The real issue here is that stimulants like Ritalin have the potential to enhance cognitive functioning, reduce agitation, allow people to experience pleasure, become less impulsive and have improved social skills. I wonder whether Dr Lomax-Smith has concerns regarding other types of psychiatric medications. "Anti-depressants" Efexor and Strattera cause agitation and have been proven to cause people to self harm and commit suicide. Research shows that these so called anti-depressants such as Paroxetine are no better than placebo. When people try to stop them they get withdrawal symptoms. What Dr Lomax-Smiths concerns are about anti-psychotic medication is unclear. These drugs lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sexual dysfunction and sedation. No-doubt Dr Lomax Smith won't have any concerns regarding the use of Sodium Valproate as a mood stabiliser. Neural tube defects caused by Valproate ain't sexy like suggesting kids might taking stimulants to feel better. Clearly psychiatric drugs need to make you feel awful and ultimately look awful to be acceptable. Its how the 'insane' are kept in place. The idea that there are substances that the psychiatric population might gain pleasure from is abhorrent.

You could inversely correlate the increase in the use of stimulants to the decrease in suicide rates. Stimulants are much safer than SSRI anti depressants and the Psychiatric community would be wise to consider them before prescribing an SSRI. The Columbine shooter was taking SSRI medication.

Dr Lomax-Smith is a Pathologist, all she see is disease wherever she looks. Maybe she needs to get the opinion of a Pediatrition who sees children.