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While the COVID-19 pandemic does not really pose a serious risk for most children, the children of today seem to suffer from a mysterious neuropsychiatric plague. Since the introduction of Attention Deficit Disorder about 40 years ago, when "as many as 3%" of all children were believed to have this allegedly chronic brain impairment, the rates of the disorder continued to rise to epidemic-like levels, without any reasonable evolutionary explanation. With over than 20% prevalence in some Western-oriented countries, hundreds of millions of children are now being labeled with a lifelong diagnosis and prescribed with powerful psychoactive medications (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall).

But what if the contemporary consensus about ADHD as the "diabetes of psychiatry" is wrong? What if ADHD does not meet the required criteria for a valid medical condition? And what if the first-line, stimulant medications for ADHD are not as effective and as safe as we are told? After all, stimulants are strong substances that penetrate the blood-brain barrier and impact the biochemical processes of our brain — that miraculous organ that makes us who we are. Is it possible that we are medicating millions of children with dangerous drugs without proper scientific justification?

In his thorough, elegant, and mainly courageous book, ADHD is Not an Illness and Ritalin is Not a Cure: A Comprehensive Rebuttal of the (alleged) Scientific Consensus, Dr. Ophir answers these concerning questions through an easy to follow, step-by-step rebuttal of the dominant medical narrative.

Dr. Ophir's new book uncovers massive evidence against the efficacy and safety of stimulant medications and offers principal solutions to this burning socio-educational problem. But most importantly, the book presents dozens of validity gaps in the overriding bio-medical consensus. It exposes numerous biases and non-parsimonious bandages (unjustified rationalizations) aimed to hide the scientific holes of the consensus, and it redefines ADHD as a non-pathological quality that has both weaknesses and strengths. In this way, this book serves as the missing needle required to pierce the over-blown theoretical balloon commonly known as ADHD.

Book Reviews

"One of the most important books on the topic of ADHD that has been published in the last 30 years"
~Prof. Emeritus Richard Silberstein, cognitive neuroscientist, Swinburne University

"An absolute masterpiece, a work that should be in the hands of every clinician in America"
~Thom Hartmann, American public intellectual and best-seller author

"Read this book, and you'll see why the 'scientific consensus' regarding ADHD and Ritalin is best described as a sham."
~Robert Whitaker, investigative journalist, author, and editor of Mad in America

"When I learnt that this was Dr. Ophir's first book, I found it hard to believe. He writes with a fluency and rhythm of a seasoned writer, carefully and methodically uncovering the truth about a modern fable that has penetrated deep into our everyday culture. Dr. Ophir shows the forensic skills of a scientist and the writing skills of a storyteller... The modern-day mythology that Dr. Ophir so brilliantly deconstructs is that of ADHD. What makes his analysis so compelling is that he scrutinizes the fundamental assumptions that have been used by advocates of the ADHD construct to form this cultural abomination ... He writes with wit, insight, and a deep humanity and compassion for the lives of young people who get or may get this label. It is a must read for anyone interested in this topic… Whether it’s a parent, a person with the diagnosis, a teacher, or a professional in the mental health field, everyone will get something valuable from taking the time to read this wonderful book".

~Psychiatrist, Prof. Sami Timimi, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Lincoln

ADHD is Not an Illness and Ritalin is Not a Cure: A Comprehensive Rebuttal of the (alleged) Scientific Consensus retails for US$98 / £80 (hardcover) and is also available in electronic formats. To order or know more about the book, visit http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12752.

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About the Author

Dr. Yaakov Ophir is a research associate at the Technion — Israel Institute of Technology. He received his PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and gained extensive experience in complex empirical research and scientific criticism. Dr. Ophir taught several courses at distinguished academic institutions and published over 20 peer-reviewed scientific articles to date (with a specific focus on psychological development in the digital age and Artificial Intelligence tools for early detection of psychopathology). In his multiple, less formal ‘popular science’ writings and radio/television interviews (mostly in Hebrew), he manages to ‘translate’ complicated scientific ideas into plain concepts, which are accessible and even attractive to large audiences. Dr. Ophir is also a licensed clinical psychologist with a specific expertise in child therapy, parent training, and family interventions. He works at the mental health center of Megilot, in which he also served as the director of the National Program for Children and Youth at risk.

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About World Scientific Publishing Co.

World Scientific Publishing is a leading international independent publisher of books and journals for the scholarly, research and professional communities. World Scientific collaborates with prestigious organisations like the Nobel Foundation and US National Academies Press to bring high quality academic and professional content to researchers and academics worldwide. The company publishes about 600 books and over 140 journals in various fields annually. To find out more about World Scientific, please visit www.worldscientific.com.
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