Hi Bart,
Saturday, March 25, 2000, 6:35:00 PM, you wrote:
BH> Ritalin is a very close analogue to cocaine.
Cocaine works a little differently than what I mentioned earlier. It
prevents the cellular pump from recuperating the neurotransmitter from
the neuron's synapse, so the sensation (whatever) is perceived as more
intense, overwhelming the neuron. The problem is, since the
neurotransmitter isn't recuperated, the cell loses neurotransmitter
over time (which explains why progressively higher doses are required).
However, ritalin's being a cocaine analog means that it binds to the
same site and it doesn't necessarily follow that it has the same
action. It may do nothing, which would explain why it's used.
The point of course being that so called "hyper active" children may
well be reacting to oppressive "learning" situations that in fact
stifle initiative and simply impose a premium on docile, compliant
behavior, rather than stimulating the kind of leadership qualities
that America really needs. In that context, ritalin is obviously an
inappropriate solution to say the least. It's abusive to the child - a
chemical strait jacket.
Luckily, when I was in grade school no ritalin was available (but I
was tied in my seat on one occasion). After that I went on scholarship
to a very progressive private junior high / high school in Lenox, MA,
before being left (alone) in Phoenix to finish with all of that.
Since, I consulted for a few doctorates and directed a few research
programs, before moving on to better things farther south.
Recently I was handing out diplomas at the graduation of an
Agricultural Institute of Technology that is restructuring it's
programs in line with the findings of our projects, which some of
those recently graduated honor students are working on.
Schools are like anything else - they're OK once you learn how to
handle them (instead of the other way around), and that's harder for a
little (rather than big) kid to do.
Douglas Hinds - CeDeCoR, A.C.
Centro para el Desarrollo Comunitario y Rural, Asociacion Civil
(Center for Rural and Community Development,
a Mexican non-profit organization)
Cordoba, Veracruz; Cd. Guzman, Jalisco; Loma Bonita, Oaxaca
& Reynosa, Tamaulipas Mexico
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