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ADHD Medications and Risk of Heart Disease

New Study Raises Concerns

Welcome to From Insults to Respect. As you no doubt know, a wide variety of people are being classified as having ADHD and prescribed psychiatric drugs. The pharmaceutical industry, with its enormous wealth, promotes the use of these drugs. Supporters of this drug approach often cast a disrespectful eye toward their critics while arguing that research supports their position. Meanwhile, a large group of scientific…

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ADHD: The Latest 2017 Research

by Jeffrey Rubin, PhD

Currently, in many countries a wide variety of children are being classified as having ADHD and placed on a regimen of consuming psychiatric drugs. Supporters of this trend often cast a disrespectful eye toward their critics while arguing that scientific research supports their position. Meanwhile, equally scientific minded individuals who have looked at the same research come up with a completely different set of conclusions….

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Is ADHD a Genetic Disease?

by Jeffrey Rubin, PhD

Welcome to From Insults to Respect. This week we are going to see if there is a more respectful way to view people said to have ADHD than the unjustified names in common use. In an article published in Science Daily, Professor Anita Thapar, referring to a study she is a coauthor of, is quoted as saying, “Now we can say with confidence that ADHD is a genetic disease.”…

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Bob Dylan On ADHD

by Dr. Jeffrey Rubin

To regular readers of “From Insults To Respect,” and to first time visitors, I’m delighted you’ve dropped by. From time to time, I like to enrich some ideas that I introduced in earlier posts with some relevant thoughts that Bob Dylan has shared on his Theme Time Radio Hour show. His entertaining mixture of insightful observations with songs, humor, and poetry leaves us with a…

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Research Update On ADHD Drug Treatments

by Dr. Jeffrey Rubin

In earlier posts, I have reviewed the research on ADHD drug treatments. The findings have led me to the conclusion that medicalizing the behavior pattern that medical doctors refer to as symptoms of ADHD causes far more harm than good. New readers can check out my earlier posts on this subject HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. Briefly, the main side effects of the commonly…

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The Mental Illness Construct: Does it Reduce Shame and Guilt?

by Jeffrey Rubin, PhD

Some people find that their actions are violating certain societal norms and feel guilty and ashamed about this. When they try to stop doing these actions, they may find they can’t just stop, and thus they end up feeling even more guilty and ashamed. Some parents, when they see their offspring act in ways that violate certain societal norms, find that they feel guilty and…

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Treating ADHD: If Not Drugs, Then What?

by Dr Jeffrey Rubin

Some children, when asked to attend to certain tasks, do so for shorter periods than most.  Some are also more energetic.  Such children are often said to have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Although many doctors recommend placing children believed to have ADHD on drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall, many parents refuse to go that route.  The evidence that the drugs do not lead to…

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The Myth of Ritalin’s Effectiveness

by Dr Jeffrey Rubin

In a recent post titled ADHD and Psychiatric Name Calling, I reviewed studies documenting how much is currently being spent annually on ADHD drug treatments. Here are some new numbers provided by Healthline: What are we getting for this? In this post I hope to clarify this issue. As you read it, you will see phrases in blue. By clicking on each, you will be taken…

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ADHD or Attention Priority Difference?

by Dr Jeffrey Rubin

A few years ago I worked as a school psychologist.  One day the mother of a 12-year old boy, who we’ll call Pete, explained to me that upon the urging of one of his teachers, she took him to his pediatrician to be evaluated for ADHD.  The pediatrician asked this mother a few questions, diagnosed Pete as having ADHD, and then wrote him a prescription for…

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ADHD and the Wisdom of William James

by Dr Jeffrey Rubin

Last week’s post, titled ADHD and Psychiatric Name Calling, criticized the prevalent practice of converting concerns about a person’s ability to pay attention into medical lingo. There was a great deal of interest in the post so I decided to present another for your consideration. As I began to craft this, my thoughts went back to my most popular post, Teaching Children How to Deal with…

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