law. There was no court hearing, no habeas Corpus, no right to an attorney, no right to a phone call, no notification to anyone. I thought it very interesting that in order to get money for redevelopment of your city you had to get a mental health law. I began researching a little further and found out the program had been written by the World Federation of Mental Health Psychiatrists, people from places like Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union, South Africa, Japan, Canada, South American Countries, as well as a handful from the United States. Q. What business would all of these psychiatrists from around the world have in rewriting our laws as they would affect the model cities program? A. Well, they were rewriting our civil commitment laws in such a way as to cause people to disappear permanently off the streets of America with no due process of law. As I researched further, I found the plan was to move the psychiatrists into the school systems where they would "bring in new drugs which would speed up the slow students and slow down the fast ones so we can arrive at a more appropriate social norm in America." As I came across this, I found the drugs they were talking about were the amphetamines and Ritalin. I’m referring to Benzedrine, Dexedrine, Disoxin (which are generically amphetamine), among others. Additionally, they were talking about another central nervous system stimulant by the name of methylphenidate, which is the generic name for Ritalin. These are the main drugs people would be familiar with. The three I mentioned; as well as cocaine, another central nervous system stimulant which has a very similar effect to the amphetamines, and Ritalin. All of them do essentially the same thing to the human body, except Ritalin is more powerful than the other four. It takes five times as much cocaine orally to do what Ritalin will do to a child at five milligrams. If you gave a child 25 milligrams of cocaine in the morning with a little pill, you would do the same thing to that child with five milligrams of Ritalin. Chemically and neurologically in its effect on the human body, Ritalin (or the amphetamines) would be equivalent to cocaine. When you give this to a child what happens is, it cuts the child’s motors. When you give "speed" to a child who has not yet entered puberty, it has the reverse effect of what it would have on an adult: You get a stuporous state. Interestingly enough, the ~downers," like heroin – if given to a child – would have the effect of being "speed" on a child. There are two reasons to give Ritalin to a child: The first is to get a quieter and less active child. The second one is to make a lot of money pushing drugs on children. Q. How much does Ritalin cost? A. I just got a report from a police chief in Tacoma, Washington. Ritalin pills are selling for $45 a pill on the streets of Tacoma. The price varies around the country. But Ritalin is becoming a street drug. It’s the No. 1 heroin substitute in North America. It ranges out on the street anywhere from $45 to $65 per pill. We have doctors who write prescriptions for addicts. This is the most common way for these drugs to be on the streets. They come from the pens of doctors. When you keep in mind there are many drug addicts who have MDs after their names and who do become involved in drug trafficking, you can see some of the scope of the problem. About a year ago, USA Today reported that about one out of every eight intravenous drug users in this country has an MD after his name. That’s a serious problem. Q. Would you suggest psychiatric drugs have led the way toward the current drug problem in this country? A. They built into this country the hard core of drug addicts we have now. Industry in the inner cities was wiped out by the drug traffic. the drug industry took over the inner cities. What happened was that after community mental health centers were established the welfare mothers could go down there and get prescriptions for Ritalin for the children and prescriptions for painkillers for herself and turn around and sell these pills on the street. The drug trade replaced industry in this country’s inner cities. There was no industry that could compete. the reason the inner city of Los Angeles has so many young people selling crack is, these kids have no other place to go. They can get a job flipping burgers at the minimum wage, or they can stand on the corner and make $1000 a day handing out little packets and taking in the cash. They can also sell pills that are there by prescription. This new industry has been built into the inner cities by the medical/psychiatric drug industry. Q. Ritalin is given to children as young as 18 months. A. Ciba-Geigy, the drug’s Swiss-based manufacturer, warns Ritalin shouldn’t be given to children under the age of six because of the potential of the drug the stunt children’s growth, literally mutating them. In spite of that, Ritalin is in rampant use in this country, particularly in the foster care system where you may have an elderly couple who have agreed to take in a foster child. In order to keep that child from being kicked back to the system, the medical Establishment will require the foster parents keep the child on Ritalin. This chemically straitjackets the child and keeps him easy to control. So, it is routinely used. Q. Are you saying country governments are encouraging the use of Ritalin in the foster care systems they administer? A. Yes, in this case we are talking about the state and county psychiatrists who work for the government. Once they have control over these children, either in foster care systems or juvenile courts systems, they will prescribe large quantities over long periods of time of these mind altering psychiatric drugs, many of which can literally lobotomize these children and make them into drug addicts before they even reach the age of five. We hear all the time about crack mothers and their babies, but the state and local governments that hire psychiatrists to work on the children are responsible for producing more drug addicts over the last 30 years, I would venture, than the whole illegal drug industry combined. Q. You are laying much of the blame for the drug problem on the established psychiatric community. A. That’s right. Now I want to talk about several classes of drugs here, in order to try to give you an idea of what we are concerned about here: the social impact of these drugs. During the 1960’s we got an expanding number of prescription drugs called benzodiazapines, the most famous of these being Valium and Halcion (which, incidentally, is the drug President George Bush was on when he threw up on the premier of Japan.) If we want to trace the social impact of a drug, all we have to do is trace the prescription of these drugs and the instance of domestic violence. Valium, which is called by its public relations people a "tranquilizer" (which is not what it is ), is the drug John Hinckley was on when he shot President Ronald Reagan. The psychiatrists always blame guns for the problem of violence. This is like blaming an automobile when a drunk driver goes out and runs someone down. Now the Hinckley case was a precedent-setting case because his psychiatrist got off in spite of the fact that if it had not been for the psychiatrists, according to the experts, this never would have happened. Q. Physicians who rely on natural remedies do not prescribe valium. They prescribe a combination of potassium, magnesium and calcium in ex parte form. A. The benzodiazapines are also known to cause panic attacks. People don;t relate the panic attack or the violent psychotic attacks to the drugs, because they are usually not on the drugs when they experience them. These are hypnotic drugs that are highly addictive. They probably make more drug addicts in … read more »
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How can you be sure if you child has add? My son is very bright and articulate but he doesnt follow directions and hates to write. He never answers unless I call him several times. He has a hard time sitting still when we eat dinner. However he can sit and play for a while. His teacher doesnt complain about his behavior, he is six years old.
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> ADD just about robbed me of years 11-19. I almost failed out of school > several times and was generally miserable. I thought that everyone felt > the way I did and they all just dealt with life better. This was not > true! Do not make a child feel this way if they do not have to. If > Ritalin is working for them, then let it help. ADD (althought over > diagnoised) is a REAL problem and should not be treated as though it is > just a simple lack of concentration. I tried all those herbs first and > they don’t do the trick for everyone. Especially those who have it worst > and need the most help. Since I have had treatment, my life has made a > total turn around, and I wouldn’t wish the past on anyone.
Yes but at what cost? Ritalin robs you of your creativity and enjoyment of life. It enhances memory functions but blocks analytical abilities. It’s used by schools to force children to conform to current teaching methods and used by some parents as a baby sitter, much as TV is used by some parents. I’m ADD. I grew up with everyone telling me I was not working hard, that I was just lazy. Teachers would point to things I could do yesterday or things I could remember this morning and tell me that I was being lazy or uncooperative because I would not do it now. This was my self-esteem breaker. It took me years to discover they were wrong, it wasn’t me, it was their inability to understand thought patterns different from their own. ADD is not a disease, it just that an ADD brain works differently than a ‘normal’ brain. ’Normal’ is defined as the way a majority of people think. It’s not right or wrong, it’s just a majority. I wish we could divide school classes into linear and parallel modes of teaching. We could place the children in the appropriate class with the teaching method best suited for that child. Our children would learn more and not need to be drugged or pushed into conformity. My son is ADD. I often teach my son two subjects at the same time, and constantly show the parallels between English, Math, Chemistry and History. This occupies that busy brain of his and helps him to learn things. Yes, his memory skills are low, but his analytical, creativity and problem solving skills rival anyone at his school. Whatever you do, never tell an ADD child: "I know you can do it, I saw you do it yesterday!". The best response is "Well you did it yesterday, you’ll be able to do it tomorrow. Go do something else right now!". > Lauren
-rwg
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Hi, My son is 12 and recently was dx with ADD and is now on low dose of Ritalin. I tried to get my ex to work with me on some alternatives but didn’t have much luck. The RItalin does seem to increase his attention span (noticable when we play chess). I just can’t help but feel Ritalin in the 90s for young boys is like the valium rx for women back in the 50- 60s. I pray it will be ok and since I only have Levi on non school time we don’t use it. He actually seems happy to be on it – a drug of passage I think D
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Three to five percent of all children under the age of 18 in the U.S. have been diagnosed as having ADD or ADHD. That translates to 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 million children. Many of these children are taking Ritalin or other prescribed drugs to control their behavior. According to the 1996 Physicans Desk Reference "Sufficient data on safety and efficency of long-term use of Ritalin in children is not yet available" THERE IS A NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS SUCH AS CONSISTING OF A UNIQUE FORMULATION OF PLANT ENZYMES/COLLODIAL MINERALS AND A GRAPE SEED/GINKGO BILOBA BLEND HAS ALLOWED MANY CHILDREN TO BE TAKEN OFF RITALIN AND OTHER DRUGS AND STILL FUNCTION WELL IN SCHOOL AND AT children and the parents are happier and leading normal lives once more. Please contact us to help your son or daughter or the child of someone you know or love to become drug free and function normally at school and at home. e-mail me or call toll free 1-888-489-1850 Tony
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ADD just about robbed me of years 11-19. I almost failed out of school several times and was generally miserable. I thought that everyone felt the way I did and they all just dealt with life better. This was not true! Do not make a child feel this way if they do not have to. If Ritalin is working for them, then let it help. ADD (althought over diagnoised) is a REAL problem and should not be treated as though it is just a simple lack of concentration. I tried all those herbs first and they don’t do the trick for everyone. Especially those who have it worst and need the most help. Since I have had treatment, my life has made a total turn around, and I wouldn’t wish the past on anyone. Lauren