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Originally Posted by AsianDivaGirlsWebDude
Not totally disagreeing with you.
I'm sure some people (a very small percentage of the population) are sick/chemically imbalanced enough that they cannot cope without such drugs.
However, it is pretty well established that people are over-prescribed Ritalin, that it is a potentially dangerous and addictive drug, and that many people buy it on the street simply because they feel good taking dopamine releasing speed stimulants.
Based on my observations of my brother on (and off) Ritalin, I would recommend that any person give non-drug treatment a try for at least or year or two, before going the addictive drug route, which can lead to erectile dysfunction, heart attack or suicide.
ADG |
I agree with most of what you say. I do think there is another side to it though. If a pill makes you feel better, makes your life better, should the side effects not be weighed out the same way other aspects of our life are? We know that eating chocolate cake is probably not good for our health, but it makes our meals enjoyable. We know getting hammered is probably not great for our liver, but we do it because we enjoy the feeling. I don't think prescription drugs are much different in that respect.
It's easy to say that we should do it "the natural way". But nothing about our lives is natural. We didn't evolve to work 8 hour days in front of a computer. We didn't evolve as a species to have to handle bills, divorces, and rush hour traffic. Many of the things we treat like anxiety and ADHD were beneficial aspects of our species at one time. They no longer are.
I guess what I'm saying is that we shouldn't just throw prescription drugs out the window because they are foreign to us. Everything about our lives is foreign. Ritalin does have some side effects, some can be serious if the dosage is too high. But it also can have some kick ass results. It directly influences the prefrontal cortex and really allows you to focus. There is no vegetable on the planet that can do that. If it helps a person work better, make more money, and feel better about themselves, maybe the side effects aren't so bad.
I'm not saying everyone should go on it. It is overprescribed, especially to kids. It can have an impact on the development of the brain of a young child. But I do think as adults, drugs like this shouldn't be spurned. They may be able to help us achieve much more, and perhaps with the right research, with much less side effects.
Note: I don't take Ritalin