ADHD Called Fictitious Disease by Founding Psychologist

[nucklehead]

http://www.undergrou...-death-in-2009/

"ADHD is a prime example of a fictitious disease." These were the words of Leon Eisenberg, the "scientific father of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)," in his last interview he gave before his death at age 87 in 2009.

(While some have described Dr. Eisenberg's statement as an "exaggeration," many doctors are coming to the belated conclusion that ADHD is often "over diagnosed" by the use of "fuzzy diagnostic practices." Harvard psychologist Jerome Kagan, who is one of the world's leading experts in child development, states:

"Let's go back 50 years. We have a 7-year-old child who is bored in school and disrupts classes. Back then, he was called lazy. Today, he is said to suffer from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). . . . Every child who's not doing well in school is sent to see a pediatrician, and the pediatrician says: "It's ADHD; here's Ritalin." In fact, 90 percent of these 5.4 million kids don't have an abnormal dopamine metabolism. The problem is, if a drug is available to doctors, they'll make the corresponding diagnosis.)

Eisenberg made a luxurious living off of his "fictitious disease," thanks to pharmaceutical sales. Coincidentally, he received the "Ruane Prize for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Research. He has been a leader in child psychiatry for more than 40 years through his work in pharmacological trials, research, teaching, and social policy and for his theories of autism and social medicine," according to Psychiatric News.

Yes, it was even admitted that they are his THEORIES. The medical industry is using the guise of helping children to depersonalize and disconnect our children from a healthy, normal upbringing. Parents are placing their children on these drugs and subjecting them to what the world has to offer, when in fact all these children are looking for is their parents in hopes of being the blessing that God intended them to be.

In the United States, 1 out of 10 boys among 10-year-olds takes medication for ADHD on a daily basis . . . with increasing tendency.

[Monty]

It has often been believed that doctors are quick to label a mental illness, and ADHD has been always been debated as to whether the child actually has a developmental behavioral issue.

[The Brahma Bull]

Definitely overdiagnosed.

[Monty]

Definitely overdiagnosed.

[LostViking]

[kyledude]

It's how pharmaceutical companies make money. Period.

[Warhippy]

I am inclined to agree with it being fictitious to a degree. In the 70's no listening, no homework, you don't pay attention and your mind wanders...you're a 7 year old it happens. now a days parents seem to think something is wrong and force feed their kids drugs. It comes part and parcel in the PC society we are raising our kids in. instead of being a parent, people stick their kid in front of a 37 inch or 42 inch hi def babysitter, and while their kid is saying Mommy Daddy look at me, the parents are sitting on their phones texting or on facebook or something waving their hands saying that's good honey. Then their kid comes home with poor grades and the parents got no clue what's up. ADHD here honey have some drugs. I am unsure whether or not kids are now predisposed to shorter attention spans due to technology, or if parents are becoming worse child minders due to the same reason. All I know is in the 70's and 80's as a kid, bad grades, grounded, no respect smack on the face, drugs? Are you sick or bleeding? No, then suck it up. Personally I don't drug my kids, they're not dumb they don't have attention disorder issues....they're 7 and 3 years old; they've imaginations.

[TOMapleLaughs]

"Got your ADHD cure right here!"

[The Brahma Bull]

ADHD isn't the only mental illness that's over diagnosed unfortunately...a lot of the stigma against people that have crippling cases of depression and being told to toughen up comes from a large majority that are quick to turn to the DSM for excuses for their behaviour and temporary emotions. It's hard to change that when diagnosis for the most part is dependent on self reporting and how much you exaggerate.

[Warhippy]

"Got your ADHD cure right here!"

[Special Ed]

Big pharmaceuticals making money. Just legal drug dealers pushing their product is all this amounts to.

[aGENT]

Definitely overdiagnosed.

[Offensive Threat]

My Nephew is 4 years old and whenever anyone plays with him or reads to him the deal is they have to stick with it for 20 minutes minimum, which is easy because hes awesome. He also gets only 30 minutes of televison a day. Usually part of a disney film which he will watch in its entirety over 3 or 4 days. This has kept his attention span long. I see other kids running around from one thing to the next looking hyper and a little spastick but not him. He runs around but hes fine.

[The Brahma Bull]

My Nephew is 4 years old and whenever anyone plays with him or reads to him the deal is they have to stick with it for 20 minutes minimum, which is easy because hes awesome. He also gets only 30 minutes of televison a day. Usually part of a disney film which he will watch in its entirety over 3 or 4 days. This has kept his attention span long. I see other kids running around from one thing to the next looking hyper and a little spastick but not him. He runs around but hes fine.

[aGENT]

My Nephew is 4 years old and whenever anyone plays with him or reads to him the deal is they have to stick with it for 20 minutes minimum, which is easy because hes awesome. He also gets only 30 minutes of televison a day. Usually part of a disney film which he will watch in its entirety over 3 or 4 days. This has kept his attention span long. I see other kids running around from one thing to the next looking hyper and a little spastick but not him. He runs around but hes fine.

[RonMexico]

ADHD isn't the only mental illness that's over diagnosed unfortunately...a lot of the stigma against people that have crippling cases of depression and being told to toughen up comes from a large majority that are quick to turn to the DSM for excuses for their behaviour and temporary emotions. It's hard to change that when diagnosis for the most part is dependent on self reporting and how much you exaggerate.

[Jaimito]

So is autism. Autism diagnosis on the rise, while mental retardation on the decline.

[DarthNinja]

@ people who refer to snopes.com to verify anything!

[Lancaster]

Back in the days, kids just went outside to play. Played from dawn til dusk. Exhausted when you got home, ate dinner, did homework, watch tv, shower and off to bed.

Nowadays kids are given a diet that seems to be containing tons of sugar. Plus more parents are afraid of letting their kids outside because of supposed child predators, bad drivers, whatever. So now they're bouncing around inside the house all day and parents are like, "Oh geez... the child is too energetic, must mean ADHD!"