ADHD Nation: Children, Doctors, Big Pharma, and the Making of an American Epidemic Kindle Edition

An incredible expose on the pharma industry and its push to make ADHD medications a multi-billion dollar business. While i'm sure all pharma companies heavily promote their products, it just seems more seedy when the target customer is a kid and the product is an addictive medication. Schwarz tells a gripping story, with the facts from the history of the diagnosis and the progression of the pharmacological treatments, to gripping stories of individual kids and adults who suffered from the after effects. Schwarz is clear that many children and adults are rightfully diagnosed with ADHD and benefit greatly from treatment and medication. The focus of the book is on two aspects: the over-diagnosis of the disorder; and the intentional mis-use or abuse of the medications for academic advancement. The most chilling tales are all of the adolescents who abuse the medications and take them off-script to enhance their grades and/or get high.With an older child now entering middle school, I will be well aware of the warning signs if he tries to use amphetamines to improve his scholastic performance and just as importantly will be aware of the risks involved. This book opened my eyes to what is happening in high schools and colleges around the country. Fortunately my kids have been well behaved and are solid students so have not been on the ADHD spectrum, and now I am better prepared to address any issues that may come up as they reach the age where abuse of medication is more likely.

Excellent indictment of Big Pharma and their physician accomplices who are determined to create a nation of speed freaks here in the U.S.A.!!

Alan hits the nail on the head with what's happening in America and our kids. As parents of a wonderful ADHD young man, we struggled for years to get our son help. My wife's a wonderfully talented teacher and we worked together to get him the help he needed and thought the medicine was actually helping (it does remove symptoms!) but, in reality it was paint over rust sold to us by the amazingly strong, self-reinforcing ecosystem Schwarz details in his book.Everything I knew to be true about ADHD before I read the book were either in the book or I realized I was wrong after looking at more evidence. I only wish I had this book to read 15 years ago.It's not the medicine isn't good for some, it's that it's not good for the vast majority of kids and it is effectively "Paint over Rust" Only in America will you get a pill first for and ADHD diagnosis, for when you're feeling down or when you can't sleep. Much of America is being run over by our pharmaceutical companies looking to sell you another daily pill prescription rather than help you get fixed.

Anybody who comes into regular contact with ADHD -- parents, educators, doctors, even kids -- should read this book. The author provides a very balanced, thoroughly researched view into the world of ADHD today in America. While building a strong case for the very legitimate diagnosis of ADHD and the drugs that can and do help those with ADHD, the author at the same time takes aim at the shameless behavior of big pharma, their paid shills, lazy doctors, and ignorant policy makers who have greedily tried to shove everybody and anybody down the path of ADHD in order to maximize revenue and profits. Best of all, the author presents it all in a very easy to read, enjoyable format (in contrast to so many books in this genre which are so dry and hard to read). If anybody you care about (including yourself) thinks they have ADHD, you owe it to them to read this book so you can cut through all the BS and really support them in the best way possible.

As a society, we need this book. We need more eyes to be opened, and I hope that ADHD Nation will finally wake us up as a society to what’s happening around us. It is no less than horrifying that so many bright, beautiful children are being put on highly potent prescription narcotics at such young ages—and it’s particularly shameful given the fact that non-pharmaceutical, holistic approaches, such as diet and exercise, have been proven to be just as, if not more, effective for the collection of symptoms we refer to as ADHD. This incredibly important book drives home the facts about the crimes against our children—from toddlers to teens—that have been perpetrated right under our noses.

This book provided me with much insight into my recent experience as an adult patient on Ritalin (generic methylphenidate) who experienced some interesting side effects (more on that in minute). I was unaware, before reading Shwarz's book, that some ADHD drugs are identical to the amphetamines once sold as weight loss drugs in the 1950s now rebranded for a new disorder: distractibility. My only (minor) complaint about this illuminating book is that it does not go into as significant detail as I would have liked about the psychological side effects of ADHD medications even when taken at therapeutic doses (i.e. ADHD drugs taken as prescribed but not specifically abused). My own research, inspired by this book, took me to the FDA website, where tales of children hallucinating insects on therapeutic doses of ADHD medications are harrowing. I do think that psychiatrists and physicians might spend time briefing their patients a bit more on actual risks of ADHD drugs. Such as: "This drug may help you focus on math problems, and/or hallucinate bugs crawling all over your body." I did not see bugs, but Ritalin took me on the hallucinogenic trip of a lifetime. Hopped up on prescribed goofballs, I spent several months believing I was being chased by assassins as I lived in hotels in DC, Washington, and Chicago. Long story, which I am in the process of writing down as a unique adventure is psychopharmacology. My understanding is that what happened to me is called amphetamine-induced psychosis. So I guess it was either that, a natural inclination to psychosis, both -- OR I am particularly good at evading assassins. All told, this good book, and a good history, but there is a larger story to tell about the side effects of stimulants taken at therapeutic doses.

This book touches on so many aspects of society. The pressure we put on our children, the flippancy of diagnosis, the lust for ever-increasing profits and how media can expedite the situation.A must read for the history of ADHD from its beginnings as minimal brain disorder to its incredulous “cousin“ sluggish cognitive disorder.Great job Alan Schwartz

Very well written but is a bit repetitive in his argument; could have gone deeper trying to refute other doctors arguments

Balanced, insightful. An excellent book.

Quite a detailed look at the development of ADHD and the amphetamines used as 'treatment'.Very interesting how the drug companies have marketed the diagnosis and expanded the market for their benefit. While not dismissing the diagnosis and treatment entirely the author does question the obvious over prescribing the companies have encouraged.

great