Tag: New York Times

“The only thing we heard was . . . that medication is the answer”

~ Jason Schwartz

I recently posted on the potential harms of overtreating ADHD and its overdiagnosis. Now, the NY Times reports on problems with a study that provided the foundation for the explosion on stimulant treatment for ADHD. Twenty years ago, more than a dozen leaders in child psychiatry received $11 million from the National Institute of Mental Health … Continue reading “The only thing we heard was . . . that medication is the answer”

The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 1 Comment

The NY Times on The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder: After more than 50 years leading the fight to legitimize attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Keith Conners could be celebrating. Severely hyperactive and impulsive children, once shunned as bad seeds, are now recognized as having a real neurological problem. Doctors and parents have largely accepted drugs … Continue reading The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder

Pediatric use of buprenorphine

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 2 Comments

Drugfree.org has a piece advocating more use of buprenorphine with children. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid dependence is a science-based and proven-effective option for teens and young adults. It should be administered with age appropriate psychosocial therapy and drug testing. Unfortunately, it has been subject to controversy and stigma. Yet the neuroscience of addiction and … Continue reading Pediatric use of buprenorphine

Recovery capital and capital

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 6 Comments

From the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs second report of the recovery committee [emphasis mine]: ...our optimism about recovery should be tempered. Evidence suggests that different groups are more or less likely to achieve recovery outcomes. For some people, with high levels of recovery capital (e.g. good education, secure positive relationships, a job), recovery … Continue reading Recovery capital and capital

Two more defenses of Suboxone

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 2 Comments

In the Washington Post, Harold Pollack interviewed Peter Friedmann about buprenorphine and the NY Times series on buprenorphine. We're fortunate that that they share their premises. HP: Buprenorphine provides a “substitution therapy” for people with opiate disorders. PF: Correct. For many years, opiate addiction was considered an incurable illness. It was Dole and Nyswander in New York who proposed … Continue reading Two more defenses of Suboxone

NY Times / Suboxone redux

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 2 Comments

  I thought I was done, but here are a couple more smart takes. Both support maintenance but appreciate the article raising awareness of important problems.   From The Institute Blog:   And as the articles (and the comment section) demonstrate, the use of buprenorphine to treat addiction and prevent substance use-related harms is messy.  Interlacing text and video, … Continue reading NY Times / Suboxone redux