7November–December 2013

NLND HEALTH PEARL #30

EXPOSING ÜBER-DOSINGPART 2: Are We Over-Medicating Our Children?

Jacobus Hollewijn*GESUNDHEIT! NUTRITION CENTER

“What Pfizer, the FDA,and other major drug

companies…have done is to ignorethe negative findings of studies (on

antidepressants) when the results goagainst the corporate interest. Thetwelve antidepressants in question,

studied between 1987 and 2004, are:Zoloft, Serzone, Remeron, Welbutrin

SR, Paxil, Paxil CR, Cymbalta,Effexor, Effexor XR, Celexa,

Lexapro, and Prozac.”

(Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 2/9/08)

—John Neustadt, ND1 and Steve Pieczenik, MD, PhD2

These were just some of the comments the doctors sharedwith readers on a cold Saturday

morning in 2008. Research on theabove-mentioned class of antidepres-sants involved 74 studies and 12,564patients. They had been published inthe New England Journal of Medicine3

under the title, “Selective Publicationof Antidepressant Trials and ItsInfluence on Apparent Efficacy,”because from the 38 positive studies,37 were published; from the 36 nega-tive ones, only 14 were published, and11 of those were mischaracterized bypresenting a positive twist.

Doctors Pieczenik and Neustadtconcluded that after analyzing all thedata, the researchers determined thatantidepressants work only 40–50% ofthe time, and that the data was blatant-ly biased. The effectiveness of thesemedications was artificially inflated bynearly 70% in the case of Serzone, andby 64% in the case of Zoloft—all justto meet the bottom-line (financial)goals of the manufacturers.

Peter R. Breggin, MD,4 has beencalled “The Conscience of Psychiatry”for his many decades of successfulefforts to reform the mental health

field. His scientific and educationalwork has provided the foundation formodern criticism of psychiatric drugsand ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy,or shock therapy), and he leads theway in promoting more caring andeffective therapies. He has writtenmore than twenty books, including his bestseller, Talking Back to Prozac(1994), and Medication Madness: The Role of Psychiatric Drugs in Casesof Violence, Suicide and Crime (2008).

Dr. Breggin caught my attentionwhile watching the documentary written and produced by Gary Null,PhD,5 entitled, “The Drugging of OurChildren”6 (2005) in preparation forthis article. I liked what Dr. Bregginhad to say, and I will share some of hisquotes right here. He stood out for meamidst great comments from otherdoctors, school counselors, parents,patients (teenagers), and even frommoviemaker/authorMichael Moore (BestDocumentaryAcademy

Award winner in 2002 for Bowling ForColumbine). Those who saw BowlingFor Columbine may remember Moore’sexplorations as to what may have beenthe causes for the Columbine HighSchool massacre on April 20, 1999 and other acts of violence with guns in the United States.

In The Drugging of Our Children,he shares observations based on new evidence highlighting the effectsthat prescription medications, usuallyrecommended for ADD/ADHD7 andthose prescribed for depression, canhave on young children, their parents,and their surroundings.

MOORE’S MIND

Michael Moore states: “In BowlingFor Columbine, we never really

came up with the answer in terms ofwhy this happened. I think we did a

great job exposing all the reasons thatwere given were a bunch of bullsh**:Marilyn Manson caused them to doit, this, this, or that caused them to

do it; and none of itreally made any

sense. That’swhy

I believe there should be an investigation in terms of whatprescribed pharmaceuticals these kids (i.e., Eric Harris, 18,and Dylan Klebold, 17) were on. And perhaps it would beshocking to the millions of parents who prescribed this fortheir kids, if it was finally explained to them… that this perhaps occurred for no other reason than because of theseprescriptions. Imagine what this would do! Imagine howpeople would totallyrethink things; graspingfor every little straw they can, to explain why something likeColumbine happens,when in fact it may benothing more than this!How else do you explaintwo, otherwise decentkids, very smart, no history of violence toother kids in theschool… WHY THEM?Why did this happen? Itis an extremely legitimate question to pose; and it demands an investigation.”

CHILDREN’S CHALLENGES

Being depressed is different than going through a depressing period in one’s life. Many people

agree that these are very depress-ing times.Financial stress during the last five years has been astrain on family dynamics, personal and profession-al relationships, and may have had effects on healthchoices as well.

Children will roll with the punches, as theyhave done throughout history, even stepping into a moremature role when called upon. Divorce and the prematuredeath of a parent or sibling come to mind. However, thisstress of stepping up to the plate too early may stunt theirnatural, emotional development and possibly come out side-ways years later during intimate relationships, or even intheir role as parents. Children need a compass, which isusually fulfilled by a parent or another emotionally matureand responsible adult in their lives.

We all need to develop certain emotional and spiritualqualities in our lives. When these opportunities are takenaway from us while we’re young, it may create conflict when dealing with specific emotional moments or spiritualinsights as our responsibilities have grown. Two of thesequalities are spontaneity and honesty.

Julian Whitaker, MD, in an article entitled, “ChildhoodIs Not a Disease—Children on Drugs,” discusses the over-diagnosing of children, especially boys, with ADHD.Statistics show that while there are no official diagnoses forADD/ADHD, they are being treated as a legitimated disease!And so, today, one-in-ten children is claimed to haveADHD9, a 22% increase since 2003. About two-thirds of

these children ‘diagnosed’ are on some form of powerful,mind altering, spontaneity-reducing, prescription drug, suchas Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, or Vyvanse. This amounts toabout 7 million children who take these before they leavefor school in the morning.

Dr. Whitaker states: “Childhood should be a time ofunbridled joy, not docile obedience—and certainly not

indoctrination into drug use. We must put an end to thearbitrary labeling of children with this bogus diagnosisand the indiscriminate use of ADHD drugs.”

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.)program, which started in 1983, was focused on keepingkids off of controlled drugs and violence. And even

though they claim fewerchildren are going formarijuana, drug use mayhave taken a turn for theworse with the legal(over-)prescribing butillegal use of stimulants,depressants, opiates, andother painkillers duringthe last decade. Manyare found unused in a parents’ medicine cabinet, or can be quickly obtained fromfellow students.

Another challenge toour children today is thedelicate balancing act ofusing social media.Millions are spendingotherwise valuable time

living in an Internet cloud of superficial images, conversa-tions, and networking. It has become a wasteful effort formany, highlighting multiple aspects of one’s personal lifethat are often exaggerations of insignificant faults and quali-ties. Somehow there is the urge to confess all this to theirfriends or to bore others with it. Social media can be danger-ous among today’s school-aged children. Those who don’tpartake in that world are ‘out’—they don’t ‘belong.’ Someeven get openly ridiculed or bullied. This type of pressure in a young person’s life—the need for instant gratification,being an A student and an A athlete, the yearning foracceptance, and the fear of rejection—can take their younglife into a tailspin. This social media ‘world’ appears morereal than the reality of the world they live and breath in.

On the positive side, the fascinating existence of socialmedia has also provided a potential communication networkaround the globe for anyone to participate in.

RAVAGING RITALIN

Ritalin10 (Methylphenidate or MPH) is an amphetamine-like central-nervous-system stimulant, and may certainly

8 NaturalLifeNews.com • Natural Life News & Directory

As you are readingthis, ask yourself if

you remember anyone40–50 years ago whowas diagnosed with ADDor ADHD, or who was onthis type of medication?What happened all of asudden?

interfere with the delicate and com-plex workings of the brain and thepersonality. Together with Adderalland Concerta, it is a Schedule II controlled substance, putting these inthe same category as highly addictivecocaine and amphetamines.

Dr. Breggin states: “These drugsdisrupt three of the most widespreadneurotransmitter systems. They actual-ly send them into overdrive. The braindoesn’t like this and fights back, tryingto slow itself down... This creates avery unstable and very unpredictablesituation, and as a result you neverknow how a child is going to react tothese drugs, other than, over time, thebrain is going to compensate veryheavily for the drugs.”

According to the FDA, side effectsinclude: insomnia, anxiety, panicattacks, agitation, irregular heartbeat,high blood pressure, dizziness,seizures, headaches, vomiting,decreased appetite, stunted growth,psychosis (such as hearing voices,believing that things are suspicious ornot true), worsening to bipolar disor-der, aggressive behavior or hostility,suicidal thoughts, or sudden death inthose with heart problems or defects.

First synthesized in 1944, Ritalinwas improved in 1950, and by 1954, itwas tested on humans. In 1957, CibaPharmaceutical Company began marketing Ritalin to treat chronicfatigue, depression, psychosis associat-ed with depression, narcolepsy, and tooffset the sedating effects of othermedications. By the 1960s, interestfocused on the treatment of hyperki-netic syndrome, which would eventual-ly become Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD). This result-ed in Ritalin’s steadily increased use in the ‘70s and early ‘80s. Today,according to United Nations reports,the United States produces and consumes as much as 85% of theworld’s production of Ritalin!

As you are reading this, ask yourself if you remember anyone40–50 years ago who was diagnosedwith ADD or ADHD, or who was on this type of medication? What

happened all of a sudden?

In The Drugging of Our Children,Michael Moore states: “The pharma-ceutical companies realized a whileago that there were huge profits to bemade on playing on parents’ fears, andalso playing on a generation of parentslooking for the convenient way toraise their children.” And FredBaugman, MD, Neurologist, furtherstates that, “ADHD is a means of making paying patients out of normalindividuals. And once they are given aprescription and put on medications…they have them for a lifetime. That’swhat is behind the epidemic.”

For those who don’t need Ritalinfor the above-mentioned reasons, ithas a high potential for abuse. Bycrushing the tablet into a powder andsnorting it, or dissolving it in water forintravenous injection, it may producefeelings of euphoria.11 According to the DEA, Ritalin is one of the most trafficked drugs in the U.S. today. Theyhave collected reports indicating thatadolescents who are prescribed Ritalinmay give or sell it to their classmateswho crush and snort the tablets.Ritalin is also diverted through“Attention Deficit Scams,” in which an adult takes a child they claim hasADHD to a number of doctors toobtain Ritalin prescriptions. They thenkeep the drug for their own use or to sell or trade for other drugs.

The DEA has also received anec-dotal reports12 of college studentsusing Ritalin to help them study, especially for all-night cramming, inaddition to using it as a “party drug.”One survey of students at a public, liberal-arts college found that over50% knew other students who hadused Ritalin for fun, 16% had used itthemselves, and nearly 13% reportedtheir own use included snorting it.

ANTAGONIZING ANTIDEPRESSANTS

Jay Lombard, DO, sees that many ofhis colleagues are prescribing the

child more medication to suppress the side effects of Ritalin and similardrugs. “You have a child that becomes

depressed while on Ritalin, so theygive them Prozac, or another antide-pressant, like Zoloft. If they can’tsleep, they give them a drug for that.All of a sudden, we have all these(sensitive) children who are on two orthree different medications to mediatethe side effects of the original medica-tion (up to 4 or 5 drugs). Now theyare on their way to becoming psy-chotic and unrecognizable to theirparents. Every drug is a foreign chemi-cal. Every drug is a potential poison.”

There is a direct link and associa-tion between psychotropic drugs andviolent behavior. As far back as 1973,The Archives of General Psychiatrystated that stimulants could causeimpulsive murders and violence. Dr.Peter Breggin states: “There is a lot of evidence in scientific literature thatantidepressants and stimulants causeabnormal behavior in children, partic-ularly out-of-control, aggressive behav-iors.” He also knows first-hand thatEric Harris was taking the antidepres-sant Luvox for a full year while hedeveloped all his bizarre and violentfantasies. Luvox, a Selective SerotoninRe-uptake Inhibitor (SSRI), is prescribed for treating depression,social phobia, and obsessive-compul-sive disorder.

* Jacobus is not adoctor and doesnot intend todiagnose, treator cure any disorder. Theinformation isbased on self-study, inter-viewing expertson his weekly 3-hour Saturday morningRadio Program* “Gesundheit! WithJacobus,” which runs from 8–11 am, onAM 1450-KMMS and AM 1340 KPRK, andon feedback received from retail customers visiting his dietary supplementsretail store Gesundheit! Nutrition Centerat 2855 N. 19th Avenue, Suite N, inBozeman. Call 585-4668. If in doubtplease visit a professional of your ownchoice and/or educate yourself with available published materials.

9November–December 2013

SSRIs are thought to work by increasingthe neurotransmitter serotonin in thebrain. Both Eric Harris and Dylan Kleboldwere extremely bright, well-spoken, computer savvy, and almost nerdish. Theywere from solid, middle-class families.They grew-up around guns, but had noreputation of violent behavior towardsanyone. (It is not clear if they had been on Ritalin-type medications as teenagers.)

Dr. Breggin states: “Eric took Luvoxon the day of the shootings, or the nightbefore, because he had normal, effective levels of Luvox in his blood on autopsy.” Breggin continues, “A clinical study done on a child, while taking Prozac, developed fantasies of murdering his classmates, or beingmurdered by them. These fantasies and nightmares becameso real that the child became confused about what realitywas. Prozac is closely related to Luvox.”

DIABOLICAL DIAGNOSES

When you check the Psychiatric Association Manual, the ICD-10 Classifications of Mental and Behavioral

Disorders13 and the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual ofMental Disorders (DSM-IV), the main symptoms of hyper-activity are: “often fidgets with hands or feet, or squirms inseat.” Under impulsivity it states: “blurts out answer beforequestion has been completed.” Under inattention it reads:“often fails to give close attention to details, or makes care-less mistakes in schoolwork or other activities.” RobertErickson, MD, says, “And if you look at how this diagnosishas been formulated, it is to define disruptive classroombehavior, with the purpose of being able to medicate underthese psychiatric guidelines.”

Annette Primiani, an Educational Consultant, states: “As a classroom teacher, you are given a list of nine cate-gories for diagnosing ADHD. If a child demonstrates six ofthese, then the teacher, a consultant, or a special-ed teachercan recommend this child to a doctor for medication, oftenwith the support of Child Protective Services.”

According to Patti Johnson, a ColoradoBoard of Education member from 1995 to 2001,“In the early 1990s, there was a huge spike ofchildren being diagnosed with ADHD, and subsequently put on Ritalin. At that time, two things happened:

1. The U.S. government awarded schoolsmore money based on more children being diagnosed with ADHD.

2. Low-income families with a child diag-nosed as ADHD and put on

Ritalin received a much higher support payment.

Dr. Breggin was one of thepresenters during the 1998Consensus DevelopmentConference on ADD/ADHD,courtesy of the NationalInstitute of Mental Health(NIMH). He states: “The aimwas to push the diagnosis ofADHD and to push the stimu-lant drugs. Thirty-one experts,split between pro-medicationand against prescription drugs,were to address an objectivepanel, which would then give

a consensus as to what the diagnostic issues were. And theresult was a consensus statement, which said that ADHDwas controversial, that it had no proven biological basis (i.e., there is no specific psychological test or blood test),and that there was a risk for over-medicating our children,and that stimulant drugs have a lot of serious, adverse sideeffects. The panel had to admit that they could not diagnoseADHD as a disease.”

Dr. Null remarks that researchers have stated thatADHD actually causes the brain to atrophy or shrink, andthat it therefore was a disease. Then he adds, “What theyneglected to tell the public was that virtually all of theADHD subject groups had been on long-term stimulanttherapy and that the stimulants themselves, the Ritalin andamphetamines, were the likely causes of the brain atrophy.And so, at no time has the scientific literature proven thatADHD is an actual disease—at no time have they dis-proventhat the drugs used to treat ADHD are themselves the causeof the brain atrophy.”

SALUTING SOLUTIONS

Half a century ago, the amount of children diagnosedwith ADD/ADHD or depression was infinitesimal.

Today, there are over seven million kids ‘officially diagnosed’and medicated daily. This is a sad fact and it doesn’t have tocontinue this way. Our children are not deficient in any ofthe above-mentioned drugs. What are they deficient in?

NaturalLifeNews.com • Natural Life News & Directory10

“Depression in children is nota biological phenomena;

it is a spiritual, psychological, andsocial issue. But whatever the reason is why kids get depressed,the solution is in the hands ofadults to provide children hope,to empower children, to givethem a sense that they can matter in their own world and in a larger world.”

—Peter Breggin, MD

Healthy Parents: Lendon Smith,M.D. (1921–2001),14 who practiced asOB/GYN and pediatrician for over 55years, says, “If you are thinking aboutgetting pregnant, clean up your diet[see tips below], quit drinking alcohol,start taking a high-quality multi-vitamin/mineral complex, with extraFolic Acid, 1000–5000 mg Vitamin C,extra Zinc (for the father). Also, breast-feeding is very important.”

Minerals: Over 81% of mineralshave been lost from our soil and foodduring the last 50 years. Minerals perform important enzymatic and alkalizing functions in our body andbrain. Try some liquid trace minerals in water, or take a couple of qualitymulti-mineral tablets daily.

Healthy Fats: ParticularlyOmega-3 from fish-oil. Part of the fatdeficiency in children today may beinherited from the parents’ low-fat orno-fat diets from the 80s and 90s. Thatmay have affected the quality of spermand the health of the fertilized eggdeveloping during pregnancy. Thesefats are absolutely essential for overallbrain health, focus, problem solving,and vision. I suggest two to three high-DHA Omega-3 capsules, or at least oneteaspoon of pleasant-tasting cod-liveroil daily. It’s also important to add2000–8000 IUs of Vitamin-D3 daily, afat-soluble vitamin.

Carbohydrates: Substantiallyreducing carbohydrate-rich foods fromthe family’s diet can quickly lowerADHD symptoms. This includes:breads, pasta, junk food, chips, dairy,candy, juices, and all artificial sweeten-

ers: aspartame, high-fructose cornsyrup, NutraSweet, Equal, Splenda(sucralose) and food colorings, especially Blue #1.15

Eliminate Allergens andToxins: Gluten has shown to contribute to confusion, loss of concen-tration, indigestion, weakness, andinsomnia. Also, today’s dairy quality isnot what it used to be, and it has lostalmost all of its immune-enhancingproperties. And don’t discount allergiesfrom eggs, chicken, and certain nuts.Then there is possible lead-toxicity,which damages a mechanism that regulates attention and self-control.

Increase Daily Protein: Mostchildren are very active and need torefuel with nutrients that feed all cells,not just the muscles, heart and brain.At least half their body weight in grams of protein daily will show rapidimprovements in mood, energy, andgood sleep. Make sure the child eats aprotein-rich breakfast every morning.

Feel free to contact me with any questions and for further options.

…AND FINALLY,

Violence is so wrong. Based on personal reactions from those

involved during and after a violent act, the sadness and grief make it clearthere are no winners. These youngaggressors, these killers, know emotion-ally that what they do is wrong, butthey cannot stop themselves mentally.They cannot stop the voices in theirhead. And if this was created as a sideeffect of mind-altering drugs they aretaking, then shame on the pharmaceu-

tical companies that keep pushingthese drugs for all the wrong reasons!

Dr. Peter Breggin says it well:“Depression in children is not a biological phenomena; it is a spiritual,psychological, and social issue. Butwhatever the reason is why kids getdepressed, the solution is in the handsof adults to provide children hope, toempower children, to give them a sense that they can matter in their own world and in a larger world.”

There is no substitute for adultinvolvement in our children’s lives— giving them support, gratitude, encouragement and hope. Hope doesnot lie in a pill. �

NOTES:

1. John Neustadt, ND, graduated from Bastyr University in Seattle. He is also president of NBI Testing andConsulting and author of more than 100 research reviews.

2. Steve Pieczenik, MD, PhD, trained at Cornell and HarvardMedical Schools, is a board certified psychiatrist, was aboard examiner in neurology and psychiatry and is chairman of NBI Testing and Consulting Corp.(www.nbitesting.com).

3. New England Journal of Medicine, January 17, 2008

4. www.breggin.com

5. www.garynull.com

6. www.mercola.com. See Archived Articles: July 20, 2013

7. Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder

8. www.drwhitaker.com and www.wellbeing journal.com(Nov/Dec 2013; Vol. 22 #6)

9. www.mercola.com. See Archived Articles: July 20, 2013(The Drugging of Our Children)

10. www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/ritalin/asp

11. www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/ritalin/asp

12. Babcock, Quinton and Tom Byrne. 2000. Student perceptions of methylphenidate abuse at a public liberalarts college. Journal of American College Health.November 2000, 49 (3):143-145.

13. www.medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/icd(International Classification of Diseases)

14. www.articles.mercola.com/articles/archive/2001/01/14/lendon-smith-3.aspx

15. www.wellbeingjournal.com (Nov/Dec 2013; Vol. 22 #6):Diet and Children’s Inattentiveness—Food Dyes as aCausal Factor, by Jane Hersey

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11November–December 2013