PSYCH DRUG America: More than 8 million children now on mind-altering psychiatric medication

June 4, 2018

As more children are being prescribed psychiatric drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, misuse is also on the rise, prompting experts to question why so many kids are being told they need psychiatric drugs in the first place.

The journal Pediatrics reports that poison control centers saw more than 150,000 calls related to people younger than 20 being improperly exposed to such meds from 2000 to 2014. Some of the drugs that are commonly prescribed for ADHD include Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta.

It’s not surprising when you consider that around 6.1 million children aged 2 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, and six in ten of these children are taking medication for the condition. The numbers rose by 2 million between 2003 and 2011, and it looks like the problem isn’t going away any time soon. As a matter of fact, the risk of a three-year-old being diagnosed with ADHD is now more than 40 percent, showing how wildly overdiagnosed this condition is. Overall, more than eight million American children take some type of psychotropic drugs.

The poison control calls were related to unintentional exposures via improperly stored pills, overdoses, or failure to follow directions. Seventy-five percent of these types of calls were for kids younger than 12.

Another very concerning aspect is abuse, which accounted for nearly a quarter of the calls among teens. Nearly 9,000 calls pertained to those who were using the pills in an attempt to commit suicide, prompting serious concerns among experts. Overall, poison control centers are seeing an average of 29 calls per day and 200 calls per week related to ADHD drugs.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Policy Director Gary Smith, who was a senior author of their study, said: “They’re taking bigger doses, it’s resulting in more serious outcomes and it’s not infrequent,” he says. “Looking into the motivations behind these attempted suicides would be absolutely critical.”

It’s not uncommon for college students under pressure to perform well academically to use ADHD drugs as “study drugs” in hopes of improving their focus. Many mistakenly believe they can’t be that harmful if they’re given to children regularly, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. These stimulants carry some very serious side effects, including high blood pressure, drowsiness, irritability, and rapid heartbeat, and overdoses can be fatal.

What are the ramifications of a drugged-up society?

Another factor contributing to the higher numbers of kids taking ADHD drugs is the aggressive marketing by the pharmaceutical companies. Some experts believe that parents sometimes have unrealistic expectations and their doctors are too quick to prescribe medication when treatments like behavioral therapy could be enough to set things right.

Sadly, many young people are given ADHD diagnoses and the corresponding medications out of convenience. Teachers and parents eager to see hyperactive kids calm down a bit are sometimes tempted by the allure of a “quick fix,” but there is no doubt that a society full of drugged-up young people is a recipe for disaster.

Oliver North, incoming National Rifle Association President, may have taken some flak for his recent comments linking Ritalin to school shootings, but the truth is that many school shooting perpetrators had been taking psych meds – antidepressants in most cases.

Whether you agree with him or not about Ritalin specifically, it’s hard to argue with his point that medications don’t address the root cause of legitimate mental disorders.

“We’re trying like the dickens to treat the symptoms without treating the disease,” he said. “And the disease in this case isn’t the Second Amendment. The disease is youngsters who are steeped in a culture of violence. They’ve been drugged in many cases. Nearly all of these perpetrators are male. … Many of these young boys have been on Ritalin since they were in kindergarten.”

< Here >

June 5, 2018

11 hours ago, sva said:

antidepressants in most cases.

and known by authority uk germany france etc also

June 5, 2018

a very scary article... over prescribed and causing overmedicated children and there will be hell to pay when these kids grow up even more screwed up than the previous generation... and god only knows how truly scary it is now....

June 5, 2018

2 hours ago, dMog said:

a very scary article... over prescribed and causing overmedicated children and there will be hell to pay when these kids grow up even more screwed up than the previous generation... and god only knows how truly scary it is now....

They gave me meds when I was in school its nothing new Ritalin Medical use began in 1960 and the drug has become increasingly prescribed since the 1990s, when the diagnosis of ADHD became more widely accepted. Kids on antidepressants is nothing new ether back in the 80s hospitals were full of teens were there parents sent them there for depression. Then they wonder why there so many people are addicts they feed us drugs like candy when we were kids . You get sent to a shrink that's what happens they give you meds. You act like people acting up in class or wanting to kill themselves is something new, it's not they was a documentary on PBS about it years ago that the Shrinks give people meds because they don't know what else to do with them, they not even sure do it help. :rolleyes:

Quote

Antidepressant prescribing has risen nearly 400% since 1988

http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/20/what-does-a-400-increase-in-antidepressant-prescribing-really-mean/

It's not a new problem, i got kids that's grown now and when i was a teen it became a problem . Nothing new under the SUN 28 year old problem and still they don't fix it they just write articles about it like it's some kind of new devolvement. Crap like this is why you better off not even reading the news nothing ever changes for the good.

Quote

Coca-Cola was named back in 1885 for its two “medicinal” ingredients: extract of coca leaves and kola nuts. Just how much cocaine was originally in the formulation is hard to determine, but the drink undeniably contained some cocaine in its early days.

Paregoric or camphorated tincture of opium

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paregoric

That stuff been around since 1800s and they gave it too us as babies for the trash and teething you didn't need a prescription for it tell the 1990s same with codeine cough syrup witch was codeine mixed with alcohol when I was in school as a teen it was a girl walking down the hall drinking it. I think drugs and things were worse in school then than they are now because they some much rules against it now. :tooth:

June 5, 2018

i have a nephew that has actually really needed ritlan... but even in grade 6 he found out he could sell the pills ... he is 32 now and totally f@cked up on street drugs has no friends cannot be trusted to be around family because he will either steal valuables ...or get violent... and according to him his family and other people should just let him do what he wants ...and give him money to buy his drugs and have a place to stay so he will not commit crimes to get it

June 5, 2018

10 hours ago, dufus said:

and known by authority uk germany france etc also

Is what you are looking for?: [Europe] Rate of children treated for ADHD per 100 000 population aged 0-17 years.

In any case, if interested, please explore < here >. Thank you.

June 5, 2018

8 hours ago, steven36 said:

Nothing new under the SUN 28 year old problem and still they don't fix it

Who is this "they" that don't fix it? Parents? Teachers? Doctors? Local government? State government? Federal government? Thank you.

June 5, 2018

big pharma

June 5, 2018

8 hours ago, sva said:

Who is this "they" that don't fix it? Parents? Teachers? Doctors? Local government? State government? Federal government? Thank you.

ALL OF THE ABOVE