America is being flooded with prescription pharmaceuticals, and in many cases, as we continue to learn, their stated benefits end up being overshadowed by costly side-effects and even lasting damage. The medical and pharmaceutical industries profit immensely, often knowingly causing harm, yet sadly, this is often considered an acceptable cost of doing business.
One of the greatest travesties in this regard is the fact that so many American school children are being told by their doctors that the only way for them to fit in and conform to the standardized rigors of schooling is to take medications for attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder, a ‘disease’ that some professional consider to be a made up, including one of the world’s leading pediatric neuroscientists, Dr. Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.
Research now suggests medications for ADHD don’t actually help kids to get better grades, yet annual prescriptions continue to rise, including prescriptions to toddlers and very young children. Doctors have even admitted to putting kids on ADHD meds for the sole purpose of helping kids to conform in public school, for matters of ‘social justice.’
What’s most notable about ADHD and children is the fact there are many natural alternatives to pills for helping kids to concentrate and control their naturally high energy levels. A proper diet and sufficient exercise are crucial, and in a recent experiment, researchers even found that teaching kids to meditate instead of taking medications yields amazing results.
One facet of this discussion, perhaps the very most important one, is the actual experience of taking these kinds of medications, and what children actually think about it. See for yourself in the following videos from youth who felt compelled to speak their truth to the world.
First Hand Accounts of Living on ADHD Meds
Produced by the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, in this video, Daniel tells his story of being required to take ADHD medications from the age of 5 years-old, re-counting the experience of his doctors yelling at his mother when she tried to stop after noticing her son was behaving strangely, in a distant and spaced-out manner. Daniel goes on to explain how his forced medication as a child led to severe psychological issues growing up included long suicidal episodes.
In this video, a young man named Albert describes the effects of Adderall, a widely popular and incredibly potent stimulant which is chemically similar to crystal meth, a highly dangerous and illegal street drug. Albert describes the unnatural affects of Adderall on his attention span and focus, causing him to perform like a machine while robbing him of sleep.
‘Minimum Max’ is a short film created by high school student Josh Ovalle, presenting the modern day dilemma that many kids are faced with, an overly rigorous, over-scheduled, and over-tested schooling environment. He speaks about how his medication became a personality crutch and how it took the joy out of everyday living, referring to ADHD meds as, ‘mental handcuffs.’
Final Thoughts
Max’s story, more so than the others, gets to the root of the problem of ADHD in our country today by describing the environment faced by children in public schools and in a culture of conformity. Looking at this issue from an environmental perspective rather than solely as a matter of brain chemistry is the only way to find a solution more favorable than demanding our kids become potential lifelong addicts of mind and personality altering pharmaceutical drugs.
