Comments on: Mental Illness Denial – Part IV

By: Dirk Steele

Dirk Steele — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:31:20 +0000

‘Also, the research is moving forward and creating tangible results – unlike the research done in truly pseudoscientific arenas, such as ESP, that seems to only go around in circles without ever making identifiable progress.’

Where are the tangible results?

By: Dirk Steele

Dirk Steele — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:29:26 +0000

‘that the diagnosis of ADHD is a simple fraud perpetrated by the pharmaceutical industry conspiring with deceptive psychiatrists. Rather, this is a serious and fruitful domain of research in the academic setting. Also, the research is moving forward and creating tangible results – unlike the research done in truly pseudoscientific arenas, such as ESP, that seems to only go around in circles without ever making identifiable progress.’

It is you that is trying to promote the ‘conspiracy’ theory so you can argue against denialism of mental illness. I have never read of Szasz or others promoting this view. The facts are that the diagnosis of ADHD benefits many – including psychiatrists, pharma companies, school teachers and administrators, as well as parents. Research shows that the diagnosis and subsequent medication of children does nothing to improve their achievements, social or acedemic, but does cause harm.

By: Dirk Steele

Dirk Steele — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:22:00 +0000

‘The most often alternative hypothesis offered to a biological cause for the symptoms of ADHD is simple bad parenting – people seem to like to blame the parents’

Not accurate. There are many, including Sir Ken Robinson, (TED Talks) who argue that the rise of ADHD over the past 40 years is due to changes in the way we school our children.

‘It is difficult to summarize this complex issue, but I will give my interpretation of the weight of the evidence so far (from the perspective of someone who is not an ADHD expert but is an academic neurologist and skeptic)’

I, and many others, are skeptical of your claim.

‘but we will see an increasing use of biological tests to aid in the diagnosis of ADHD and other mental disorders.’

Well, after 40 years of research, we are still waiting. But no longer holding our breath!

By: Dirk Steele

Dirk Steele — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:11:46 +0000

‘In my previous posts on this topic I have argued that mental illnesses are as real and scientific as any medical entities, they often have a biological basis in brain function and we now have the tools to see aspects of this dysfunction’

In my mind you have not been very convincing.

‘Is ADHD Overdiagnosed?’

Well considering that 90% of ritalin prescriptions occur in the USA, I would have to say that this biological disease is an ‘American’ disease is not suffered by the rest of the world. I find this bizarre. The WHO ICD-10 does not even recognise the term ADHD! But there are those that say that 1 in 10 of the world’s children now suffer from a biological disorder of the brain and that ADHD is therefore ‘underdiagnosed’. This is clearly nonsense.

‘Of all the mental disorders there seems to be the most public controversy around the diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In my opinion this is due to the fact that this diagnosis is given to children’

Well, millions of children around the world are diagnosed and treated without controversy, albeit with concern. The simpler explanation is that parents are skeptical about the absurd claims bandied about by psychiatry regarding ADHD.