Damaging Young Brains

The effects of heavy psychiatric drugs on the brain are known. According to Dr. Fred A. Baughman, Jr., a pediatric neurologist and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, “stimulant therapy, not ADHD, is the likely cause of the brain atrophy [shrinkage].”

The effects of heavy psychiatric drugs on the brain are known. Dr. Elliot Valenstein, Ph.D. says, “it is well established that the drugs used to treat a mental disorder, for example, may induce long-lasting biochemical and even structural changes, which in the past were claimed to be the cause of the disorder, but may actually be an effect of the treatment.” He states: “It is now difficult to find mental patients who have not had a history of drug treatment, and as a result many of the brain abnormalities found in these patients are probably iatrogenic, that is, produced by the treatment rather than being the cause of the disorder.”[Emphasis added]

In 1998, Dr. James Swanson asserted that the brains of ADHD subjects were, on average, 10% atrophic (smaller) compared to normal control subjects. However, there are no ADHD studies to date in which the subjects were drug-naive—virtually all ADHD subjects had been on stimulant therapy. According to Dr. Fred A. Baughman, Jr., “This being the case, stimulant therapy, not ADHD, is the likely cause of the brain atrophy (shrinkage).”

Dr. Baughman observes: “Once methylphenidate hydrochloride or any psychotropic drug courses through [a child’s] brain and body, they are, for the first time, physically, neurologically, and biologically abnormal.”

As early as 1986, Henry A. Nasrallah and colleagues performed CT scans on 24 young men who had been treated for “hyperactivity” since childhood, and found “a significantly greater frequency of cerebral atrophy” in the hyperactive group than in controls. Noting that all of the hyperactive patients had been treated with psychostimulants, the researchers suggested, “Cortical atrophy may be a long-term adverse effect of this treatment.”

CCHR What we Believe

Drugging Our Children

RECOGNITION OF CCHR

CCHR's humanitarian work has been recognised the world over for ensuring legal rights and protections for consumers and/or their families. Read more...

DRUG WARNINGS

CCHR led the fight for informed consent to psychiatric treatment, obtaining the first law in South Australia in 1979 that granted patients the right to consent to or refuse electroshock treatment. In recent years, it has filed numerous requests to the Therapeutic Goods Administration to reveal all the adverse drug reactions for psychotropic drugs reported to it. Click here to read more

DRUG SIDE EFFECTS

No matter what country someone is prescribed a psychiatric drug, the side effects are the same: dangerous, sometimes life-threatening, but always debilitating. CCHR International in Los Angeles decoded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration psychotropic drug reports database to produce this drug side effects search engine for consumers. This is also relevant to all Australians. You can also view a selection of ADHD drug reactions including Ritalin, Concerta, Dexamphetamine & Strattera obtained by CCHR.

Psychiatric Drugs

An Australian Report Titled, Psychiatric Drugs and Violence documents how Antidepressants and Antipsychotics can Cause Violence.
The report was written as Australians are not adequately warned that psychiatric drugs can cause homicidal actions and thoughts....

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