Neurologist Richard Saul Says ADHD Does Not Exist

[bonnie]

LIFESTYLE

Neurologist Richard Saul Says ADHD Does Not Exist

BY KYLE SMITH NEW YORK POST NEW YORK POST JANUARY 06, 2014

Does she have ADHD? Not according to one neurologist. Source: Supplied

POP quiz: Is the proportion of American children suffering from the disease known as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder ...

a) Less than 5%, as we believed before the early 1990s?

More than 11%, and rising, as suggested by CDC statistics?

c) Zero?

The correct answer is ©, says neurologist Richard Saul in his forthcoming book, ADHD Does Not Exist: The Truth About Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, which is sure to cause controversy when it hits the shelves in February.

After a long career treating patients complaining of such problems as short attention spans and an inability to focus, Saul is convinced ADHD is a collection of symptoms, not a disease, and shouldn't be listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

Treating ADHD as a disease is a huge mistake, according to Saul. Imagine walking into a doctor's office with severe abdominal pains and simply being prescribed painkillers. Then you walk away, pain-free. Later you die of appendicitis.

Patients show up at the clinic with their own ADHD diagnoses these days, simply because ADHD is in the air all around us - and because they want to score some delightful drugs like Adderall or Ritalin, or because their parents want an easy way to get them to sit down and shut up.

Adderall and Ritalin are stimulants, though, and the more you take them the more you develop a tolerance for them, which can lead to a dangerous addiction spiral.

The term attention deficit disorder was made official in 1980, when it appeared in that year's edition of the DSM (the label changed to ADHD seven years later).

Subsequent editions have steadily loosened the definition, and diagnoses have skyrocketed accordingly - from 7.8% in 2003 to 9.5% in 2007 to 11% in 2011.

That's one in nine children, two-thirds of them boys, who are being slapped with the ADHD label. Two-thirds of these children have been prescribed a stimulant.

"ADHD makes a great excuse," Saul notes. "The diagnosis can be an easy-to-reach-for crutch. Moreover, there's an attractive element to an ADHD diagnosis, especially in adults - it can be exciting to think of oneself as involved in many things at once, rather than stuck in a boring rut."

In private practice, Saul found himself wondering, what other problems do these patients have besides being easily distracted? One girl he treated, it turned out, was being disruptive in class because she couldn't see the blackboard. Correct diagnosis: myopia. She needed glasses, not drugs.

A 36-year-old man who complained about his addiction to online games and guessed he had ADHD, it turned out, was drinking too much coffee and sleeping only four to five hours a night. Correct diagnosis: sleep deprivation. He needed blackout shades, a white-noise machine and a program that shut all his devices off at midnight.

A young man who asked, "Can't you just ask me a few questions and write me a prescription?" simply left the office when Saul started probing too deeply into whatever was ailing him.

One by one, nearly all of Saul's patients turned out to have some disease other than ADHD, such as Tourette's, OCD, fragile X syndrome (a genetic mutation linked to mental retardation), autism, foetal alcohol syndrome, learning disabilities or such familiar conditions as substance abuse, poor hearing or even giftedness. A boy who was disruptive and inattentive in math class (but no other) was, simply, bored by the material and needed to be advanced a grade to regain his concentration.

In a few cases, there was simply no diagnosis. One adult who thought she had ADHD and had been prescribed stimulants by another doctor got a different take from Saul. He advised her to instead return to her habit of exercising regularly and cut back on work hours.

"I now realise it wasn't ADHD," she told him later, pleased with the progress she made as a result. "It was just life."

The explosion in ADHD diagnoses and related prescriptions of stimulants is not without substantial costs. Potentially addictive drugs are not to be given out like Skittles.

"I know of far too many colleagues," Saul writes, "who are willing to write a prescription for a stimulant with only a cursory examination of the patient, such as the 'two-minute checklist,' for ADHD."

Two minutes to jot down a prescription may lead to years of consequences: short-term side effects of stimulants include loss of sleep, increased anxiety, irritability and mood problems. Over the long term, use of these drugs can lead to unhealthy weight loss, poor concentration and memory, even reduced life expectancy or self-destructive behaviours not excluding suicide.

[olger]

VERY INTERESTING !!!!

[OzarkWoman]

I totally agree with the article and would go even further and say there is no such thing as ADHD. I have said this before and of course, I get scoured by everyone. I don't care. People need to get their sh** together and stop it with the crutches.

[olger]

I understand, OW.

[Liz]

My son is diagnosed with ADHD, we chose not to medicate; in fact, we went round and round with the doc about that. Instead, since I was homeschooling him we worked with it, which meant, he would have his English book, History, and Math books all open and he was working out of them all simultaneously. He entered college at 17 and is making all A's.

I think there is another member here whose son also is diagnosed with ADHD and they chose medication. I'm not sure how he is doing now, I believe he had other problems too.

I do believe it is over diagnosed, but I'm not willing to say that it doesn't exist entirely.

[M. T. Cross]

I know it certainly was over diagnosed in the early 90's in particular, but that does not mean it does not exist. My daughter was diagnosed with it and it turned out that she had Aspergers Syndrome. (or not - maybe she just needs to get her s**t together and not have a crutch)

[lazarus]

My son is diagnosed with ADHD, we chose not to medicate; in fact, we went round and round with the doc about that. Instead, since I was homeschooling him we worked with it, which meant, he would have his English book, History, and Math books all open and he was working out of them all simultaneously. He entered college at 17 and is making all A's.

Interesting.

Our middle son was diagnosed with ADD. We chose not to medicate and my wife is homeschooling him with your youngest. We were told in a school report that he does not have an aptitude for music. He's 9 and plays piano. Composes his own songs. He was the drummer for our New Year's eve service last week. We have had so many battles with his school so we decided to school him ourselves. I wouldn't go as far as to say these disorders do not exist but they are certainly over-diagnosed, echoing what MT said.

[CoAspen]

From the literature we find that it has been overdiagnosed and over medicated. But the tests that are given by competent pediatricians still show this condition. My Gdaughter was diagnosed, and was quite evident in her behaviour. She improved in school and behaviour with meds. However her parents have taken her off the meds and she is doing quite well. During the time she was on the meds everyone worked with her to help her recognize her behaviour and focus more on the task at hand. That seems to have worked out very well and she did not want to stay on the meds either. It was a group effort! She still can lose focus but we continue to work on that.

By behaviour I am talking about her lack of focus, constant shifting attention and not being able to stay on subject. She was also more erractic in interactions with others. She was on the meds for a couple of years and the pediatrician had said ahead of time that it was possible she would be able to stop the meds in the future.

[OzarkWoman]

I know it certainly was over diagnosed in the early 90's in particular, but that does not mean it does not exist. My daughter was diagnosed with it and it turned out that she had Aspergers Syndrome. (or not - maybe she just needs to get her s**t together and not have a crutch)

Stop the whining. You, and anyone with a brain knows I didn't mean the kids, but meant the parents. Many parents love to have their kids diagnosed so they can get payments for them and such. You need to get your own sh** together whiner.

[M. T. Cross]

Stop the whining. You, and anyone with a brain knows I didn't mean the kids, but meant the parents. Many parents love to have their kids diagnosed so they can get payments for them and such. You need to get your own sh** together whiner.

1. That was eye rolling sarcasm, which is different than whining

2. There was nothing that gave any indication that you meant the parents not the kids. Not one thing

3. You are aware that we are not all from your country, state, county and city right? Not every place has the kind of system in place for such payments.

4. You talk a lot about how people treat you in a judgmental and unkind way. Read the last sentence of your post and think about it the next time you want to talk about how people mistreat you.

[CoAspen]

[phkrause]

Exactly MT

[OzarkWoman]

yeah whatever!!!!

[lazarus]

An interesting video raising some questions about ADHD

[phkrause]

That was

[lazarus]

This is the full version

[phkrause]

New Findings Highlight Best Adult ADHD Treatments

Dec. 18, 2024 – Do the same treatments that help children focus and manage hyperactivity and attention problems also work for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? 

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/news/20241218/new-findings-adult-adhd-treatments?

[phkrause]

ADHD concerns

People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have a shorter life expectancy and higher risk of mental health issues, a new study found. A doctor who led the research said the findings suggest a need for greater support.

[phkrause]

People With ADHD May Face Shorter Life Expectancy

Jan. 23, 2025 – Living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder comes with unique challenges, and new insights are shedding light on its potential long-term effects.

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/news/20250123/people-with-adhd-may-face-shorter-life-expectancy?

[phkrause]

A Visual Guide to ADHD in Adults

Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on July 04, 2024

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/ss/slideshow-adhd-in-adults?

[phkrause]

ADHD in Women and Girls

Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on September 29, 2023

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/ss/slideshow-adhd-women-girls?

[phkrause]

Beyond Inattention: How ADHD May Be Affecting Your Life

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/ss/slideshow-adhd-life?

[phkrause]

Your ADHD Relationship Survival Guide

Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on July 04, 2024

Written by Regina Boyle Wheeler

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/ss/slideshow-adhd-relationship-tips?

[phkrause]

Adult ADHD: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

What Is Adult ADHD?

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-adults?

Diagnosing ADHD in Adults

Adult ADHD Diagnosis

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/diagnosing-adhd-adults?

Best Jobs for People With ADHD

Having adult ADHD means your strengths and weaknesses may differ from those of other people. It might be harder for you to stay focused and organized or to finish tasks on time. This can create challenges for you at work.

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/best-jobs-adults?

[phkrause]

How to manage ADHD at work and turn it into a strength

NEW YORK (AP) — Jeremy Didier had taken her son to a psychologist for a possible ADHD evaluation when she spotted an article about women with the condition. As she read it in the waiting room, she thought to herself: They’re describing me.

https://apnews.com/article/adhd-attention-work-mental-health-7478fdb3282ce0e233a94fdf7988b6e3?