Dr. Mercola October 18 2008 25,119 views
I am an adult with ADD and I think it's insulting and discrediting for people on this post to automatically label this condition as a garbage-pail diagnosis with no basis in reality. This is a real disorder and a lifelong disorder. Although it's true that many restless or difficult kids are misdiagnosed and factors in your life (like diet) can quell or aggravate it, it definitely exists.
I am very careful about what I eat because I have a gluten allergy and I avoid sugar because I also come from a family of diabetics. I supplement with fish and krill oil and have been diligently avoiding most grains and sugars for nearly 10 years and my ADD has never been worse. Because I have made a choice to return to school, I wanted to address the condition and look into whether medication would help me stay on task. This was a last resort for me because I always prefer natural treatment to pharmaceuticals.
On the first day that I took 30 mg. of Vyvanse, I experienced linear thought for the first time in my life. Usually my ideas are like billiard balls that get racked and then the break happens about every 30 seconds. Some of the balls go in pockets, most don't. So, there's far more going on with the mental process than just being over-scheduled or fidgety. Having all the same wonderful, creative ideas that I usually do but being able to experience them one at a time was nothing short of a miracle for me. This medication may not be the be-all, end-all answer for me, but this opportunity has taught me a lot about how and why I think and feel what I think and feel.
I have also taught children with ADD and ADHD and there is a marked difference between kids who are truly affected and those who are just a pain in the butt.
Pauladeeee, thank you for your reply, please see mine, Lumielsquare on page 2.
An M.D. with the last name of "Amen" wrote a book about the six types of ADD. he spent 20 years doing brain scans that show the differences in the brain from the six different types.
The book has a questionaire which was spot on for me. You just answer the questions and it'll tell you which type you have.
In the back of the book it tells you which supplements are effective for the type of ADD you have.
The best to you.
Kelley Eidem
Together we can cure cancer - one person at a time!
Yes, Pauladeee, ADD/ADHD and other mental illnesses are real and anyone who denies it is painfully uneducated on the subject. I have not suffered with ADD/ADHD, but I HAVE dealt with frightening mental illness and thanks to a unique approach, I've overcome it without the use of drugs. As much as I feared the drugs and the side effects, I feared myself more. I thank God that my friend shared it with me when she did because I was going to HAVE to get drugs for the safety of my children.
I've since met dozens of parents and adults who suffered varied mental illnesses who have taken control with the same approach I use for myself. If nutrition and simple lifestyle alterations can help something, then obviously it isn't just a bad, stupid or undisciplined kid/adult, it's someone with a physiological need.
As the parent of a child with ADHD I will say first, that I did not believe this condition existed until everything I went through with my son, and second, I believe that a lot of kids can get off the meds with work. I only worked a few hours a week when my son was little, so he was cared for at home. I was careful to give him a balanced diet and lots of outdoor playtime. I am a nurse and I worked hard to be a good mother. Still, once he was in school the problems started.
I think if kids were given a gym time twice a day to help burn up their energy they would do better, but we are faced with an intolerant school system that wants the kids quiet or out. I went through he** with the school when he was young and I had to have him on meds which created unbearable guilt. I took him off every summer and holidays. Doctors kept wanting to up the dose- I fought it. I got him involved in sports, and kept him active. He was involved in a research study for most of his life that is following kids with and without this diagnosis to determine the differences for more accurate diagnosis. His life has been difficult, but we were able to get him off meds a few years ago. He does not function as well as he did with meds, poor grades in school and still hyper, but his health is more important.
One study showed that kids with this diagnosis have a smaller brain. What this means, they don't know. Intelligence is no different, but they process information differently. They cannot tune out stimuli that you and I can. They hear everything around them, and feel seams in their clothes, and notice all these things that distract them. It is not just hyperness or forgetfulness. Normal people have that. A good doc takes detailed questionnaires about the kid's behavior in more than one setting, and from more than one person before diagnosing.
Personally, I think only kids whould be on these meds, and only when they need to be. Frontal lobe maturity should help adults to be off them.
Hi Anathema,
I too had an ADHD child and I worried that I would go mad with the exhaustive, non-stop wild, dangerous behavior...folks, this woman is a saint, ADHD and autism are not overly active or underly active children...they are not having fun...they are frantic and terrified and acting it all out, one way or another and it is bone wearing worh far beyond an active robust kid's behavior.
I say "HAD" an ADHD child because my son was treated by a classical homeopath and in one week became more of the child God (Godess, supreme force, cosmic energy, etc) intended...his teacher called and wanted to know what had caused the change "Ritilin?" "Nope I answered, homeopathy".
He treated for: and here's an 1810 homeopathic term...vaccinosis. My son had vaccinosis...a range of symptoms that covers the all ills we now observe under the heading PDD/Autismn and all caused by vaccination.
Seems we can't put embalming fluid into a healthy living baby without causing damage...oh yes, the mercury, aluminum, viruses and foreign animal proteins don't help either...but on it goes, 8,000 children at risk DAILY...that's just the US vaccination program, double or triple that for world numbers.
My son is now 27, much healthier and happier for many years now and I've become a homeopath. Even with all the doctors in my family whom I dearly love and respect, I have to say they've been given an inadequate tool chest. We do not had a drug deficency, we have lost touch with our natural health...wealth and sanity.
It will stop only when we, us, you...insist.
Peace and Love
Jen
I have a few friends who have overcome seizures (are now off drugs or on much lower doses) and a few others who's autistic children are doing much better. I don't know anyone who was both autistic and had seizures at the same time, but that might not matter. I am sure they would be willing to share what worked for them. If you contact me I could try to arrange a meeting if you are interested?
~amanda~
mandi.L@sbcglobal.net
On the other hand, it could be argued that you, at least in part, owe your success and personal strength to your 'disability'. If you had been born differently, your entire life may have played out differently. I think people need to focus on the fact that in some cases, it may just be a difference in personality, not necessarily a disorder.
I totally believe in a healthy diet and most of what has been said. But you are missing a huge point. The article states that Ritalin is like cocaine. Ever wonder why so many people are on drugs? They are self-medicating!! You guys really need to read some brain research and understand what is going on in the brain before blaming everything on poor eating habits. If these kids/adults don't get the prescription medicine their brain needs, they will seek other ways to get it - whether it's through illegal drugs, alcohol or becoming an adrenaline junkie. AD/HD also has it's gifts, as a few have mentioned. BUT way too many kids are improperly diagnosed and not put on the correct medication or the correct dose. It won't be long when a simple DNA test will reveal AD/HD as well as a host of other issues. IF you have a proper diagnosis which by the way can be done with brain imaging, if you don't provide the proper medication, I think you are guilty of neglect, the same way a parent would be who won't buy glasses for their child. see www.amenclinic.com for incredible brain images.
It takes an excellent dr willing to work to find out if the behavior is caused by poor parenting, poor nutrition, allergies, or truly a brain chemical issue. And a good dr will monitor blood pressure, liver function, cholesterol, etc in kids on these medications.
Busybeach.. you are right on, well said. It is tough enough being a parent let alone feeling like a failure for not using the right foods, blood tests, vaccines, etc.
I almost agree with you. The reason people are NOT getting what they need from their diets to avoid the symptoms of mental illness is because our food isn't food anymore. It just doesn't have the nutritional value it once did and yes, even if it did, there would still be some people who require more. Plus, an effective supplement is hard to come by.
The thing is, I KNOW that mental illness can be overcome without drugs. I have names and numbers of dozens of people who have found a way. I network with others who have been where I once was and we are almost like a support group, I guess. The trick is finding the way and my strong belief based on my education and experience is that rare is the case that couldn't be overcome without drugs. Unfortunately, most people don't find what they need in time, so certainly yes, there is a place for drugs.
And as an aside... PART of the reason most folks don't find what they need is because pharmaceutical companies suppress or discredit (lie!) the information.
My 6 year old daughter was diagnosed about 2 years ago with sensory processing disorder. She exhibits many symptoms of ADHD. I am amazed at how many people think it is bogus. We get criticized for our parenting, and have people tell us that we should just "spank the behavior out of her". I cannot see how being hyper is disobeying, and how disciplining her would get rid of the hyperness. She was vaccinated until 2 months, and then we stopped because she had violent reactions. She had goat's milk as a baby (she is adopted, so I couldn't breastfeed), I made her baby food, and she has had very limited sugar and processed foods. We have tried all kinds of supplements (she takes a lot of supplements each day), and we have also tried a gluten free/casein free diet and the Feingold diet. None have made much difference at all. I keep up the supplements to boost her immune system. We have chosen not to medicate her, and I homeschool her so we don't have to be forced to medicate her. Sensory issues and ADHD are not bogus. They are all in the autism spectrum, and I believe they are caused by vaccinations. I believe that if we would have kept on vaccinating my daughter, she would have either died or have severe autism. For those of you who think ADHD is just a made up thing, don't judge unless you are in our shoes.