I'm not usually an alarmist, but this is worth the read

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Psychosis And Mania: ADHD Drug Warnings Come Too Late For Many

By Evelyn Pringle

11 March, 2007
Countercurrents.org


The makers of drugs used to treat attention disorders have known about the

serious health risks associated with the medications for years but instead of

warning the public, the industry has consistently focused its efforts on

expanding the market and colluding with FDA officials to keep warnings off the

labels of ADHD drugs.

On February 21, 2007, the FDA finally directed the drug companies to develop

Patient Medication Guides to inform patients about the adverse psychiatric

symptoms associated with Adderall, Concerta, Daytrana, Desoxyn, Dexedrine,

Focalin, Metadate CD, Methylin, Ritalin, Strattera, and the extended-release,

patch and chewable versions of these drugs.

An FDA report titled, "Adverse Events Associated with Drug Treatment of ADHD:

Review of Postmarketing Safety Data," by Kate Gelperin and Kate Phelan, was

presented at the March 22, 2006, Pediatric Advisory Committee meeting and

stated in part:

"The most important finding of this review is that signs and symptoms of

psychosis or mania, particularly hallucinations, can occur in some patients

with no identifiable risk factors, at usual doses of any of the drugs

currently used to treat ADHD."

Between January 2000, and June 30, 2005, the FDA identified nearly 1,000 cases

of psychosis or mania linked to the drugs in its own database and those from

the drug makers themselves. A substantial proportion of the cases occurred in

children age ten years or less, a population in which hallucinations are not

common, the authors said.

"The occurrence of such symptoms in young children," they wrote, "may be

particularly traumatic and undesirable, both to the child and the parents."

"The predominance in young children of hallucinations, both visual and

tactile," it stated, "involving insects, snakes and worms is striking, and

deserves further evaluation."

But the fact that these drugs cause psychosis is not news. The rate of

psychotic events was reported in a 5-year Canadian study of children diagnosed

with ADHD, by Cherland and Fitzpatrick in 1999. Among the 192 children

studied, 98 had been placed on stimulant drugs, mostly methylphenidate, and

psychotic symptoms developed in more than 9% of the children and ceased as

soon as the medication was stopped.

Researchers reported no psychotic symptoms in children who did not receive

stimulants and the authors noted that due to poor reporting, the rate of drug

induced psychosis and psychotic symptoms was probably much higher.

Dr Chris Griffith testified at the March 26, 2006, hearing on behalf of the

industry funded front group, known as CHADD, and as much as said, kids would

burn in hell without ADHD drugs. "What happens when a child loses all hope and

ambition;" she asked the panel, "what happens when it is easier to find a vial

of crack cocaine or 40 ounces of beer as opposed to a park or community

recreation center?"

According to psychiatrist, Dr Stefan Kruszewski, the opposite is true.

"Children who are medicated early," he says, "do not learn to develop coping

strategies that work as they move through different developmental stages."

"Instead," he says, "they learn to rely on drugs to solve problems, rather

than their creative potential to solve problems on their own or with the help

of family, friends, schooling, music and the arts, church, social outings,

recreation and sports."

Dr Griffith also asked the advisory panel to think about:

"What happens to a future generation of minority youth, African-American,

Latino males who disproportionately populate our juvenile justice system? What

happens to a teenager's sense of fun when we are dealing with high rates of

teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and even abortions?

"Finally, what does it say about all of us? We turn on the news each night and

we tragically see young drivers, teenagers, killed in automobile accidents--so

many that we forget their names, their faces and their stories. We develop a

sense of apathy."

"This may all seem like drama," she stated, but "it is the untold story of

what happens when we fail to recognize and treat ADHD."

According to Dr Griffith, depriving kids of legalized speed leads to every sin

known to man. "With untreated ADHD," she told the panel, "we see higher rates

of school and occupational failure; greater rates of incarceration; juvenile

delinquency; substance abuse; teen pregnancy; sexually transmitted diseases;

more problems with depression and self esteem and, finally, greater numbers of

automobile accidents and fatalities."

This is a drama all right, but it's the other way around. A study in the

February 2006, Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, examined data from a

2002 survey of about 67,000 households, and reported that more than 7 million

Americans have misused ADHD stimulant drugs, and "substantial numbers of

teenagers and young adults appear to show signs of addiction, according to a

comprehensive national analysis tracking such abuse."

The researchers found that in one 12-month period, about 1.6 million teens and

young adults had misused the drugs and that 75,000 showed signs of addiction.

In addition, for years there have been reports of suicide and violence in

persons on ADHD drugs. For example, back on January 30, 1999, Adderall use

resulted in the death of 5-week-old, Tyra Ehlis, in Grand Forks, North Dakota,

when Ron Ehlis killed his daughter ten days after his doctor wrote the a

prescription for Adderall.

In this case, Ron had been on Ritalin as a child, and when he went to a

psychiatrist at age 26, because he was having difficulties with his college

studies, without conducting any tests whatsoever, the doctor prescribed

Adderall.

A few days later, Ron doubled the dose per his doctor's instructions, and he

began experiencing delusions, hallucinations, and out-of-body experiences,

including talks with God and his dead grandfather.

Shortly thereafter, acting under a belief that he was carrying out God's

orders, Ron shot Tyra, and then himself in the stomach, but he survived.

Ron went on trial for the murder of his daughter, but the charges were

dismissed after several doctors testified that Ron suffered from an Adderall-

induced psychosis. The infant's mother also testified that Ron had not acted

like himself from the first day that he began taking the Adderall.

Adderall also caused the violent death of 8-year-old, Jessica Curry, in

Spokane, Washington. In late September 1999, she was a happy little third-

grader sitting on her mother's lap in a Mustang convertible telling mom what

she wanted to wear for Halloween.

After saying she wanted to be a princess, Jessica's mother, who was on

Adderall at the time, stabbed her daughter 5 times and then stabbed herself.

Here too, the mother lived but child did not. A short time later, a policeman

came across mother and daughter still sitting in car in the driveway all

covered in blood.

Jessica's mother was also found not guilty by reason of insanity brought on by

the Adderall after doctors for the prosecution and the defense agreed that her

mental state was so acute that she could not have distinguished right from

wrong at the time that she killed her daughter.

The death of 3-year-old Nathaniel Branson must also be classified as an

Adderall fatality. On March 18, 2000, Nat's mother Dawn was driving in

Scottsdale, Arizona with her son in the car when she suffered a psychotic

episode while under the influence of Adderall.

According to court documents, Dawn heard a voice saying: "Let go of the

steering wheel and gas. God will drive the car don't you trust him?"

Dawn did as she was told and a car accident caused the death of her son and

serious injuries to herself. She had never been psychotic before taking

Adderall and she has had no more psychotic episodes since she quit taking the

drug.

So when the FDA reported that the agency had received hundreds of reports of

aggressive behavior in children taking ADHD drugs, and up to 20% resulted in a

significant injury or hospitalization, this was not news either.

Experts say to expect more of the same as the prescriptions for these drugs

continue to multiply. At the advisory meeting, Dr Gelperin noted the expansion

of the customer base stating: "Drug treatment of ADHD is increasing in all age

groups ... and also drug treatment for ADHD can now potentially be life-long."

It hard to imagine how sales could go higher. In 2005, according to Research

and Markets, the value of the ADHD market was $2.6 billion and is now the 9th

largest segment of the CNS market by sales with growth of 8% year-on-year.

Attorney, Barry Turner, a lecturer in law and medical ethics at Leeds Law

School in the UK, warns about of dangers of "pathologising" children's

behavior. He says psychiatric drugs have a disinhibitory effect on children

and those who grow up disinhibited become psychopathic.

"Psychopaths," he explains, "are unable to benefit from guilt, fear or empathy

and pray on victims without inhibition."

"ADHD drugs are creating a generation of psychopaths," he warns, "not because

it is real, but because children are being brainwashed into believing they are

sick."

"It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy," Mr Turner says.

By disrupting the brain development of small children, he explains, drug

makers are manufacturing a small army of "artificial psychopaths."

When testifying at the hearing, FDA scientist, Dr Mosholder, told the advisors

what all parents deserve to know. "There are no pathognomonic physical or

laboratory findings," he said, "and there is no psychological testing that can

make the diagnosis for certain."

The panel was informed that children are being stigmatized for life by being

wrongfully diagnosed and put on drugs. Sue Parry, a school-based occupational

therapist from New Mexico, testified that parents are not aware of the future

harm that may result from an ADHD diagnosis, as described by Dr William Carey

who states:

"The label may be stigmatizing and harmful in the long term in ways that are

only dimply appreciated today. The diagnosis of brain malfunction, which seems

so useful and comforting today, may at a later time come back to plague the

person.

"We have not yet had sufficient time to observe fully the possible

consequences it may have for education opportunities, employment, the military

service or security clearances. Labels stick firmly, especially when they

involve neurological disability."

Allen Jones, speaking on behalf of the Alliance for Human Research Protection,

told the advisors that the FDA should instruct the pharmaceutical industry to

advise the FDA of all adverse events that have been reported on the drugs

immediately, and demand that all clinical trials be turned over so that

independent researchers can review them.

"We don't have the luxury of time to wait for the future trials," he said,

"children are dying."

Having lost her son to the side effects of Zyprexa before a warning was added

to its label, Ellen Liversridge, testified on behalf of parents who lost

children. "I grieve particularly today," she said, "for the 51 dead of ADHD

drugs that were announced by the FDA."

"I guess my up-front message, front and center," she told the panel, "is that

you know that these drugs can cause serious side effects and death, including

sudden death, hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, and possibly

bipolar disorder."

"This being the case," she stated, "I urge you to recommend that these drugs

have an appropriate black box warning placed on the label starting

immediately."

A grieving mother, Jacqueline Bessner, told the story of her 15-year-old

daughter, Leanne, a high school sophomore who she said, was popular,

beautiful, acted in school plays, loved sports, played baseball, and was on

the varsity basketball team.

Ms Bessner informed the panel that Leanne "will not run another base, or shoot

another free throw or tease her little sister, or share memories with her own

children because on October 9th 2005, she took her life."

This family's nightmare began when Leanne complained to her mother about

problems concentrating and she took Leanne to a counselor, who diagnosed her

with ADD and sent a recommendation to their family doctor to prescribe

Concerta.

On September 18, 2005, the doctor doubled the dose after Leanne told her

mother she was not feeling any better, and 3 weeks later, Ms Bessner found her

daughter hanging from a loft bed with a belt around her neck in her bedroom.

"Amongst my screams," she told the panel, "I recall her beautiful brown eyes

partially open."

The family has retained the Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based law firm of,

Pogust & Braslow, for the purpose of bringing a wrongful death claim against

the manufacturer of Concerta, and attorney, Derek Braslow attended the

hearings with Leeane's parents.

Mr Braslow says, "Leeane's story should be required reading for every

pediatrician and child psychiatrist in the country."

According to WebMed on March 26, 2006, Dr Tom Laughren, head of the FDA's

division of psychiatric products, said, the committee appeared "unimpressed"

by more than 350 reports of suicidal thoughts or behaviors in treated children

over the last five years.

"Up to 20% of middle and high school students," he stated, "already report

such thoughts, and it was unclear that drugs other than Strattera led to

increased risk."

Any street addict knows that crashing after taking amphetamines brings on the

most severe depression, in large part, experts says, because speed almost

always disrupts the appetite and sleep cycle. However, unwitting consumers of

ADHD drugs would have no way of knowing this if they start feeling suicidal

when they cannot eat or sleep as the speed wears.

According to Attorney Braslow, "Dr Laughren's comments are offensive and lack

sympathy for those families in grief."

He points out that Leeane was not on Strattera, she was on Concerta, and she

was not depressed or suicidal before she began taking the drug. "These drugs

take the life out of children," he said.

"They do one of two things to children and teenagers," Mr Braslow explains,

"turn them into zombies, making them passive and non-responsive or as they

affected Leeane - turn them into hyperfocused, anxious kids who can't sleep

and who become consumed with minor typical teen issues like friendships,

boyfriends and school."

"I don't doubt that these drugs may help some adolescents or children," he

notes. "But at what price?" he states, "Better grades? Quieter class rooms?"

"The FDA has finally admitted that these drugs can cause sudden death, serious

cardiovascular events, hallucinations, psychosis, suicidality, mania and

suppression of growth among others," he says, "but these warnings come too

late for Leeane and her family."

And Mr Braslow points out that despite the new warnings, physicians continue

to prescribe ADHD drugs in record numbers.

"These warnings are worthless," he says, "unless first, doctors inform

families of the risks, so families can make informed decisions about these

drugs and so they can look out for signs of suicidality or psychosis and

second, doctors stop giving these drugs out like candy, stop giving samples of

these drugs to families based upon the whim of a teacher or nurse."

Mr Braslow says, "doctors need to actually weigh the risks and benefits of

these drugs before recommending them."

"While the newest warnings on these drugs are certainly necessary," he notes,

"albeit many years late, these warnings still are not strong enough to

adequately inform physicians about the true risks of these drugs."

"The FDA advisory committees," he states, "should stop worrying about

frightening doctors with valid warnings and start giving doctors all the

warnings so they can make fully informed choices."

"That is the job of the FDA," he states. "Our children deserve better."

The number of ADHD related deaths cited at the hearing does not reflect an

accurate picture. There are many more deaths recorded in the individual

states. For instance, according to the report, "Child Suicides In Florida

Associated With Use Of Psychotropic Drugs," by Ken Kramer, of the 252 cases of

suicide in children under 18, between 2000 and 2004, thirty-six were on ADHD

drugs.

Because the FDA system of reporting is voluntary, the agency admits that only

between one and 10% of adverse reactions get recorded. Which means, because

the FDA and Big Pharma intentionally delayed warning the public about the

dangers of ADHD drugs, there are probably tens of thousands of ADHD victims

who do not even know what happened.

Persons interested in more information on legal matters related ADHD drugs can

contact the Pogust & Braslow law firm at 610-941-4204, or

http://www.pogustbraslow.com/

Evelyn Pringle is an investigative reporter. She can be reached at:

[email protected]

definitely worth reading

Another reason NOT to medicate

I am not surprised at all. Thanks for posting.

Medication should always be a last solution, avoided as much as possible. Because there really is much we still don't know about side effects.

I do worry that too many are too quick to medicate.

I believe in medicating diseases, not personalities

We had a bunch of bad experience with our kid, who now won't even take antibiotics when he needs them.

I am an advocate of medication, but not the shotgun approach. I'm very distressed that some of these meds are not given proper trials, and that some of the warnings (like, "known to cause suicide in teens) are printed in such small print that people don't see them.

There was a child on this board who killed herself, and I'm wondering (it was a question I never thought to ask) if she was on one of the meds mentioned in this article. I sincerely hope not, poor kid. But it's a warning for parents.

Most psychiatrists I know are good scientists and very careful people, but some of them are not. Ask. Make your own decisions.

btdt

Sometimes I look into meds for my son. There's a lot of pressure to medicate...other parents, teachers, and the pediatrician (who also medicates his own daughter).

I've researched every possible drug and I have to reject them all when I see the possible side effects.

God, I hate how drugs are thrown around by doctors and psychiatrists. I was put on dexedrine as a kid after being diagnosed with ADHD, which I don't have. At all. I was also put on paxil for depression, when what I really needed was someone to really talk to and a better home environment. I never felt like what depression is described as, but I was given paxil nonetheless. I rarely actually took it, nor the dexedrine. I'm glad I didn't.

Well, you don't have to bend to the pressure. I'm not criticizing you, personally. We bent to that pressure, and now we're sorry, though fortunately, our kid is about to hit 19, and he's okay. But it could have gone some other way.

btdt

Thanks so much for posting this. I think a lot of people need to read this article. I've never understood why anyone thinks giving Speed to a hyper child is going to calm them down. What I think a lot of kids and adults alike really need is someone they can trust to talk to and maybe also a slower lifestyle. I see so many kids being forced to play professional sports as kids, take ballet, music, go to Scouts and they never get a chance to just sit at home and chill out because they are always on the go. A lot of adults live like that too. That is not conductive to a healthy life and will keep a person revved up all the time.

YES--too much structure and not enough down time, choice time, do what I want time--kids need to find themselves, develop an identity, feel free to "chill" when they are young.
It is definitely missing in our society. What about imagination? Creative play minus other kids or adults? Ever mix with a large group for 10 hours out of a day?

As for the med article--someone said meds are overused to alter personality--make boy attend to task, sit still, keep quiet or speak less---UGH! It's immoral. Unelss a child is truly psychotic or physically unmanageable due to hyperactivity, forget the meds. Moodiness and frustration and uneven temperament is common in childhood. What would happen if meds weren't an option?


equinn

I went to a drugstore today to pick something up for me, and ahead of me in line was a 12 year old who was buying a whole package of "energy" drinks. That ought to really put her on the ceiling. And she said to her mother...."it's just cafene!" Yeah kid? That's a drug. One that I have to take every morning, because I get unresonable depressed if I don't. I once told my doctor "I can stop coffee any time." And he said, "Oh, yeah, try it." I tried it once. He was right. Sheesh

btdt

Valid point--I guess we would be self-medicating--like many of us do anyway in a variety of ways. Some with alchohol and others with potent coffee. Coffee either makes me energetic or extremely sleepy--I can never tell. Most times, it perks me up a bit.

if you want to go down that road, then you need to consider that some people self-medicate with food.

I was put on Ritalin in 3rd grade, then Phenobarbital in 4th. The Phenobarbital made me psychotic and I would have immense meltdowns. What I did not understand about meltdowns and do now, is that what happens during a meltdown your brain and body are flooded with chemicals and you have NO control over it. A normal meltdown is frightening enough but a drug-induced one even more so.

Meltdowns are caused by environmental stimulus, so the trick is to find out what the trigger is. Unfortunately that is hard work because even those kids who are verbal do not understand enough about what is going on inside them to be able to make any coherent description of what is happening. Drugs, in my opinion, are a crutch that is too often resorted to. Then when the drugs don't work any more then what happens? Plus, I do not see how drugs do anything positive to prepare children for their future as independently functioning adults. What they do do, and do it wonderfully, is control. Think about it, what are your ultimate goals for your children? Do you want them to be independently functioning adults to the best of their ability, or do you want them to be docile, submissive robots? Which might be ok for some jobs, but is a complete waste of your child's creative abilities. Imagine someone like Temple Grandin drugged to passivity instead of being encouraged to develop her own unique solutions to the challenge of her autism.

Finally, there is NO drug that does not have side effects and it appalls me that our children are being used as laboratory animals but without any of the safeguards in place governing that research. There is so much we do not know about the long term effects of the older drugs (or that we are not being told about) let alone the newer ones. If it sounds like I am firmly on the anti-drug side, I am. I work in the industry, and I see things in my work that the general public doesn't see, but I cannot talk about it, so please do not PM me with questions about specific drugs. All I can say, is research, research, research, and ASK QUESTIONS. Don't take a doctor or other health care person's word at face value. The pharmaceutical companies actively recruit doctors to push their products. They even have, in my opinion, much more influence at the FDA than they ought to but that is another subject I really should not be talking about. (You can draw your own conclusions from this)