The Drugging Of The American Boy

[Jazzy]

By the time they reach high school, nearly 20 percent of all American boys will be diagnosed with ADHD. Millions of those boys will be prescribed a powerful stimulant to "normalize" them. A great many of those boys will suffer serious side effects from those drugs. The shocking truth is that many of those diagnoses are wrong, and that most of those boys are being drugged for no good reason—simply for being boys. It's time we recognize this as a crisis.

If you have a son, you have a one-in-seven chance that he has been diagnosed with ADHD. If you have a son who has been diagnosed, it's more than likely that he has been prescribed a stimulant—the most famous brand names are Ritalin and Adderall; newer ones include Vyvanse and Concerta—to deal with the symptoms of that psychiatric condition.

The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies stimulants as Schedule II drugs, defined as having a "high potential for abuse" and "with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence." (According to a University of Michigan study, Adderall is the most abused brand-name drug among high school seniors.) In addition to stimulants like Ritalin, Adderall, Vyvanse, and Concerta, Schedule II drugs include cocaine, methamphetamine, Demerol, and OxyContin.

According to manufacturers of ADHD stimulants, they are associated with sudden death in children who have heart problems, whether those heart problems have been previously detected or not. They can bring on a bipolar condition in a child who didn't exhibit any symptoms of such a disorder before taking stimulants. They are associated with "new or worse aggressive behavior or hostility." They can cause "new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices and believing things that are not true) or new manic symptoms." They commonly cause noticeable weight loss and trouble sleeping. In some children, some stimulants can cause the paranoid feeling that bugs are crawling on them. Facial tics. They can cause children's eyes to glaze over, their spirits to dampen. One study reported fears of being harmed by other children and thoughts of suicide.

Imagine you have a six-year-old son. A little boy for whom you are responsible. A little boy you would take a bullet for, a little boy in whom you search for glimpses of yourself, and hope every day that he will turn out just like you, only better. A little boy who would do anything to make you happy. Now imagine that little boy—your little boy—alone in his bed in the night, eyes wide with fear, afraid to move, a frightening and unfamiliar voice echoing in his head, afraid to call for you. Imagine him shivering because he hasn't eaten all day because he isn't hungry. His head is pounding. He doesn't know why any of this is happening.

Now imagine that he is suffering like this because of a mistake. Because a doctor examined him for twelve minutes, looked at a questionnaire on which you had checked some boxes, listened to your brief and vague report that he seemed to have trouble sitting still in kindergarten, made a diagnosis for a disorder the boy doesn't have, and wrote a prescription for a powerful drug he doesn't need.

If you have a son in America, there is an alarming probability that this has happened or will happen to you.

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Many believe that medicine should be the first treatment, either combined with behavioral therapy or not. Others feel that drugs should be a last resort after making every other alleviative effort you can find or think of, from hypnosis to herbal treatments to neurofeedback.

What stance do you take regarding the above quote?

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

My brother had ADHD and was medicated throughout his childhood. He still has problems today but less severe. Not sure if hypnosis or behavioral therapy would have helped, but there was no option for that back in the day.

 

[Jazzy]

Now imagine that he is suffering like this because of a mistake. Because a doctor examined him for twelve minutes, looked at a questionnaire on which you had checked some boxes, listened to your brief and vague report that he seemed to have trouble sitting still in kindergarten, made a diagnosis for a disorder the boy doesn't have, and wrote a prescription for a powerful drug he doesn't need.

This is the part that I have a big problem with. Family doctors aren't psychiatrists/psychologists, yet feel they can diagnose ADHD in a twelve minute (or less) office visit. The other problem I have is that we all know that doctors get a 'kickback' from the pharmaceutical companies if they prescribe certain types of medications. If I were a parent, the very last resort would be to give my son medication.

 

[Evil Eye]

If you don't absolutely need the stuff, you should stay the hell away from it. I did read the list of side effects once and it was scary.

 

[Jazzy]

If you don't absolutely need the stuff, you should stay the hell away from it. I did read the list of side effects once and it was scary.

You mean like these in the article?

According to manufacturers of ADHD stimulants, they are associated with sudden death in children who have heart problems, whether those heart problems have been previously detected or not. They can bring on a bipolar condition in a child who didn't exhibit any symptoms of such a disorder before taking stimulants. They are associated with "new or worse aggressive behavior or hostility." They can cause "new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices and believing things that are not true) or new manic symptoms." They commonly cause noticeable weight loss and trouble sleeping. In some children, some stimulants can cause the paranoid feeling that bugs are crawling on them. Facial tics. They can cause children's eyes to glaze over, their spirits to dampen. One study reported fears of being harmed by other children and thoughts of suicide.

 

[Evil Eye]

Yes, I thought it was quite interesting to see mania and depression both listed.

 

[Jazzy]

Scary drugs indeed.

One study reported fears of being harmed by other children and thoughts of suicide.

Makes one wonder how many have acted out against others and how many have 'ended' the nightmare by taking their own lives. Meanwhile, more and more are being given these drugs without proper diagnosis. Yep, very scary indeed.

 

[DrLeftover]

This "treatment regime" was originally pushed by teachers, not doctors.

 

[Jazzy]

This "treatment regime" was originally pushed by teachers, not doctors.

Do teachers write the prescriptions?

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

This "treatment regime" was originally pushed by teachers, not doctors.

Do teachers write the prescriptions?

No but when they can't handle a certain child, they try to convince the parents, school administrators, school counselor/psychologists that the kid does indeed have ADHD so they have a medicated student and an easier job.