ADHD

[lilyalic]

Affective Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
A persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity - impulsivity that is:
(1) At a significantly higher rate than would be expected for a child at his or her development stage.
(2) Sufficient to cause impairment in major life activities.

Psychologists have now placed ADHD into the Neurological Disorder category.

The DSM Criteria has now developed into increasing the age limit on diagnosing ADHD: Symptoms must be present before age 12, where as it used to be 6 years of age. (thankfully they've understood that characteristics of children are sometimes rebellious, the parents may label this as ADHD in order to avoid judgement and for their own acceptance of their children's undesirable behaviour)

In terms of the dual process theory, System 1 & 2:
Around half will carry a diagnosis of ADHD into adulthood (Kessler et. al., 2006), therefore the lack of system 2 may be explainable in some individuals if they had a case of ADHD when children, and have brought it into their adulthood.
Affective deficit hyperactivity disorder disturbs out Theory of Mind, children do not understand how much pressure they put their family under through bad behaviour.

Problems with prescribing meditation for ADHD;
They are extremely short term solutions, meditation needs to be taken throughout the day to increase the activity of the brain, as children with severe ADHD have smaller volumes in the brain (Especially in the frontal parts).
Here's a story (although submitted by the Daily Mail) about a boy who took Risalin, and was on medication for depression, who committed suicide at the age of 10. Could there be a link between the medication and his psychological wellbeing?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2002856/Harry-Hucknall-10-killed-taking-Ritalin.html

 

[sacriface]

Could there be a link between the medication and his psychological wellbeing?

Is that a rhetorical, or genuine question?

There is quite a bunch of information about ADHD on the forum, also relating to how bad is the big pharma medication offered as a solution.

Usually everybody on the forum is urged to first exploit the "search" option as most of time it yields 90% of answers before setting up a new topic. Just an advice, worth a try! ;)

 

[clearmiddle]

When you live in a toxic home/office environment, devoid of microorganisms that humans depend upon (and replete with other pathogens), drink polluted water, eat toxic factory farmed or processed "food substitutes," and take toxic pharmaceuticals to help cope with the effects while ignoring the causes, it does things to your brain (among other things).

As it happens, vast numbers of people are living in just such conditions, thinking they are "modern humans" now for which this is "normal," and among the results of doing that are many "modern" disorders and afflictions. Trying to understand what is happening by looking at this symptom or that symptom can be futile, and trying to understand what happened with someone you don't know and don't have detailed information about can be even more futile.

What you can do, however, is examine your own situation, learn about that, and make adjustments. The more you learn that way and find relief from your own symptoms, the more you may come to appreciate, in a general way, what is happening to others.

There are fascinating insights to be gained by exploring the research, but it's really difficult to tie everything together in a unified way. I was just listening to someone this last week that talked about research relating to certain autoimmune disorders that showed the development of specific antibodies years in advance of the expression of any visible symptoms. This supports the idea that inflammation is an underlying cause of disease, but making the link to specific factors that cause inflammation is more difficult. It should be possible to learn much more by conducting appropriate large-scale studies, but the folks that typically fund such studies don't seem to be too terribly interested. Presumably, it doesn't fit with their business plans.

The "modern" living environment that I described above is known to be highly pro-inflammatory. You may not be able to prove or even understand exactly what is happening, but you can certainly take steps to protect your own health.

 

[Buddy]

Could there be a link between the medication and his psychological wellbeing?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2002856/Harry-Hucknall-10-killed-taking-Ritalin.html

There is a possibility. There are plenty of youtube videos and AD/HD-type forums and places where those so diagnosed can tell their stories and offer help to others. You will find people who swear by their medications and promote them unabashedly, people who swear by their medications but warn that brand and dosages are critical. There are also those who have been prescribed meds and took them for awhile and then stopped because they found themselves walking around the house noticing the best places to hang themselves.

So, yes, issues involving AD/HD, meds and associated psychology can be complicated and each case should be uniquely considered and handled, I think.

 

[sacriface]

Having been diagnosed with ADHD some few years ago myself, I went through one or two boxes of Concerta (active ingredient is a far cousin of amphetamine essentially) and refused to take it anymore. Not that I had some strong side effects, just instinctively, in a way, not knowing about the workings of the big pharma system or alternative ways to deal with it - just a no go with that.

Then after a time, with a great deal of help from this forum via the information accumulated here, I found that, at least in my case, learning to meditate, doing Eiriu Eolas and primarily changing the diet, works absolute wonders. Things like cutting out sugars, diary and gluten are the first and foremost to be done to see if one actually has this disorder to a level that would require any medication.

Described the changes and their overall effect in more detail here, it's more like a diary entry, but maybe it can provide some reflection;
_http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,31718.0.html

maybe this helps a little.

 

[lilyalic]

Is that a rhetorical, or genuine question?

There is quite a bunch of information about ADHD on the forum, also relating to how bad is the big pharma medication offered as a solution.

Usually everybody on the forum is urged to first exploit the "search" option as most of time it yields 90% of answers before setting up a new topic. Just an advice, worth a try! ;)

You're right, I should actively search for the answers to this question.
I've had a look, there are vast amounts of contradictions on various accounts (biological, physiological and psychological).

There are also those who have been prescribed meds and took them for awhile and then stopped because they found themselves walking around the house noticing the best places to hang themselves.

So, yes, issues involving AD/HD, meds and associated psychology can be complicated and each case should be uniquely considered and handled, I think.

That's really interesting, a medication that alters your cognition and system 1 to the extent of noticing the best places to hang themselves. You're right in stating that each case should be individually considered because yes it is completely dependent on the individual.

 

[sacriface]

Hey,
Another article on ADHD and medication went up on Sott.net just there:

_http://www.sott.net/article/268093-ADHD-for-everyone-and-drugs-too

Then below in the comment there are links to other ones that are probably very much related to your interested in that topic.

njoy ;)

 

[lilyalic]

Then after a time, with a great deal of help from this forum via the information accumulated here, I found that, at least in my case, learning to meditate, doing Eiriu Eolas and primarily changing the diet, works absolute wonders. Things like cutting out sugars, diary and gluten are the first and foremost to be done to see if one actually has this disorder to a level that would require any medication.

That's wonderful that you've changed it around without medication .. I imagine EE and meditation would do wonders. It's so frustrating that the paleo diet or some similar aren't part of treatment trials.
! Its pretty worrying when they try to give you a hyperactive drug in relation with class A drugs.

 

[sacriface]

I imagine EE and meditation would do wonders. It's so frustrating that the paleo diet or some similar aren't part of treatment trials.
Its pretty worrying when they try to give you a hyperactive drug in relation with class A drugs.

This unfortunately is only a tip of an iceberg in the scope of the problem with mainstream medicine and science.
IMO, the point is to stop expecting them to change anything and just look for alternatives and spread awareness, as there are lots of possibilities outside of what the 'big guys' propagate.
And since there are, no point in worry!

 

[sarek]

Personally, i have a non hyperactive variant of ADHD. I have for some reason always instinctively shied away from resorting to medication, even if the price to pay for that decision has been quite steep.

My adoption of Fourth Way practices has had a rather pronounced beneficial influence on a few of the more impulsive aspects of the disorder but only when practised diligently and consistently.

I have not yet figured out whether ADHD as such is an advantage or a disadvantage when attempting to practice the Work. One of the core mechanics of ADHD is that the mind naturally keeps looking for ever new and different stimuli and is in general extremely flexible, both of which i find very helpful in the Work.

The downside is the severe tendency to be inconsistent and to procrastinate which makes maintaining regular Work practices a lot harder.

 

[SMM]

In terms of the dual process theory, System 1 & 2:
Around half will carry a diagnosis of ADHD into adulthood (Kessler et. al., 2006), therefore the lack of system 2 may be explainable in some individuals if they had a case of ADHD when children, and have brought it into their adulthood.
Affective deficit hyperactivity disorder disturbs out Theory of Mind, children do not understand how much pressure they put their family under through bad behaviour.

This may relate to what you have written above: Dr Russell Barkley - ADHD Emotional Regulation

I imagine EE and meditation would do wonders. It's so frustrating that the paleo diet or some similar aren't part of treatment trials.
Its pretty worrying when they try to give you a hyperactive drug in relation with class A drugs.

This unfortunately is only a tip of an iceberg in the scope of the problem with mainstream medicine and science.
IMO, the point is to stop expecting them to change anything and just look for alternatives and spread awareness, as there are lots of possibilities outside of what the 'big guys' propagate.
And since there are, no point in worry!

Well said ametist.

WRT ADHD & medication, big pharma is in the business for its own nefarious ends. Sott.net is a good place to find out more. Another article with links posted below:

_http://www.sott.net/article/263558-Psychiatrist-admitted-on-his-death-bed-that-ADHD-was-a-fictitious-disease