Hi guys. Here is the audio of an interview that I did with Dr. Rory Stern for ADHDCrossfire.com “Welcome to the first episode of ADHD Crossfire! This podcast is meant to tackle the hard-hitting, controversial issues where research and science come head-to-head with real life experience. In today’s episode, I am joined by best-selling author Jon Bennett. [...]
Adult ADD, Avoid ADD Drugs, Special Reports
Growing Awareness of the Potential Effectiveness of Drug-free treatments for ADD/ADHD
Most major drug companies would like us to believe that there is only one possible route that we can take after the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. This route is the one that always ends in the prescription of powerful drugs with which to ‘manage’ the condition. There is, however, a growing realisation that these drugs are not the miracle cures that parents are so often promised. Research is pointing to the following very troubling consequences of long term ADD/ADHD drug use: • Stunted growth • Loss of long term motivation • Mood swings (Leading, in very extreme cases, to suicidal thoughts) • Substantial risk of abuse and addiction As if the above were not bad enough it is becoming clear that the effectiveness of these drugs decrease over time. They are therefore often not much more than temporary ‘band aids’ and do not make any difference to the underlying causes of the condition. These facts are causing more and more people to ask the question: “Is there not a better way!?” Here at ‘3 Steps ADD’ we have always answered the question with an enthusiastic ‘Yes’. This is, in fact, exactly what the three steps are about: A better, natural, way to cope with and triumph over ADD/ADHD. Pharmaceutical companies tried very hard over the years to paint those who advocate natural responses to the condition as being part of a lunatic fringe. This is getting harder and harder to do as modern research is pointing to some real successes with natural approaches. The fact that there are a number of treatment options that can produce positive outcomes points to the fact that every person is unique. Different techniques will therefore work for different people. It is also a confirmation of the emerging scientific consensus that ADD/ADHD is not a single unified condition but rather a range of conditions. It therefore makes perfect sense that different ' types' of ADD/ADHD will have to be treated in different ways.
Avoid ADD Drugs, Special Reports, Step #1 Avoid the Bad
More and More Teens Abusing ADD/ADHD Drugs
Most parents believe that they have a very good idea of what to look out for when it comes to substance abuse. Unexplained absences, regular visits to the ‘shady side’ of town and the development of undesirable friendships all feature high on the list of common warning signs. There is no doubt that it is important to pay attention to these obvious areas of concern. A recent study is showing, however, that parents will have to widen their gaze to include things as seemingly innocuous as the family medicine cabinet or the school gate. The study conducted by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (and published in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics) analysed calls by 13- to 19-year-olds to poison control centers between 1998 and 2005. Its findings make for sobering reading to say the least. During the period under review, calls related to teenage ADHD medication increased by 76%. This figure is roughly in line with the staggering increase in prescription rates for these kinds of drugs. This fact underlines one of the basic problems with the industrial scale medication of a significant proportion of an entire generation. The basic laws of economics teach us that an increase in the supply of a given product almost inevitably leads to a corresponding increase in demand. This principle acquires an especially vicious edge when it comes to the abuse of illicit drugs. Drug dealers create artificial conditions of abundant supply (by supplying free samples) only to then create conditions of scarcity once the addictive properties of the drugs hooked the client. With psycho-stimulant drugs that can be legally bought (at least if you have a prescription) the dynamic is slightly different. Abundant supply is created by over-prescription which means that increasing numbers of young people who are curious about the effects of narcotics, or who perhaps had previous experience with drug use, will make use of the opportunity to get a ‘legal’ high. At least some of them will be keen to use ADD/ADHD drugs on a regular basis as their drug of choice. The fact that these drugs can be more or less legally acquired makes them all the more appealing as they are a) easier to get hold of b) cheaper and c) more socially acceptable.
Special Reports, Step #1 Avoid the Bad
Understanding the Shifts in Human Nutrition – From Difficult to Super Easy (Part 3)
Last week's article focused on the fact that improvements in production methods and transport links mean that our food is sourced from all over the world. This might seem like a good thing, on the one hand, because economies of scale mean that we are paying much less for globally produced foods. It is perhaps not such good news when we look at the health implications of the globalisation of food. I pointed out that provenance is one of the most important concepts when we think about how healthy, or otherwise, our food is. Simply put, provenance is about where something is from. This is important because production standards and methods differ from place to place and country to country. It is common, for example, to see chemicals that have long been banned in North America due to adverse health effects still being used in other parts of the world. This is a serious issue for people dealing with the effects of ADD/ADHD. Many of the symptoms of the condition can be traced back to signals in the brain not being transmitted properly. This is often due to chemical imbalances. Anything that can contribute to such imbalances should therefore be avoided at all costs. So how can you get serious about provenance as an ordinary consumer? I think one of the keys is to stop seeing food shopping as a health-neutral activity, but to rather view it as a valuable investment in the health and well-being of your family. Some suggestions on how you can ensure that every bite that your family put into their mouths is safe include the following:
Special Reports, Step #1 Avoid the Bad
ADD/ADHD and Videogames – Is there a link? (Part 2)
ast week we began a discussion on the topic that some people would regard as fairly controversial: a possible link between ADD/ADHD diagnoses and video games. I pointed out that I would normally be reluctant to make strong claims about the existence such a link. This is slowly changing thanks to more and more research coming out showing a positive correlation between gaming and ADD/ADHD. Research on this topic is still in its infancy and it is clear that we might be dealing with a kind of chicken and egg situation. In other words: Are children suffering from ADD/ADHD more likely to become addicted to video games; or is it the case that videogames exacerbate the symptoms of ADD/ADHD? This very important question will only be answered by focused research. What is clear, however, is that parents of children struggling with ADD/ADHD should at the very least actively monitor their children's involvement with videogames. The monitoring and perhaps even control of gaming will not go down too well with most dedicated gamers, especially as many of them view their gaming identity as such an important part of who they are. I am convinced, however, that this will in some cases be unavoidable if you have your children's best interests at heart. I suspect that the best way to deal with this issue is not to go in with all guns blazing but to rather attempt to have a rational discussion about the content and possible ‘real-life’ consequences of videogames. I would strongly recommend that you carefully analyze your child's video gaming before you attempt to have a discussion about it with him or her. This does not mean that you should follow them around with a clipboard for a number of days but rather that you take an active interest in what they are playing and how often they do so. Some of the things that you should pay attention to are:
© 3 Steps To Conquering ADD Blog. Terms and Conditions
Recent Comments