Ritalin Nation: Rapid-Fire Culture and the Transformation of Human Consciousness

As the diagnosis of attention deficit disorder (ADD) has increased among American children, many have begun to challenge the American Psychiatric Association's description and treatment of the problem, namely, that ADD is a disorder of the brain that can be resolved by the psychostimulant Ritalin. Citing prior reports on ADD and the effects of Ritalin, DeGrandpre, visiting professor of psychology at St. Michael's College in Vermont, argues that the effectiveness of Ritalin in treating ADD in no way proves that the disorder has a purely biological foundation. In fact, studies have shown that Ritalin improves the efficiency and attentiveness of children and adults--regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with ADD. Against the ""biological"" explanation of ADD, however, the author puts forward a cultural-historical critique, which identifies the modern, technological emphasis on speed as the cause of the increased sensory deficits among American children. What Ritalin use reflects, he argues, is ""a temporal disturbance in human consciousness,"" one that ""motivates an escape from slowness, thus keeping us forever in the grip of the hurried society. Unfortunately, the author's thesis is unsupported by any original research and is instead based on generalized observations and anecdotes about modern society and the trajectory of Western civilization. Ultimately, while this book may satisfy those who disparage technology, it will be of little help to the clinicians who struggle daily with the problem of hyperactivity in children. (Jan.)