Re: 374 New Mental Disorders/ADHD

http://www.torringtontelegram.com/main.php?story_id=1129&page=23

ADHD continues to be a controversy
By Kim Noteboom, Staff Writer

Schoolchildren worldwide are being diagnosed with mental illnesses and are
being prescribed dangerous antidepressants as treatment.
More than six million children have been put on mind-altering psychiatric drugs
for a learning and behavioral state called “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder” or ADHD, according to The Real Crisis in Mental Health report.
ADHD is a condition of the brain that makes it difficult for children to
control their behavior, said Dr. Robert Leeland of Cheyenne’s Children
Clinic.
Characteristics of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, trouble
getting along with siblings and an impulsive nature that could put them in
physical danger, Leeland said.
The drugs that are prescribed for ADHD to children are cocaine-like stimulants
and according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) humans cannot
differentiate between cocaine, amphetamines and methylphenidate (Ritalin).
The stimulants prescribed for ADHD are controlled substances because they
constitute a substantial risk to public health, have little therapeutic
usefulness and have a high potential for addictiveness, according to the
report.
The DEA also stated that, psychotic episodes, paranoid delusions,
hallucinations and bizarre behavioral characteristics similar to stimulant
toxicity, have been associated with methylphenidate abuse.
Consistent with the report, psychiatrists continue to promote a “mental
health crisis,” even in the face of repeated failures to deliver a
scientifically measurable, positive result. Psychiatry worldwide has
contributed to the crisis with 374 new mental disorders, with those relating to
children increasing tenfold over the past 40 years.
“Torrington is consistent with the rest of the world, in that five percent of
school-aged children are diagnosed with ADHD,” said Leeland. “This is a
common disorder.”
“ADHD is both commonly over and under-diagnosed,” Leeland said.
According to the report, medical studies show that “mental problems” can be
actually caused by an undiagnosed physical illness or condition. This does not
mean a “chemical imbalance” or a “brain-based disease.”
It means that ordinary medical problems can affect behavior and outlook.
Medical doctors have established that environmental toxins, mercury poisoning
and allergies can affect behavior and academic performance and create symptoms
in children that can be falsely diagnosed as “ADHD,” in accordance with the
report.
Many children will have coexisting conditions along with ADHD, such as
oppositional defiant disorder, mood disorders, depression, learning
disabilities and anxiety disorders, Leeland said.
“Treatments will vary depending on the individual child because they are
unique,” Leeland said.
Continuing he said, studies show that around 80 percent of children diagnosed
with ADHD who are treated with stimulants improve a great deal.
According to the report, the stimulants prescribed for AHD are controlled
substances because they constitute a substantial risk to public health, have
little therapeutic usefulness and have a high potential for addictiveness.
“Any population of kids with ADHD who are treated with drugs are less likely
to abuse those drugs,” Leeland said. “Stimulant drugs if used
inappropriately can be addictive, but these stimulants are used in small
controlled doses.”
While there are no signs of a cure at this time, research is ongoing to learn
more about the role of the brain in ADHD and the best ways to treat the
disorder, Leeland said.
The U.S. National Institute of Health concluded in the report, “Our knowledge
about the cause or causes of ADHD remains largely speculative.”