Ritalin prescribed for daydreaming...

VioletKaliLPN, LPN · Apr 12, 2012

Daydreaming is related to losing focus. I recall being in class and daydreaming. My mind could not focus on the lesson and hand, so it went off and day dreamed in lala land. I was DX with ADD, as well as BPD(which is another story), and after the DX I was finally able to learn and focus.

They do not make a pill for social deficits, so I still had some deficits which affected my ability to make friends. I was kind of hoping everything would magically become better, my 12/13 year old brain would be 'cured', but it is not so easy.

Ahh well, rambling now..

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Apr 13, 2012

I subbed today as a school nurse. A student has an order for ritalin with dx of daydreaming. Since when does daydreaming require ritalin?

When irate mom who saw too many TV commercials won't leave your office without a prescription.

BlackMurse1 · Apr 13, 2012

I subbed today as a school nurse. A student has an order for ritalin with dx of daydreaming. Since when does daydreaming require ritalin?

I used to work in human services with adolescents who were considered "high risk" basically street kids.

Most of them who show any sign of abnormal behavior or aggression are usually medicated as a first option. The reason why day dreaming is medicated is because its faster and "more reliable" to suppress the issue verses using alternative methods to deal with it. We have some areas in this country of great health care, but others really are lacking.

If you have netflix I recommend:

The Business of Being Born

Forks over Knives

Sicko

Burzynski

These documentaries are eye opening....

allnurses Guide · Apr 13, 2012

Daydreaming...

Really?

That was always the best part of my school day.

Vespertinas · Apr 13, 2012

Also prescribed for senior depression and off-label for reducing fall risk in elderly by improving gait stability!

Not exactly answering your post, am I?

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Apr 13, 2012

OMG - what effect does this have on creativity??? Meta-cognition is (as far as we know) what separates humans from lower orders of beings. So it's now deviant and anti-social to become lost in one's thoughts and enjoy our inner worlds? Wow.

As a mom who successfully battled with the education establishment to keep my kids drug-free, I can attest to the fact that 'daydreaming' is often due to simply boredom and disengagement from a stultifying classroom environment. Put that kid in a classroom with a competent, motivated and talented educator -- and it's no longer a problem.

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2012

I don't want children, but if I do have them, they will be home-schooled. My mother had to fight the school systems to keep my brother and I drug-free. California school districts, at least the ones we were in, were not too pushy about drugs. But North Carolina school districts do push drugs onto kids who are remotely different. There's one benefit to moving frequently. You can easily stay one step ahead of unscrupulous school administrators who wish to turn your children into drugged out zombies like the rest of their students.

caliotter3 · Apr 13, 2012

Daydreaming is considered an indicator of ADHD, particularly seen in girls. You can read about this in an early book on the subject, however, I've forgotten the information. It was very interesting to read about how they determined that girls tend to present with ADHD differently than boys. It made a lot of sense to me.

osdbmom · Apr 13, 2012

My son is very daydreamy, sometimes has trouble focusing. After he was retained in the first grade, his very well meaning teacher asked me if I would ask his Dr. about the possibility of ADD.

So, we had an appt with a developmental behavior ped, who handed me the forms, which I filled out with much thought and caution, and truthfully.

Gave forms to his teacher, we both scored him almost exactly the same. Turned forms in to the dev.behavoir ped, who dx'd him with "ADHD inattentive type". We agreed to start him on Adderall, bc he was struggling in school and it appeared it might help.

It did help his focusing, helped with the "daydreaminess".

He also develped extreme depression from it. My previously happy little boy with the sparkling eyes and quick grin cried constantly. He stopped eating. Developed paranoia about people staring at him or making fun of him. He lost a great deal of weight. Trouble sleeping. He would go to school and his teacher would email throughout the day with updates that he was still sobbing, sitting by himself in the room, or refusing to eat, again.

Eventually, we ended up taking him to a therapist, and then to a psychiatrist. There were murmurings about Aspergers.

The psychiatrist put him on Zoloft for the depression. It helped him as we slowly weaned him off the Adderall. He was about 8 at the time.

It was at least a year before he was off both the Adderall and Zoloft.

He is not a straight A student. He does okay in school. His teachers make remarks to me at conferences about his daydreaminess.

We will not try anything like that again. I would rather have him daydreamy and sometimes unfocused, but cheerful, smiley and with a hearty appetite, than focused, somewhat less daydreamy and depressed, miserable, and unable to play or smile.

OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN · Apr 13, 2012

I am very aware that daydreaming could be an indicator for ADD, or ADHD, but why not have written that as a dx. Everyone daydreams from time to time. If this is the case everyone should be on ritalin. Just saying.

Bklyn_RN · Apr 14, 2012

As a psych nurse I see how the unsuspecting gets swept along. There is a documentary, The Marketing of Madness. Watch it. There was a time that shyness was okay. Now thanks to big pharma, its "social anxiety disorder." And for your convenience they also market drugs to "treat" it.