Comments on: Should Everyone Use ADHD Pills As Brain Boosters?

By: BrainCootie

BrainCootie — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:57:16 +0000

What I want to know is, why does everyone else get to get a leg up when us ADDers are just trying to get on their level? For the lucky people who are not attention disordered, these pills give them a “rush” and a boost of some sorts. For the people who are attention-disordered, these meds enable us to slow down. Imagine turning the heat on in the bathroom and putting your clothes in there to take a shower, and then going to the kitchen, and three hours later you realize you were going to take a shower. Now imagine that happening in every aspect of every moment of your life.

These medications are not just “brain pills.” I can’t even express how exasperated I am right now after reading people’s comments. The person who mentioned everyone using benzos to calm them down at night, they’re on the right path. So now let’s give everyone a Xanax when they don’t feel like dealing with life. People who have debilitating panic attacks get to have them, so why can’t everyone else? That lady going through chemotherapy gets Phenergan for her nausea, how ’bout I go get some for my hangover?

C’mon people, use some common sense.

By: Steven E. Curtis, Ph.D.

Steven E. Curtis, Ph.D. — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 09:53:40 +0000

This is scary stuff but I certainly see that we are going in the direction using these psychiatric medications for the general practice. I have been practicing as child clinical psychologist for many years. When I was first trained in the 1970s, you had to convince teachers and parents to have their child take Ritalin. Now, you have to convince teachers and parents that medication is not always appropriate. Our world is changing. I just hope we don’t forget what a natural state of consciousness is.

Steve Curtis, Ph.D.
Author, Understanding Your Child’s Puzzling Behavior

By: Daniel Dansak

Daniel Dansak — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:49:53 +0000

Human beings have been trying to enhance their performance or self-medicate in many ways since time began, starting, perhaps, with alcohol, even cosmetics. Whether you are talking about enahancement of sexual performance, athletic performance, cognitive functioning, increasing beauty, or treating illness, popular demand exists for products, legal or illegal, to meet these individually perceived needs. Side effects have always been a risk that some people were willing to risk for the promised benefits. Snake oil purveyors have morphed into pharmaceutical companies that can be regulated by governments. Both governments and pharmaceutical companies perform research on products to meet what their customers and constituents demand. So I look at this issue as one of demand. If people don’t want cognitive enhancement they don’t have to buy it. But if they want it, it will be available with at least some statements about risk and benefits built on what can be reasonably known. I won’t rant against the scientists who raise questions; it is their task in life. Nor will I put down the pharmaceutical companies who are in the business of meeting people’s demands. I’d much rather deal with them, than the street drug pusher or the snake oil purveyor. What I do see as my goal is to educate people about their choices, not to make my choice their choice or to protect them from bad choices. I have seen many people given appropriate information who then made a bad choice despite the information. I still do not believe I should have made them make the decision I would want them to make. Sometimes, in the long run, their mistaken judgment turns out better than my short-run good judgement.

By: Person

Person — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:53:33 +0000

Advertizing Drugs Hype Disorder

By: lou

lou — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:41:39 +0000

My nephew is on ritalin for ADHD (has been for years). There are definitely undesirable side effects to this drug and I think Nature has lost its conscience when it promotes such drugs for everyone. This is nuts.

By: MG

MG — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:23:06 +0000

I’m a little surprised no one has mentioned the long-term effects of chronically high blood levels of catecholamines. Higher baseline sympathetic activity increases adverse cardiac events in those with obstructive sleep apnea. Why would we want to raise sympathetic tone in healthy individuals? Or worse, in those who might be better off trading their stimulant drugs for a little beta *blockade*? Atrial fibrillation, anyone?

By: truthman30

truthman30 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:52:41 +0000

“Sympathomimetics and eugeroics; big difference.
And Truthman, “brain boosting pills” are, eh, not the new kid on the block here. I suggest you do some homework on my aforementioned chemical goodness and add the word “nootropic”, m’kay?”

Pfffff…

Yeah sure..

Whatever..

By: Eames

Eames — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:26:19 +0000

I’m a graduate student studying full time, working part time, and helping my mother, who is single and has some financial problems. Constantly multi-tasking has left me utterly exhausted, but this is the nature of American society - we are all required to do everything that is asked of us RIGHT NOW. If I need to get through three finals in one week and try to get to work so I can pay my bills, you damn right I’m going to pop an Adderall so I can get shit done.

Listen, I’m as upset as anyone that the pharmaceutical industry is full of a bunch of money-grubbing jerks, but is it really in my best interests to avoid a med that might help me because I can’t be assured of its absolute safety? As long as our society revolves around God-almighty capital, we can never distinguish between products that will help and those that will hinder. All we can do is make the decision that we think is best for ourselves. And if I think that I’ll benefit more from an amphetamine to help me buzz through 30 pages of essays so I can have a decent career someday and keep helping my mom, so be it.

By: oh don't mind me

oh don't mind me — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:29:03 +0000

Sympathomimetics and eugeroics; big difference.
And Truthman, “brain boosting pills” are, eh, not the new kid on the block here. I suggest you do some homework on my aforementioned chemical goodness and add the word “nootropic”, m’kay?

By: truthman30

truthman30 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:28:32 +0000

Did I write otherwise? I have an opinion, and I wrote it. My opinion is no more (and no less) valuable than yours. I assume you are opposed? Can you elaborate why?
The key question here is whether or not such a drug could be made safe. I’m assuming that it can (with enough work). As I posted above, caffiene is considered a pretty safe drug…

Nathan it seems to me that you are always so quick to jump on anything which might bring a profit to the industry!
That’s why I view your comments with cynicism ..
The industry which you work for has proven itself to be corrupt to the core..

This concept of “brain boosting pills” is yet another fad and marketing angle, and if these drugs were to come to market , how can we trust that they will be safe and not create dependence, abuse and intolerable side effects?…
We have seen this time and time again in the ndustry, they create these drugs and create markets to sell them to, and they suppress or lie about the side effects and efficacy , it seems to be the standard phrama business model now.. How very sad …