Balto, I don't think I'm completely following you. If you don't think there's anything wrong with taking something that improves quality of life even without a diagnosis of a medical condition, then what is your issue with the "ADD industry?" Do you think they are preying on people, or getting rich on others' misfortunes, or expanding the power of the pharmaceuticals? Just trying to understand your point.
I don't think there is anything wrong with taking medication. What I think is wrong is that there are throngs of practitioners who will hear me describe a normal situation at work and because they are predisposed, they will assume ADD and prescribe me medication. You went through a battery of tests. That is great. I went and talked to an ADD "specialist", described my situation about falling behind at work, and was immediately given meds.
Not just any meds mind you. No, he said basically that since Ritalin is short acting and people with ADD tend to be forgetful he would not use the $10 a month generic Ritalin, but the new $500 a month special time released version. Someone is making a killing and some of these specialists are only a small step above an internet pharmacy selling at street drug prices.
Is it driven by profit? Is it simply a "if all you have is a hammer everything starts to look like a nail" situation? I don't know but it doesn't seem like good medicine to me.
Gone the carvings and those who left their mark. Gone the kings and queens, now only the rats hold sway.
