President John

President John presided over his first Rotary meeting today and gave a brief review of his goals for current Rotary year. "Making Dreams Real" is the new Rotary International theme for this year, especially for children.

Reducing child mortality around the world is a priority. President John says the Paducah Club will continue its educational and literacy projects locally, adopt an international water project, and add a new blood drive this year. Rotary International has also set the bar high for membership, which is a 10% net increase. This translates to a net gain of 20 members for the Club. President John encouraged Rotarians to "embrace this challenging goals" in the year to come.

 

Adult ADHD "Fact or Fiction"

Dr. John Cecil, a renowned Paducah physician, says Adult ADHD is "very real." In fact, he has 5,500 patients, both children and adults, in 9 states with ADHD under his care with a wide range of symptoms. The adults now getting treatment have always had ADHD, but are just now being diagnosed.

As Dr. Cecil put it, ADHD affects two parts of the brain. The one part of the brain that "tells you to do something" is stimulated. The other part that "tells you not to do something" is muted. This creates an imbalance in inhibitions. It's either "all go and no stop."

This brain imbalance results in symptoms that can negatively impact lives, such as poor educational performance, low self-esteem, and relationship problems. Dr. Cecil said untreated ADHD sufferers are 3 times more likely to be unemployed, 2 times more likely to be divorced, 2 times more likely to be arrested and 2 times more likely to be in 3 or more car accidents. They are also more likely to self-medicate with alcohol, nicotine and other drugs. The disorder is also highly hereditary. Up to 95% who have the disorder have at least parent with ADHD.

However, they are also some of the brightest and most successful in the world with the proper treatment. About 4% of all adults, 9 million Americans, have been diagnosed, but not all need treatment. He said ADHD adults also need to be in the right employment environment. They are more likely to be successful outside of "cubicle farms" and in professions like sales, which allow more freedom and variety each day. They may be more successful with a supportive wife, assistant, or technology.

Dr. Cecil says despite recent controversy surrounding medications for ADHD, as long as the correct diagnosis is made and monitored, medicines are a very safe treatment. Medicines for ADHD treatment have been used since 1937 when a physician first discovered that Dexedrine, a stimulant, had a successful oppositional effect on ADHD children.Today, there are a wide variety of prescription medicines for ADHD ranging from the short-term stimulants, such as Ritalin and Adderall, which only last for 3 to 4 hours to newer and longer acting drugs that can last for up 16 hours. A long-acting patch is now available for children who have difficulty taking pills.

Dr. Cecil said people are often to take the medications they need because the FDA categorizes them as Schedule II Controlled Substances, which frightens patients and parents. The short term acting drugs are often abused by addicts looking for a high, which is not possible with the longer acting drugs.He said side effects, such as weight loss or lack of sleep can be also be off putting, but he asks, "What are the side effects of not taking the drugs" if ADHD is causing problems at work and in personal relationships? 'It's real and it can be made better," said Dr. Cecil.

For those wishing more information about ADHD, Dr. Cecil recommended a book, "Delivered from Distraction," by Dr. Ed Hallowell.