I, too, was given Ritalin in the early eighties. I was hyper-active (remember that word?) as Hell, so the Doc gave my mother the dope. She said it turned into hyper-active psychopath. I came off the drugs. How did Mom cure me? She keep my active ass outside, playing from sun up to sun down. Wore me out. Amazing things can be accomplished with, gasp, a little parenting.