ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD): Read This.

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD)
— A Letter With A Different Perspective

The following letter was sent to us from Paul, a 28 year old male who may have more intuitive knowledge about this condition than most experts today. It doesn't mean that ADD is nonexistent, but like so many other "popular" conditions, it surely has to be over-hyped. We know our environment encourages us to act in certain ways and that the types of food, rest and exercise we get influences our behavior. The first step should be moving toward a whole foods/natural foods diet, eliminating sugar, caffeine, convenience foods, and additives like Nutrasweet. Check out the book mentioned by Breggin, as well as Ritalin Free Kids by Ullman, ADD: A Different Perspective by Hartman and Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Haas. Also, two great organizations to contact for information are The Option Institute (800-714-2779) and The Handle Institute (206-860-2665).

Dear David,

During a recent program, you were speaking with Peter R. Breggin, who wrote the book Talking Back to Ritalin and another book called Talking Back to Prozac. I have ordered the books for my mother and older sister to read. I am very concerned about my nephew (my sister's son) who is 13 and has been on Ritalin for a few years.

David, I'm confident that my nephew doesn't need this drug. I don't eve think he has ADD, but rather an easily frustrated mom with little patience and a diagnosis and treatment that are robbing him of his developmental growth. He is a lot like I was as a teenager. I'm 28 now, a musician and studio engineer/producer and extremely thankful for what I do. And, I can't live a life within the confines of a routine career. Some people can . . . I can't. So, I have run with that notion since I was a kid and explored many areas of things outside the "norm." I was always a good student, Dean's list all through college. I was involved in many extra curricular activities. You know the story . . artist, spontaneous, dare devil. Anyway, I was also a major challenge for my parents because I required a lot of stimuli to keep going. Without it I would channel that energy into just about anything, even trouble (which happened now and then). Still, I wasn't expecting anyone to PROVIDE me with the stimuli -- I just needed them to direct me, since I found stimuli everywhere around me in everything I saw. yes, I was a handful, but only in the sense that my parents had to be involved with me to keep me on a healthy path with my endeavors. My parents were able to keep me in line with true love and care (and a modest budget to boot!). I am so thankful for their guidance and their support. And most importantly, I'm most thankful that they didn't drug me with Ritalin or anything else. I probably deserved to be sedated from time to time (hah!), but we made it through.

My nephew is so much like me and this drug is poisoning him. One minute, he is the most excited, articulate kid, the next minute, after my sister forces the Ritalin on him (because he gets excited about something), he's a total zombie. I am crushed. And to make matters worse, she has two more beautiful young boys on the way up with similar, beautiful energy and I'm very afraid she'll take the same path with them instead of stepping up to the plate and providing them with the creative guidance they need. These boys have been blessed with remarkable brains full of great skill, and I want them to be able to develop it to its fullest potential.

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love, peace, david

http://www.davidessel.com