ADHD IS NOT AN ILLNESS AND RITALIN IS NOT A CURE: A Comprehensive Rebuttal of the (alleged) Scientific Consensus

by Yaakov Ophir

Overview

Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the most prevalent neuropsychiatric label in childhood, a valid medical condition? Should we really refer to the millions of children diagnosed with ADHD as children who suffer from the 'diabetes of psychiatry' — a chronic and harmful biological condition that must be treated regularly with powerful psychoactive substances? Building on previous critiques, this thorough, elegant, and mainly courageous book answers these questions through a step-by-step rebuttal of the scientific consensus about ADHD and its first-line treatment with stimulant medications.

While maintaining scientific rigor, this book is written in a clear, creative, and flowing way, using colorful examples — some funny, some tragic — which sweep the reader and inspire social change. The book integrates key critiques into one consolidated source, uncovers massive evidence against the efficacy and safety of stimulant medications, and offers principal solutions to this burning socio-educational problem. But most importantly, this book reviews dozens of reliability and validity gaps in the overriding biomedical consensus. It exposes multiple biases and non-parsimonious bandages (unjustified rationalizations) aimed at hiding the scientific holes of the consensus and it redefines ADHD as a non-pathological quality/mode-of-thought that has both weaknesses and strengths. In this way, the book serves as the missing needle required to pierce the over-blown theoretical balloon commonly known as ADHD.

Contents:

• Personal Prologue: A Late Apology to Queen Sarabi
• Introduction: Illusory Consensus and Silenced Controversy
• Part One — ADHD is Not an Illness: A Step-by-Step Refutation of the Notion that ADHD is a Valid Neuropsychiatric Disorder:
  • What Makes (Any) Psychopathology 'Real'? The Philosophical Foundation of the Debate
  • Does ADHD Meet the Criterion of Deviance?
  • Does ADHD Meet the Criterion of Dysfunction?
  • Does ADHD Meet the Criterion of Danger?
  • Does ADHD Meet the Criterion of Distress?
  • Is ADHD a Neurobiological Deficit?
  • Interim Summary of Part One — The Benefit of the Doubt
• Part Two — Ritalin is Not a Cure: A Comprehensive Refutation of the Notion That Stimulant Medications are Effective, Safe, and Morally Justified:
  • What is the Treatment of Choice for ADHD? Introducing Stimulant Medications
  • Are Stimulant Medications Effective in the Short Term?
  • Are Stimulant Medications Effective in the Long Term?
  • What are the 'Non-Serious' Safety Concerns of Stimulant Use?
  • What are the Serious Safety Concerns of Stimulant Use?
  • Can We Trust the Biomedical Consensus? Biases and Conflicts of Interests
  • Interim Summary of Part Two — Nothing Like Eyeglasses
• General Discussion — A Time to Tear Down and a Time to Build
• Personal Epilogue — A Very Special Flamingo
• Acknowledgements
• About the Author
• Index

Readership: This exceptional book addresses a wide and diverse audience — scientists and clinicians, alongside medical officials, counselors, educators, and, most importantly, parents. Indeed, the book adheres to standard academic style and scientific norms (with hundreds of verified references and methodological analyses). However, it also contains illustrative stories, allegories, and concrete, real-life examples that ease the reading and make the science available to most readers.

'ADHD is Not an Illness and Ritalin is Not a Cure is one of the most important books on the topic of ADHD that has been published in the last 30 years. The meticulously researched content all but demolishes ADHD as a 'brain disorder' or a valid neuropsychiatric diagnostic construct, let alone a condition requiring life-long stimulant medication. The appearance of this book is most timely considering the large increase in the rates of the diagnosis and the growing number of clinicians questioning its validity.' - Professor Emeritus Richard SilbersteinCognitive Neuroscience, Swinburne University

'Read this book, and you'll see why the 'scientific consensus' regarding ADHD and Ritalin is best described as a sham.' - Robert WhitakerAuthor, Anatomy of an Epidemic

'This book is an absolute masterpiece, a work that should be in the hands of every clinician in America. One of the most important contributions to the literature in decades.' - Thom HartmannAuthor, ADHD: Hunter in a Farmer's World

'When I learnt that this was Dr Ophir's first book, I found it hard to believe. He writes with a fluency and rhythm of a seasoned writer, carefully and methodically uncovering the truth about a modern fable that has penetrated deep into our everyday culture. Dr Ophir shows the forensic skills of a scientist and the writing skills of a storyteller ... The modern-day mythology that Dr Ophir so brilliantly deconstructs is that of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). What makes his analysis so compelling is that he scrutinizes the fundamental assumptions that have been used by advocates of the ADHD construct to form this cultural abomination ... He writes with wit, insight, and a deep humanity and compassion for the lives of young people who get or may get this label. It is a must read for anyone interested in this topic for whatever reason. Whether it's a parent, a person with the diagnosis, a teacher, or a professional in the mental health field, everyone will get something valuable from taking the time to read this wonderful book.' - Sami TimimiBritish PsychiatristConsultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Visiting Professor at the University of Lincoln, School of Health and Social Care

Key Features:

• This book proves that not only that the medications are not effective in the long-term, but they have numerous adverse outcomes, including for example, ADHD-related symptoms, growth delays, involuntary motor/vocal tics, and depression
• The topic of this book is of huge interest to many around the world. Correspondingly, there are many books available to doctors, educators, and mainly parents. However, to our knowledge, this book is the first to provide a comprehensive scientific rebuttal of the ruling consensus. This is practically a treasure for people (e.g., parents) who face tremendous pressure to label and drug children

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789811253249
Publisher:	WSPC
Publication date:	07/26/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	340
Sales rank:	804,512
File size:	3 MB