I just want to say hi to everyone this is the first time I am posting a messege.
I am in a huge binde and i thought mabye someone could help.
I will give everyone a little background.
A month ago my teacher gave a list of topics to the class, and we had to choose one and argue for or against whatever the topic was. The use of Ritalin was one of the topics. I was really happy because i knew everyone would write about how it is overperscribed....
I on the other hand was going to argue for ritalin, because i have been using it for 2 years and it has changed my life. Now this is where the problem lies. Upon my research there is no evidence that ritalin actually works. The only thing i can say is that it worked for me. And thats a pretty bad argument. So know I unfortunatly Have vto change the direction of my essay and write that it is overperscribed and not helpfull. Anyone have any proof that the drug works besides personal accounts ?
thanks
carmela

You could research SPECT Scans and PET Scans

Here are some resources for you:

How Ritalin Works (http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/2001/bnlpr011501a.html)

CNN story on Ritalin (http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9901/14/ritalin/)

What Makes Ritalin Work? (http://psychcentral.com/library/adhd_ritalin.htm)

Univ, of Michigan: Pediatric Advisor - Ritalin (http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_ritalin_hhg.htm)

wow - that is awesome that you get to write about it for a class!!! I would be so excited!! hehe

I don't have any resources for you though - I'm sorry. (although you can probably find research that says that Ritalin works for a HUGE amount of people - you don't have to rely on yourself... although I do think that personal experience is perfectly valuable. They DO include the placebo effect in those studies, so you don't have to worry about that.)

Sounds cool! I hope you do well!

Can you take some surveys? Can you get some information from Student Health Services at your school?