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That friend who can’t stop interrupting you? It might not be their fault

While wealthy celebrities like Paris Hilton may refer to ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) as a “superpower,” many find the condition to be more debilitating than empowering. Indeed, ADHD can make it seem as if you are not in control of your own mind. As someone with ADHD, I frequently feel as if my brain is a television set where a stranger is holding the remote; even if I want to stay on one channel, I have to struggle with a force that may change the programming against my will....

Originally posted on salon.com

A shocking lawsuit says Tylenol caused birth defects. It’s possible — but the science isn’t settled

The pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson, manufacturer of Tylenol, is in the hot seat as it faces more than 100 lawsuits from families alleging that the ubiquitous pain relief medication can cause autism, ADHD, and other developmental disorders in unborn children when taken by pregnant women. 

The claims, if proven, would be a shocking twist for acetaminophen, the generic name of the drug in Tylenol, which is on a short list of medicines considered “essential” by the World Health Organization....

Originally posted on salon.com

The woeful history of ADHD, the condition that once got you branded as “defective”

Speaking from experience, having ADHD is a bit like reading a book outside during a windy day. Despite your best attempts to concentrate, an elemental force beyond your control keeps flipping the pages. Instead of focusing on what you want to read, you struggle just to get back to the “right” page — and stay there long enough to absorb it....

Originally posted on salon.com