Shown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by paul on September 23, 2000, at 22:57:58
adam and i had known each other for twenty years. then he starts taking ritalin for supposed ADD, and when we would talk we'd argue and that was it. no laughter, no enjoyment, just this guy i used to know making it plain that while it was fine for me to make the 40-mile drive to visit with him, he simply couldn't be bothered. this was NOT the person i knew. i didn't know WHO the hell it was. as an experiment, i left it up to him to pick a time and place to meet for dinner and never heard a word for six months. he probably doesn't know-or care-that i've moved out of state. anyone else lose an old friend to ritalin?
p(c(l))
Posted by JohnL on September 24, 2000, at 6:09:36
In reply to ritalin turning an old friend into a total schmuck, posted by paul on September 23, 2000, at 22:57:58
> adam and i had known each other for twenty years. then he starts taking ritalin for supposed ADD, and when we would talk we'd argue and that was it. no laughter, no enjoyment, just this guy i used to know making it plain that while it was fine for me to make the 40-mile drive to visit with him, he simply couldn't be bothered. this was NOT the person i knew. i didn't know WHO the hell it was. as an experiment, i left it up to him to pick a time and place to meet for dinner and never heard a word for six months. he probably doesn't know-or care-that i've moved out of state. anyone else lose an old friend to ritalin?
> p(c(l))Paul,
Sorry to hear about this. I can relate.
Since all psychiatric medications influence brain chemistry, they are all capable of changing a person's behavior, thinking patterns, and perception. The idea is to influence brain chemistry in such a way as to result in 'normal' behaviors, thinking patterns, and perceptions. Obviously Ritalin did not do that in your friend's brain. It would appear to be the wrong choice for him.
Ritalin is not to blame. Ritalin restores normal function to many people's brains. But not your friend's. The real one to blame is the physician, for failing to pick up on the change of behavior. He/she should have asked more questions. And your friend is partially to blame as well, for perhaps not being open and honest with the phsycian. But then again, sometimes the patient is not aware of their behavior change. Other people notice, but sometimes not the patient. It's the doctors job to followup, ask enough questions, ask the right questions, and such. And though you are not at all to blame, you might consider contacting the phsycian personally to let him/her know of the negative behavior change resulting from Ritalin. The doctor might be totally unaware until someone speaks up. They wouldn't be able to do anything based on your phone call, but at least perhaps your comments would be entered into the patient's records for future reference, and who knows, someday it might come into play and be seen as relevant.
I have serious misgivings about the way our psychiatric community is trained to make a diagnosis and then prescribe a medication that fits that diagnosis. In ADD for example, the common medication choice is Ritalin. But I have case studies right here in front of me proving that other people experienced total recovery from ADD with a serotonin antidepressant, a norepinephrine antidepressant, a dopamine antidepressant, an antipsychotic, Lithium, Depakote, and others. These complete cures were discovered quite by accident when the patients were trying these medications for other purposes. It just goes to show that underlying brain chemistry can vary dramatically, yet result in the same symptoms. Only by trying, or 'comparing', a variety of medications from different medication classes can we truly pinpoint the patient's unique chemistry causing the symptoms. To simply say ADD = Ritalin is in my mind totally completely wrong. Yet it is accepted as fact. I can only shake my head.
John
Posted by paul on September 24, 2000, at 23:58:56
In reply to Re: ritalin turning an old friend into a total schmuck, posted by JohnL on September 24, 2000, at 6:09:36
john-
thanks for the feedback. there are of course multifarious other factors to be considered but the fact is that i doubt the butthead even knows i moved out of state. i know things are made to change but this was a crappy way for this friendship to die. i dont even feel like i can talk to the schmuck anymore. it would take one HUGE effort on his part for me to even consider talking to him. i'm sure he don't know this either. oy. sometimes, parts of this life doth verily sucketh.
p(c(l))
Posted by stjames on September 25, 2000, at 0:12:20
In reply to ritalin turning an old friend into a total schmuck, posted by paul on September 23, 2000, at 22:57:58
I have watched several have to deal with bad docs
and perscribing. Have not lost anyone. I have lost
friends that will not seek treatmentand/or medication for mental illness. Some just vanished or are too difficult to be around.James
Posted by paul on September 26, 2000, at 0:18:16
In reply to Re: ritalin turning an old friend into a total schmuck, posted by stjames on September 25, 2000, at 0:12:20
hell's bells-i myself have had it up to here with brainless idiot psuedo-doctors who wouldn't know a proper diagnosis if it bit them on the ass AND sent them a christmas card. it just hurts that an old friendship that i never dreamed would die did and seemingly due in part to this drug. before ritalin adam was to die for. now he's a psychiatric know-it-all who i can MORE than do without. there are smooth, painless ways for friendships to end. this wasn't one of them. he was, the last time i saw him, putting on airs as if i wasn't good enough to be in his presence. feh. he can KEEP his shitty attitude. i, after all, have COLORADO!! SO THERE!!
p(c(l))
This is the end of the thread.
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