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One way I try to explain it to people: "We give people insulin because they have diabetes. Diabetes is the disease, but you can cure it through diet and exercis
by citilife 4y ago
One way I try to explain it to people: "We give people insulin because they have diabetes. Diabetes is the disease, but you can cure it through diet and exercise for Type 2 (it's environmental), Type 1 you cannot (it's genetic). Insulin treats the disease, but doesn't cure it"
Why is it not the same for ADHD or depression? Type 1 is genetic and Type 2 is environmental.
The argument I was attempting to make is different from what everyone here is saying I think. What is a disease?
> Disease - a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms
Two points:
1. I would argue that what you describe isn't impairing normal function. It's that we are attempting to make you do abnormal things (sit in a room all day and be lectured at. At the end you have an exam). Society is failing to raise children properly and expecting things that are abnormal for the human animal.
2. A disease is basically diagnosed from a bucket of symptoms. Those symptoms will have different causes. Without taking a measured approach at identifying the causes, you are likely going to see a plethora of factors. These can and do include things like hyperactivity from siting and watching TV (now they have energy and want to move). Things of that nature.
Given the above, we're effectively medicating children for personal / societal reasons, not because the human animal is actually suffering or impaired in any way.
- FollowingTheDao 4y agoYour analogy fails because type one diabetes also has an causal environmental component: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5571740/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5571740/
- ghufran_syed 4y agoI disagree: “ In this paper, we discuss candidate triggers of islet autoimmunity and factors thought to promote progression from autoimmunity to overt type 1 diabetes (figure 1). These factors seem to have their effect mainly in the genetically predisposed individuals.” [my emphasis]
- FollowingTheDao 4y ago“ Importantly, environmental factors that trigger islet autoimmunity might differ from those that promote progression from autoimmunity to overt diabetes.”
- andybak 4y agoLet me put it another way then - ADHD meds increase the range of tasks I'm able to do succesfully. They add to my life rather than take something away. I'm talking about tasks I want to do but would struggle with without medication (mainly coding for pleasure). Yeah - I could find different things to do with my life, but I love coding and I am delighted to find there's a simple pill I can take that helps me do more of it.
- citilife 4y agoI understand what you're saying, but reread what you said and replace "medication" and "pill" with "cocaine". Amphetamine can be used in the same manner and for the same perceived reasons. Granted, I am happy for you and I think drug laws are ridiculous.
- andybak 4y ago(Methylphenidate is not amphetamine btw. Other ADHD meds are literally amphetamines but I'm only talking about methylphenidate) If cocaine had positive effects that outweighed the negatives then it absolutely should be prescribed. But it doesn't. Unlike methylphenidate - which for most people has fairly mild downsides at the doses it is usually prescribed in. It is also largely non-addictive with little evidence of long-term health damage. Also unlike cocaine. All in all, I'm not sure how this comparison helps.
- citilife 4y agoMethylphenidate is highly addictive... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylphenidate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylphenidate Though I'll grant you we don't have data for long-term effects. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763419302350?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014976341... Further, as you pointed out does have benefits (which is I assume why it's prescribed). Cocaine and meth have similar effects btw (pros and cons), abuse is what causes the issue(s). People can survive on both for decades though.