This post is a duplicate of the one I posted in the Men's Forum. I put it here because it fits here too and is not just a men's issue. I also search for the best treatments for ADD. But, I really like who I am with ADD. (After years of hating myself.)

important note-if you are a Dr. Amen fan, read with open mind. I am asking questions, not bashing him. There is a big, big, difference. If his program works for you, great. Please, don't take offense, I am an enquiring mind. If we live afraid to ask questions, we have no freedom.

I have not seen any reliable, validated studies done on Dr. Amen's method. I am a skeptic by nature and question everything. Doing research for my thesis taught me how to look at information and use scientific inquiry. I am not bashing Dr. Amen, just asking questions that come to mind. If his program works then there will be answers to these questions and studies will validate his theories with reliable evidence. This is what science is about, and protecting the consumer from medical care that does not work. Time and objective studies are the only way to ensure effective, first, do no harm medical treatment for any condition.

Where are the independent, double-blind studies?
Is there anything that is not anecdotal?
Why does he sell supplements and all that other stuff?
If you have more than one type of ADD on his list, the recommended treatments are contradictory-Why is this not addressed?
Do other practictioners do Spect scans etc?
Why do you need a scan if he uses pretty standard ADD treatment. The diff? He adds in supplements.
Does the cost of diagnosis justify the tests?
Why is his method not acknowledged or used by the mainstream medical community-even at progressive teaching hospitals.
:soapbox: My big question-How do you heal something that is probably genetic? Plus, what if this is an essential part of our personality? Would we be who we are without ADD? What if society really could accept all people for who they are. To "heal" my ADD is to say that is saying that I should not be this way.

I believe Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech exemplifies how I feel about ADD and other disabilities. Why should I have to change what and who I am to "fit in"? Would many of our "problems" be problems if we were not labeled, but accepted?

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/spe...20A%20Dream.pdf (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/PDFFiles/Martin%20Luther%20King%20-%20I%20Have%20A%20Dream.pdf)

Our friends have a Downsie daughter-chromosomal-can't heal. The world would lose out if she was not a part of it. She is creative, loving, caring, talented-a Special Olympics speaker, has goals and dreams. Too bad the education system only saw her as a retarded kid. I would not want to change Sharon.

Disease-that is what I want cures for.

I believe Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech exemplifies how I feel about ADD and other disabilities. Why should I have to change what and who I am to "fit in"? Would many of our "problems" be problems if we were not labeled, but accepted?


I think this is an interesting connection, and I am trying to answer without crossing the political ban line here. I agree that being ADD is part of my genetic make up just like having brown hair and green eyes is. Taking medications is much like asking all women to dye their hair blonde to fit in should I be reading this right.


Work issues I can see where the highest productivity is desired and if ADD prevents that then by all means I think that we should either take the medications or find a job where we can function without them. I am in health care although I was in my profession before I was diagnosed I limited my self to mostly night shifts because even if I didn’t express my thoughts verbally my face did it for me. Medications gave me more awareness thus control of my expressions and frankly it doesn’t really matter how I feel I have duties to do and people tolerance is a requirement when dealing with people grand scale especially sick ones they have enough problems.


Time and objective studies are the only way to ensure effective, first, do no harm medical treatment for any condition.

I do not think Dr. Amen’s clinics nor do his ways harm people "per say" and from what I hear they do use conventional medications and most who have been there claim the receive good care. I do have reservations about some of his methods which I have written in some of the previos threads on Dr. Amen I shall hyperlink below.

I do not believe Dr. Amen’s research has been reproduced by independent studies however even “main stream” researcher are looking into imaging studies.

This has been addressed in couple of threads through out the forum here is a sample of the more recent.


Quack watch (http://www.addforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-29770.html)


Dr. Amen’s Clinic ever been there (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27425)

If I had extra money to spare and didn't have a huge fear of needles I would make an appointment to have a SPECT scan done. Why don't you spend $15 or borrow his book "Healing ADD" from the library. That might help to answer some of your questions.

Amen has also done a lot of work relating to other brain issues. His work on how drugs affect the brain have been on shows like 20/20, HBO and Education videos.

His treatments aren't really unique they are the same that many other AD/HD professionals use. His 6 types of AD/HD are also very similar to AD/HD and other co-existing conditions. The treatment methods are similar to what medication professionals use to treat AD/HD w/ co-existing conditions.

Also his diagnosis process isn't totally different from the standard assessment. It's just that the SPECT scan is used in addition to the standard process. Signs and symptoms are also use to make the diagnosis.

As to why there are not proper scientific studies??? I guess he really doesn't need them since he technically isn't doing anything brand new. It's not like people go to his clinic and all they do is take a SPECT then boot people out the door with a diagnosis.

An when people go for a follow up and get a scan the SPECT scan isn't the only tool used to tell if people are improving.

As for "Healing ADD" I think that term works quite well. The Amen Clinic uses a multi-modal approach to help people with AD/HD. If after going going through treatment at the Amen Clinic people are leading a more happy and productive life then 'Healing of ADD" has begun taking place.

From what I have heard from people over the past 5 years most people who have gone to the Amen Clinic have been happy with it. If he really was a "quack" there would be a lot more people speaking out against the clinics.

As to why there are not proper scientific studies??? I guess he really doesn't need them since he technically isn't doing anything brand new. It's not like people go to his clinic and all they do is take a SPECT then boot people out the door with a diagnosis.


I am mostly in agreement with you here Tara just one minor draw back to the frequency of SPECT used at Amen's clinics, that would be radiation exposure.

The half life of most radio active particles used in these studies is aprox. 5000 years there is a life time limit of exposure any human can absorb before reaching unsafe levels. I believe it to be 5 rads (should I remember my radiology correctly)

I'm sorry I realise this isn't word games but I can't help remarking upon the AMEN as in religion type clinic.

I had a PET once. he hated it here. I eventually found him another home far away
Please tell me you are not talking about religion and god Electroscan. Can they do PETSCANS from airplanes. We've had aloy=t lately.


way too tired.

Eboy will you wake me at say six. And nova if you

How do you know? so do you think some excercise might help my insomnia


thanks .

rebooting or at least cat napping.

Oh ya, the radiation thing was another reason as to why I haven't had a SPECT Scan done.

Boots,

AMEN is the Doctors last name. It's not pronounced like the prayer though. It's pronounced more like aye-min.

I think Boots is into words games Tara (I think, could be wrong seems that way)

Any way agree with your points and yes most people who have attended his clinics have been very pleased. I did not think about the fact that he may not have sought independent research studies because he does use many of the same treatments as "main stream" a point I had not considered before . . .! Actually main stream is beginning to look into imaging scans! He would be the first "person before his time" to be called a quack. However as some one who has done medicine stuff as a profession (seems like forever now) the standards of care kind of stick like glue! :rolleyes:

Of course we can heal ADD/ADHD, just as soon as I finish turning these rocks into gold and diamonds. :D :D :D

I am actually a patient of Dr. Amen's clinic in Newport Beach. I have experienced a marked improvement in my overall well-being since I visited the clinic. I am a layman and cannot begin to understand the theoretical science behind his work. The popularity of SPECT scans is increasing nationwide. Dr. Amen has been performing brain scans for close to twenty years and has trained many young doctors through his teaching at UCLA. The argument proposed for the lack of double-blind scientific studies is founded in the fact that so few brain scientists have the experience or training adequate to duplicate what Dr. Amen does. Obviously someone who has played the violin for twenty years is going to be quite a bit more skilled than a person who has played for a year. Dr. Amen's treatment suggestions are quite common. His plan covers all aspects of mental and physical health. In current medicine there is only one organ that is treated without a thorough physical examination. That organ is the brain. If you have a stomach ache you may be diagnosed with colitis or IBS. The symptoms are assessed and a cause is named. If you have depression you are simply labeled as having depression. That is nearly equivalent to diagnosing Teberculosis as "violent cough." The question posed by Dr. Amen is, "How can we treat an organ without looking at the organ we are treating?" I could go on all day but I highly recommend reading, "Change You Brain, Change Your Life."