The Drugging of Our Children

The Drugging of Our Children

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Ratings: 7.75/10 from 87 users.

The Drugging of Our ChildrenIn the absence of any objective medical tests to determine who has ADD or ADHD, doctors rely in part on standardized assessments and the impressions of teachers and guardians while the they administer leave little room for other causes or aggravating factors, such as diet, or environment.

Hence, diagnosing a child or adolescent with ADD or ADHD is often the outcome, although no organic basis for either disease has yet to be clinically proven. Psychiatrists may then prescribe psychotropic drugs for the children without first without making it clear to parents that these medications can have severe side-effects including insomnia, loss of appetite, headaches, psychotic symptoms and even potentially fatal adverse reactions, such as cardiac arrhythmia.

And yet, despite these dangers, many school systems actually work with government agencies to force parents to drug their children, threatening those who refuse with the prospect of having their children taken from the home unless they cooperate.

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Elron Hubbard
Elron Hubbard
8 months ago

Spoiler alert. This is not a documentary but thinly disguised anti-psychiatry propaganda from $cientology

ITS ALL GREED
ITS ALL GREED
3 years ago

Let me tell you my researched documentary in one sentence. The schools receive 150 % funding to lable kids and ruin their lives with drugs. Thanks for reading the truth behind all the other BS.

rob
rob
5 years ago

If you ever wanted to know how we got this way check out the flexner report of 1910 its also on youtube

Charlysteen Stevens
Charlysteen Stevens
6 years ago

This documentary will be sure to make our cultural demons hiss, at the very least. Ironically, today students all over America will take 17 minutes to remember the 17 students killed in the latest school shooting. The Left has used this massacre of innocents in their efforts to ban guns. If all those outspoken youths chanting anti-gun stuff were to see that these shooters were drugged into psychosis by the very drugs that teachers/parents/doctors insisted they take I wonder what or if anything would change. What an appallingly sick culture we live in. By the way, this latest shooter was in foster care.

My name here
My name here
6 years ago

Gary can be heavy handed. As often as he has tried to educate people only to meet resistance from those who believe they know everything and "follow" the time honored & established way of doing things, he does have to shout at times to be heard. That pisses some people off and they will attack (normal human behavior I guess) and defend their positions. No matter how many people say 1 + 1 is three, no matter how strong their argument is, they are wrong. But you'll never convince them of that. Gary should only try reaching those who will "listen" to both sides of an argument and then form an opinion. He's dead on target with many of his comments but it seems society doesn't like someone who gets in their face. The drugs kids are being given today serve very little purpose and developing brains can be adversely affected by these drugs. Look at our anti-depressant drug problem. Amazing how so many people need these drugs these days. Yet numerous people I have heard speak on this subject point out life style change, diet change or certain supplements all produce better results than the drugs do. All my college psychology (4 classes) professors felt anti-deppresant drugs served very little use in today's society, too many psychiatrists were writing scripts. Gary would agree, the APA would fume and Gary's critics would attack. Gary is right, most people hate the truth.

uk adhd adult
uk adhd adult
7 years ago

I think that if you have the condition you understand. If you don't have the condition, it is easy to draw the big bad drug company conclusions, although you would take antibiotics wouldn't you. Mental health is harder because of course you cannot always reconcile it to a physical sign easily. I suspect the problem in the U.S. is over-diagnosis.
But don't think I am being paid by a drug company to say this! I too have some concerns... I was diagnosed as an adult and I worry about the drugs, and I agonised over taking them, but concluded that I needed help and it was worth the risk. I haven't been taking them for that long, so I cannot comment on efficacy at this point.

Duncan
Duncan
8 years ago

here are some facts about all forms of speed .... it works by tapping the fear or flight section of the brain ....on of the oldest parts of the brain .... side effects of stimulating this part of the brain increased attention ...you need this to decide to fight or flight .... time slows down
you cant sleep all forms of speed does this not one dosnt wether it is ritalilin or etherdrine in your cold and flue tabs or ice they all do the same thing
to give speed to growing child is a crime and a child should have a right to make a educated decision wether to stuff with this part of there there growing brain

bluetortilla
bluetortilla
8 years ago

I haven't even watched this yet and my blood is already beginning to boil. Eight years ago at a teacher's conference the teacher, with no medical authority at all, diagnosed my son with having ADHD and said he would need to be put on medication. I told her that no such thing was ever going to happen and the matter was dropped. I reported the incident to the school board but I never heard back from anyone. Just insane! At least my son was never given drugs and at age 15 is doing just fine.

Blaice
Blaice
8 years ago

It is so brutal listening to the psychologist. He should just kill himself right there. He should be embarrassed and ashamed at the same time. Has to be the worst feeling he has ever had.

North America is truly disgusting. I will proudly say that as an American. How we poison our people's food supply, addict children to hardcore drugs, and our government lobbies for corporations rather than the people.

Ah yes, number one infant mortality rate, number one in incarcerated citizens, and so on. "Land of the free"—what a laughable misnomer.

Eric Lawson
Eric Lawson
9 years ago

I have thought this for some time. Drugs are given to kids for every flue like symptom and or virus.The immune system is weakened. For every emotional state.Drugs are prescribed to kids with fictitious emotional conditions effecting their brains ability to handle emotional stress as they mature effecting their ability to cope ! Drug companies need to be held to account. All those involved should have to watch this documentary !!There is too much money being made off of these kids !!

Dani Neumann
Dani Neumann
10 years ago

in the 90's they tried to do this to children in the UK. We of course were smart enough not to accept it. This is what happens when you dont have a national health care system. There is too much conflict of interest in america with regards to health care and drug company's. In the UK we dont have children dropping dead from these medications because we wouldn't dream off subject our children to these medications. ADHD did not exist when I was in school no child had it there were active and creative out going children and more quiet and shy children. It is so the drug company's can make money and the parents dont have to put the time in to give there kids attention and raise them in the right way. We dont have children and teenagers shooting up there schools we dont have mass gun deaths, There are NO such thing as homeless children in our country , If we and other European country's dont have these issues why do people in the USA? So proud to be British . I feel sorry for Americans

mycial
mycial
10 years ago

Awesome documentary if you believe that your child has a mental disease because he eats food. If you believe what the teacher is telling you, your child didn't want to say hi today he must be depressed! If you believe that your child can't draw in the black lines because they have ADHD well" your child will suffer gain weight or lose it, may develop all sorts of cancers & unable to bear you grandchildren. Then so be it. Parents have sat back & just allowed this tyranny to take place. The state will vaccinate your child implant the RFID chip & take them from you & you will just say oh well" parents no longer have any kind of say! Parents are weak & scared to get their hands dirty & fight for justice parents don't come together & have a million parent march on capital hill & say we're tired of the police & CPS taking or children! If you keep your mouth shut & don't protest this is what happens. Sorry but parents are afraid of their own government! Take back your families & say your not getting my child! By any means necessary your going to go to work one day & martial law is in effect & the state has taking ALL of your children & you won't find them & off to the FEMA camps you go'

ansley cliff
ansley cliff
10 years ago

My daughter was dealt some difficult blows at an early
age, at 14, a freshman in high school,
after a breakup, the boyfriend threaten to commit suicide if she did continue
the relationship. He followed through
successfully when she chose to not continue the relationship. Six months later she was date raped. So I did what any parent would do, I sought
the help of a psychiatrist and felt very lucky to have inside help getting the
Dr. who is the head of the Psychiatry and Child &
Adolescent Psychiatry.
He was the best I could get I was told.
He didn’t fall into my insurance network, but I only wanted the best for
my child and I willingly paid the out of pocket price. She did well with him, but in Feb of 2011
because of headaches he put her on a drug called Topamax, prescribed for
Epilepsy, Migraines, Weight Loss and mood swings. A week later I was getting
calls from the school that my daughter was so dizzy she could walk, then a few
days later her vision would completely go and then come back, her brain was
having memory lapse, she had violent anger outburst at my husband and me. She started cutting because of extreme fear,
anxiety riddled her and depression set in.
All she could do was sleep. We
were blinded by fear of what was happening to our child. We had to pull her from school for medical
reasons, reasons we spent six weeks with every kind of doctor we could
find. No one could figure it out. Repeated calls to her Psychiatrist just
returned more prescriptions, one that to this day blows my mind, 1 mg of Valium
3 times a day!! She was 15!! She lost
her desire to eat, she was in bed for six weeks riddled with back and neck pain
among dizziness, blurred vision, depression…
Every doctor we took her to reviewed her medication and never once
questioned the protocol. Nor did I, I
TRUSTED the professionals. My husband
and I were desperate..we sent her to a wilderness boarding school, hoping the
outdoors would offer some healing. So
for 57 days she backpacked through the wilderness and her pain was gone…so was
the depression, anxiety and so was all the medication. Nature heals, exercise heals….

Upon her return home we were advised to keep her active with
her psychiatrist, but the depression returned, she was bullied some at school
for her absence, no one understood..she became known as the wilderness girl and
rumors of pregnancy, drug addiction and many others followed her. She also had tough battle making up school,
she’d missed and entire semester. The oh
so famous psychiatrist insisted she go back on the antidepressant and topamax
now for mood swings and added Vyvance to help focus in class not knowing the
topamax was giving her memory problems.
How stupid of me, but I agreed, again trusting the professional. Over the course of the next two years, we had
spells of peace and spells of anger outburst, irrational behavior, problems
getting her words out, extreme feelings of fear and the anxiety returned in
full force. A few cutting episodes, some
psychotic episodes one that left her in the psych ward of the hospital. The
hospital just prescribed more drugs and the psychiatrist more valium. At this point I poured all my energy into
researching all the medication she was on.
What I found out was beyond startling.. all the medication had warnings
to not use together, some critical. And
the side effects? Blurred vision, dizzy,
anxiety, depression, desire for self harm, back and neck pain, brain fog,
memory lapse, problems retrieving words she wanted to speak, extreme fear,
suicidal thoughts, anger outburst, appetite depression, insomnia,
nervousness….My heart sank, this medicine was making my child crazy…for these
years on this medication during bouts of anxiety, she would cry and scream
“Mom, what’s wrong with me…something is wrong with me”… So off to this Dr of wonder and demanded his
help to wean her off this medication.
This started 1 and half months ago..it’s been horrible to say the least,
and his suggestion? More medication!! My daughter looked at him and said “Hell No”,
no more, get me off.. One night recently,
during an intense migraine which left her so nauseated she threw up all night
long.. Riddled with fear, anger, and pain.. something just hit me and the next
day I was back at research of reading stories of people who had problems going
on the medication as well as what to expect coming off. One story I found dropped my heart a few more
feet…all the feelings she’d had while she lay in bed for six weeks so sick, one
week after starting topamax…everything she felt were side effects of the
Topamax. EVERY SINGLE SYMPTON was a side
effect of the topamax. I can’t seem to
wrap my head around the fact that I continually called the psychiatrist during
her stint in bed, before the wilderness episode. Not once did he acknowledge these were side
effects of topamax. Nor did the
pediatric neurologist, or the general practitioner, or the ophthalmologist…why??? Dr. prescribe drugs and don’t know the side
effects.

My child yes, needed some help, probably just a good therapist,
she did have things to deal with. Who
doesn’t? But instead she lost part of
her youth, for years felt she was crazy, not normal. My marriage has been ripped apart on an
emotional rollercoaster with worry about her and how to help. My pocket book is empty…and now I’m just mad.

People we have a serious problem with Doctors and
pharmaceuticals, we have learned at IIN why we are so sick, how we’ve been
betrayed by our government. How healthy
people don’t make money only sick ones.
And the lack of knowledge Dr’s have about the medication they prescribe.

…outraged doesn’t come close to how I feel..

Hilary Lenton
Hilary Lenton
10 years ago

This is an incredibly biased and potentially dangerous documentary. While it raises the often serious problems of the side effects of psycho tropic medication, it fails to mention that these medications can also save lives. I worked with a teenage boy who was suicidal and aggressive for years. After being put on the RIGHT antidepressent, he became a happy, balanced, normal kid after just one month. Anti depressents can cause mania in people with bi polar, and the matter of medication is highly complex. However, if the person is in the hands of an excellent psychiatrist who provides weekly sessions when the medication is first introduced, then this does not need to be the 'dangerous' path presented in this video. On top of which, I do not believe that anyone goes and shoots their school mates because of the side effects of a drug. The side effects 'may' have been a contributing factor, but there is no evidence to say that the drugs alone create this kind of behaviour. If it were the case that the side effects of the drugs were the ONLY reason behind the Columbine shootings, then how do you explain the fact that not every teeanger who takes anti-depressents goes and shoots his school mates? Despite this documentary's criticisim of psychiatry not being an evidence basaed practice, there is NO evidence offered for any of the conclusions the documentary maker reaches. It is the most biased documentary I have ever seen!

alledagenheeldruk
alledagenheeldruk
11 years ago

I'm only 5 minutes into the docu and I already don't like it. The way they say things makes me feel they are biased and want to force an opinion on us (i.e. "this kind of medication has doubled" -> in my opinion there are a couple of reasons for this. First of all we've gotten better at diagnosing ADHD (not only by DSM, but also by brain scans etc.), but also because they've found more uses for Ritalin (it's also used for a sleeping disorder that makes people fall asleep during the day without reason)).

I was diagnosed with ADHD (combined kind) when I was 7. From my birth up until the birth of my brother (when I was 3 years old), my mother thought there wasn't much wrong with me. Yes, I was very hyperactive and didn't really have an attention span, but she thought this was normal for kids. Then my brother came along and he was totally different. Through talking with other moms she found out I was the one that was different, not him. At the same time I was having trouble in school. I'm very smart and learn quickly, so in school I was always bored, which made my ADHD symptoms rage and I was very hard to handle. Luckily I had the best teacher ever and she tried different things to help me (all pleasant for me).

But then Ritalin came along and it totally changed my life. My teachers really noticed a big improvement and I totally blossomed in school (I even skipped a year!) I only took it on school days, and only started taking them further into the school year, when they prooved necessary.

People tend to think that ADHD is just some hyperactivity and some concentration problems, and that it can be cured by really trying and proper guidance. Partly this is true, but really ADHD is a deficit in the brain, because there is a structural problem with dopamine and noradrenaline, which control impulses. That is why ADHD kids are so active (they can't control impulses to move), and why they can't concentrate (because the brain doesn't automatically redirect them back to the object of concentration).

I really have learned to live with my ADHD and I wouldn't want it any other way. When I want to concentrate better on studying (even though it's no "wonder pill"), I take my meds. Because I WANT to do this education and because I WANT this profession (I'm becoming a high school teacher). I'm taking my meds for ME and for nobody else. And I only have friends that can handle my hyperactivity.
Upside of ADHD: I can stay awake for a very long time without getting tired :) and I'm also very creative because of the weird hops my brain makes all the time.

alledagenheeldruk
alledagenheeldruk
11 years ago

I'm only 5 minutes into the docu and I already don't like it. The way they say things makes me feel they are biased and want to force an opinion on us (i.e. "this kind of medication has doubled" -> in my opinion there are a couple of reasons for this. First of all we've gotten better at diagnosing ADHD (not only by DSM, but also by brain scans etc.), but also because they've found more uses for Ritalin (it's also used for a sleeping disorder that makes people fall asleep during the day without reason)).

I was diagnosed with ADHD (combined kind) when I was 7. From my birth up until the birth of my brother (when I was 3 years old), my mother thought there wasn't much wrong with me. Yes, I was very hyperactive and didn't really have an attention span, but she thought this was normal for kids. Then my brother came along and he was totally different. Through talking with other moms she found out I was the one that was different, not him. At the same time I was having trouble in school. I'm very smart and learn quickly, so in school I was always bored, which made my ADHD symptoms rage and I was very hard to handle. Luckily I had the best teacher ever and she tried different things to help me (all pleasant for me).

But then Ritalin came along and it totally changed my life. My teachers really noticed a big improvement and I totally blossomed in school (I even skipped a year!) I only took it on school days, and only started taking them further into the school year, when they prooved necessary.

People tend to think that ADHD is just some hyperactivity and some concentration problems, and that it can be cured by really trying and proper guidance. Partly this is true, but really ADHD is a deficit in the brain, because there is a structural problem with dopamine and noradrenaline, which control impulses. That is why ADHD kids are so active (they can't control impulses to move), and why they can't concentrate (because the brain doesn't automatically redirect them back to the object of concentration).

I really have learned to live with my ADHD and I wouldn't want it any other way. When I want to concentrate better on studying (even though it's no "wonder pill"), I take my meds. Because I WANT to do this education and because I WANT this profession (I'm becoming a high school teacher). I'm taking my meds for ME and for nobody else. And I only have friends that can handle my hyperactivity.
Upside of ADHD: I can stay awake for a very long time without getting tired :) and I'm also very creative because of the weird hops my brain makes all the time.

Rintintinoo7
Rintintinoo7
12 years ago

There is no doubt that Psychiatry has emerged as the most insideous and devestating menace the peoples of this planet have ever been faced with,backed by the vastness of the Drug cartels and not having the remotest concept of moral or ethical values there is a barrier to getting them to change their ways but the good news is that lobbying the government to abide by the Declaration if Human Rights is a start and backing groups dedicated to making known the devestating effects of Psychotropic drugs while pushing for reform is a must,CCHR is aleader in this operating worldwide and the makers of the video Gary Null etc etc. john sowerby

Eric Furlong
Eric Furlong
12 years ago

My apologies, I just heard SSRI...now if they'll just explain the paradoxical drug interactions of amphetamines

Eric Furlong
Eric Furlong
12 years ago

Is it impossible to find a documentary that doesn't play on emotions and just states the facts? I'm halfway through this and I still haven't heard the acronym SSRI or the word dopamine. I got my hopes up @ 33:40 when I thought they were gonna show how amphetamines work on the dopamine receptors but instead Dr whatever his name is just gave me a crude metaphor! I started watching this video thinking I might get an explanation as to why some people become tired and zombie like on amphetamines while others become wired and extremely social. I personally have used a variety of stimulants (dextroamphetamine, methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine, and propylhexidrine) both under recommended doses and at recreational doses. Personally I think amphetamines are like the swiss army knife of productivity. When I take them I actually want to get off my lazy ass and do homework ( thanks to dopamine re-uptake inhibition), I think faster (with a slight impact on my creativity I'll admit), but it definitely makes me more hyper lol. The point is these drugs are not evil, they are meant for some but not all and its unfortunate that doctors have proliferated the use of these meds ESPECIALLY to young developing children. Ugh...I'm going back to wikipedia.

ConcernedStressedCaringParent
ConcernedStressedCaringParent
12 years ago

Drugging our children.
This is my story i have just had my rights as a parent removed and put in the hands of the father who has created my childs attitude by cussing and screaming in front of my child. Harrassing me by trying to run me off the road with my child in the car, taking my child and says his not returning my child.( I live alone with my child no witness) He does these things becasue he is fighting child support and trying to get the custody of my child. . He tells my son to leave my door open and in the present of my child leaves a message on my phone saying he hopes everyone steals everything. He instructed my child to leave the door open. Courts will not listen and are going by the school reports Schools will not get involved with problems i have with father, they will only document what they see. This is so sad, so sad my child acedmics are above average in some subjects. If i get frustrated and cry because i am so upset with what is happening with my child they will say i am unstabe. Testing showed he had no indicators of Adhd in his acedemics but after five hours of testing was given a compter test and this one he showed a small inicator for ADHD. This test was how fast you can press the x before it left the screen. My son said he did not understand this test on the day of the test therefore, i asked if they had any other test for ADHD i was told by the psychologist "she has experienced in the area and if my child is acting out because of the father then my child needed drugs to help him in school. she would not give me the results until i brought the school Conor forms in and if i brought them in next week she would have the medication ready for him. . his school reports say he figgits in seat, outbursts violence( throws a pencil on the floor) I have also had the police involved and dcf who have also helped by writing incomplete reports. I have asked his father for help to pay for other testing and he said No imeadiately He never asked or researched this matter. He has brought my son a cell phone , laptop, xbox games and ipod and toys every week) I ve tried diet but his father has gone against my efforts and returns him with large cups of soda at 9pm at night with a mc donalds bag of food. I now am depressed over this but scared to tell anyone as Drugs is all they can offer and as this problem will not stop i guess my dosage would go up too. LOL !!!!! father pays no child support and is always saying he has no money for gas to pick him up. he just moved from an apartment to a four bedroom house. I have no money for attorney so i feel i will lose this battle. Shame on america $$$$$$$$$ Sorry if there is grammarical mistakes in this post but my consentration is going due to the harrasment i have been through. Im sure if i explained this to a doctor I would need drugs like prozac which at one time i did take many years ago when i went through the divorce shortly after giving birth to my child.( farther physically abused me) I could not rest and twitched in my legs and heard voices. Switched to Zoloft and i could not swallow due to reflux. Tried another one cant remember name and i yawned all the time. I dont think drugs can help me in the situation i am in they can only hurt my health and doctors can only increase the dosage. I have explained to the judge what he does but becasue there is no evidince they will not listen. We go to court again next week to reduce child support again He says his not working but tells my child he is going overseas to work. We are surely going to loose our home now which will surely effect my sons attitude. I wonder if the doctor will recommend an increase of dosage due to his behaviour. This scares me as i am not willing to give him these drugs.

Beth Williams
Beth Williams
12 years ago

i was told my son had it starting when he was five.... i truly dont understand it. with all of his syptoms he could have many different things such as ADD ADHD and others i couldnt even begin to name he cryies all the time about everything he has anger issues doesnt listen has to be told over andover to do something speaks out of turn yells and is very affectionate so i dont know and cant find anyone who does

Lauren McVicar
Lauren McVicar
12 years ago

This is quite moving to me. I was on Ritalin for 11 years, from the time I was 9 and onward. I stopped taking it when I started having to pay for my own perscriptions. I never had any serious side effects, I sort of went through school in a fog. But when I stopped, after the few months of withdrawl were done, I was fine. And I can only imagine the things I would have been capable of if I had been given a chance to.

ritalintwitch
ritalintwitch
12 years ago

I do not agree with using these types of meds on children-CBT should be prescibed instead-but oh wait that actually works so it doesnt make money in the long run but hey. Diet, stress, and pressure at home or school OF COURSE all make it difficult for a child -or adult to concentrate and perhaps act 'badly' and disruptivly, this does not mean that they have ADHD.I agree that the drug companies have much to gain finacially form these prescriptions. However because of this the documentary really makes out that ADHD doesnt exist at all which I think shows a lack of research and sadly a closed minded approach;- there is no way that fidgiting in your seat can get you a diagnosis-not in the UK anyway. It is nearly impossible to get a positive diagnosis in the UK, and the 'score' of ADHD would have to be severe to get prescibed medication. The descrepency between a person's IQ and their ability (for example in school work) is what points to a problem of this kind not whether of not they shout out answers-(that is only one SMALL part of the diagnosis) ADHD is a learning difficluty as well as a social behavioural disorder which means we often have a high IQ but wildly fluctuating grades-which on average are not in line with their intelligence. for example at schoold before anyone knew what learning difficluties were my teacjers would complain that my work swayed and was 'all over the place' or accuse me of not doing ot myself because it was excellent enough for them to say that "theres no way you did this yourself! it must have been done by an adult"
another thing that bugged me- ADD people are not hyper or out of control at all so am curious as to why this point was stressed so much in terms of getting a diagnosis in the film. A healthy balanced diet does not get rid of ADHD,in ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM nor does meditation and loads of excersise-although i agree that these issues should without a doubt be fully addressed before a diagnosis can be preoperly made. ADHD doesnt mean that you will behave badly anyway! this whole film missed the point and just perpetuates illusions on the subject-ADHD actually means- THAT THE CONCENTRATION IS EITHER NOT THERE AT ALL OR THERE IS LOADS OF IT.-not my child keeps beating up other kidstherefore it has ADHD
CBT is the best treatment not ritalin, although it worked very well (for me), the side effects were too high a price to pay to take it regularly. The are SO MANY ASPECTS of adhd that are way more interesting and IMPORTANT that the ones raised in this programme, in fact if you need to be brain washed by a poorly made documentary full of opinions NOT facts to tell you that drug companies want to make money out of you and that giving 'speed; to your kids is bad then that is bleak

MyriamS
MyriamS
12 years ago

I have a PhD friend who says ADD is really an attachment disorder...the child and parents or guardians did NOT have the proper attachment in their relationship that was needed for the child to thrive...I believe this in part for sure and that diet and environment play a big part...especially the over stimulating environment of TV, video games and music that seems to alter our brains.

chevy2427
chevy2427
12 years ago

They have created this problem for our children. We cannot discipline our children with a good butt whooping when needed without having OSS in your business. They take away recess. They take away Physical Education classes. If they do have Physical Education classes, they really don't do much physical activity anymore. No wonder the children are crawling out of their skin in class and are overweight also. Well, let's put our children on ritalin and that will solve two problems, a normal active child that is bothersome and the overweight child.

Just213
Just213
12 years ago

@ 45:30, I love all the umms and aahhs and non specific answers. Parents, take note.. and please take care of your children.. as you can see, not many others are interested
AND ? so these drugged kids are essentially sbused BUT what do we say to the victims of their actions?

Joe Vanier
Joe Vanier
13 years ago

im lucky i went to a private school, my teachers demanded that i was on these hellish drugs but finally my parents took me off and never ran into problems cause of inside connections

i really feel for these people who are forced to take this crap

freya
freya
13 years ago

I have really awful depression and insommnia, have since age 14. I was admitted to hospital where i stayed for a month pumped with diazepam and citalopram.I was just 14 ,I became obsessive,morbid and very strange.I grew paranoid ,scared ..they diagnosed me with clinical depression and ocd. My behaviour grew stranger. From 14 to now I have been on most anti depressants out there, my gp said so. I'm now 25, on prozac and zolpidem, still paranoid and down. I think this doc is good and doubt i'd be the person i am now had i not been drugged through my teens .

L.Walker
L.Walker
13 years ago

just an observation - but i wonder if the rise of mental issues and adhd, etc with children has to do with how they're raised. both parents working, no one bothers to read to kids or let them out to play, just stuff them full of processed food and plunk them down in front of the tv.

i'm not that old, and i don't remember any kids at the grade school of my youth that had problems with adhd. i think it has more to do with a lack of real stimulation / parenting attention than any physiological problem. kids at that young of an age are sponges and need to be exposed to the world and society in order to learn how to learn.

even toys these days lack a certain kind of creativity. any animal put in a low stimulation environment and left there will develop stress habits and compulsive behavior.

Toby
Toby
13 years ago

I am 22 years young. and have first recently come to my attention that i have adhd. the medicine is not that easy to come by. i went to the doctor and i got a 2 weeks try out on motiron, then i went to tell my doctor how it was. and i told him the truth, you know i could sit down and relax and i could read more than 2 sentences without losing focus and have to start over again. but i couldn't tell him directly if it made a real difference. (mainly because i was unemployed at the time). so now I'm nearing the end of a 3 month with no medication try out. and I'm like i know what it is like not being on it.

im soon going to try and take an education. again.
there's no question now if i have adhd or not, the question is, is my condition bad enough so i need it.

just wanted to say this on 2 occasions i have been accused of being on cocaine, because of this condition. first time in my last school year. and second time just recently. when i had a meeting at the social office ( what do you call it, the place where you get your welfare check ?)

its not a nice being told that.

also i have lived my entire live until this point not knowing why i was unable to succeed at anything. its a comfort knowing now its not entirely my own fault.

if you doubt add or adhd is real then f@#$ you very much !

if a kid is treated with the medicine that doesn't suffer from the condition their hyperactivity ( which you all seem to assume is just caused by sugar rush ) will get much worse.

thank you goodnight.

DM
DM
13 years ago

I really enjoyed this documentary because it was so one sided. It allows you to think of people that you know who have benefited from medication such as Ritalin. I'm a firm believer in a healthy diet, and lots of exercise. I think that a lot of parents and teachers have unrealistic expectations for the children and need to readjust their way of thinking. Schools should have more activities rather than sitting children in a chair and assuming that they should sit there quietly and listen all day with a 15 minute recess every couple hours. It's unrealistic. Children have energy, and when that is coupled with a sedentary lifestyle that energy comes out in an unproductive and disruptive manner. Do I agree with the use of prescriptions for children? Only when necessary. Parents, pediatricians and teachers should have a conversation detailing the expectations of the child, and alternative methods to alter the behaviour before resorting to drugs.

catherine
catherine
13 years ago

"ROSIE" "...what you think is what you get" apparently you think very simplistically.

"Healer" you should rush right out and capitalize on all that knowledge and experience while you still know it all.

Anitbiotics were first distributed in the 1960's but that is certainly no argument against their being needed. We also thought the world to be flat once but fortunately we discover new facts all the time and never as rapidly as now. The most negative impact of ADHD is experienced when the patient is surrounded by people ignorant of what they offer opinions about. By far the worst effect is that experienced by a child who is told they are lazy, stupid, and bad for the bulk of their young lives until they have no self-esteem left.

Jackal Mikeson
Jackal Mikeson
13 years ago

I touched on this topic with my character Jackal Mikeson on youtube. He's the post mortem alter ego of Michael Jackson.

A. T. Heist
A. T. Heist
13 years ago

The hardest thing to do is sustaining a consecutive thought.
Try it. There are so many distraction, even when your eyes are closed, it's tough.

And I'm talking about people who have an idea on how to control their thoughts.

Are we to expect 2nd graders and above to display the concentration levels of the Dalai Lama?

C'mon.

Demetrius
Demetrius
13 years ago

And please, to the people who say this is a myth, try having the disorder before you assume anything about it. There are chemical differences, just as there are for other disorders. We are controlled by our chemicals and willpower, not one or the other.

If kids were just lazy, then the meds would not help them, would they? Yet on most occasions, when they are treating the disorder, (rather than laziness assumed to be the disorder,) it does actually help them improve in school.

The problem here is not medication. The problem here is lack of thought during diagnosis and far more kids medicated than need to be.

It's like breaking a leg and someone telling you to "walk it off". It's ignorant at best. ...Conversely, if you stub your toe, you don't need to go to the hospital, and your doctor should be able to tell the difference.

Demetrius
Demetrius
13 years ago

I do believe ADHD is far from a myth, however I also agree that the testing before they drug you is pathetic. (I've been through this myself.) I was diagnosed with ADHD in high school after a single test of flashing lights. Now, I might have ADHD, but the meds put me to sleep and made me depressed. I was later, (by a more competent doctor,) diagnosed with bipolar disorder, something that my first doc didn't even consider. (He did the ADHD test, stuck me on the meds, then never spoke to me again.) More critical analysis is needed, but don't bash all medications for it.

Lois
Lois
13 years ago

My husband lived with ADHD, and then panic, anxiety, and depression. Adrenaline would rush up through his chest, and he would go to the emergency room because he thought he was having a heart attack. When he started taking liquid nutrition with 120+ nutrients and minerals he quit have panic attacks and he quit smoking.

kokoy
kokoy
13 years ago

ADD / ADHD is a belief? You drug kids because of a belief? This is one of the huge conspiracies of the pharmaceutical industry... Poor kids...

Healer
Healer
13 years ago

Goddamn ADHD, it's just people without discipline. Should all children start acting like they were in the army? TAKE POSITION! SALUTE! STAND IN LINE, NO MOVING! It's just kids who haven't had enough discipline nor negative things in their life. Hardships are a part of life, lack of them shouldn't be treated with medicine... it should be treated as a person who had a spoiled childhood. Too rough discipline is not good, but a reasonable discipline and all kinds of hardships. And there's of course the group behaviour: if one learns from the people around, that acting like an ADHD is okay, then that's that.

Here's one logic. Ask yourselves why didn't people of the past need ADHD medicine. Ritalin was first largery distributed in 1950's, my grandpa was in the second world war. He didn't have that goddamn pill available in his youth, and I don't remember anyone mentioning him saying a problem like ADHD ruined anyone's life. Honestly I don't know, maybe it was because there weren't those kinda medicines available back then?

This achieving society is sick. Just eat your food, enjoy your life, surround yourself with people you like and who like you. What else is there? If you got an ambition, no one's stopping you, you don't have to push yourself tho. I watched the South Park episode about this thing, ADHD and ritalin. That episode had a lot of good stuff in it. I guess Matt and Trey know this issue, since it happens in their homeland. There's a whole lot of documents I've watched, and only one thing I have to say. Good luck with your government and big companies, good people of United States of America, you need it.

Rosie
Rosie
13 years ago

Of course all of you who are taking these drugs "Think" you actually need it, you have been brain washed to think you need it, to think it works. The power of the mind is amazing. What you think is what you get.

deborah
deborah
13 years ago

It has certaintly made me more knowledgeeable about legal drugs that is handed out to children for profit, unbelievable that the goverment and law is letting this happen, i wish luck for the mother who has been fighting to get her son back, it diabolical that she has had to go through what she has , all she has wanted is whats been in her son best intreast, and she been punised for it unbelievabal , an eye opener documentary .

yourboycal
yourboycal
13 years ago

" To those who disagree, looking from the outside looking in is always easier to judge. My point being , all of you should stop worrinying about impressing yourself by having an opinion, and try to impress someone else enough for them to change theirs. Everybody thinks their so damn smart"

I couldnt have said it better good sir . So many trolls on this website thinking there so smart leaving there silly comments. I think they lack the attention from there peers friends and family so they need a little attention online.

To them i say if you can make a better documentary please go right ahead . Load it up here and watch the trolls come with there Im so smart attitude.

Spencer
Spencer
13 years ago

QUALITY OF LIFE - My son could not even complete kindergarten, was incapable of looking anyone in the eye for more than a fraction of a second, could not focus, could not learn, was nonfunctioning as a student, in society, as a contributing member of the society. I was absolutely against medication!

That was over 12 years ago. He has now graduated high school with a 3.8 GPA, he is responsibly holding down a fulltime job, and is working on his future. Sure, he has problems like everybody else. He's not perfect. However, without his meds I don't believe he would have ever completed kindergarten. The affects of the meds for ADHD have had a profound influence in his life - for the good.

Yes, there have been side effects. But, he is now a functioning and contributing adult memeber of society. I thank God for the gift of properly administered medications for the treatment of ADHD.

Insulin prolonged my father's life. Interferon and Riboviron is iradicating my Hep-C. There was no cure for Mom's Alzheimer's Disease but I hope that one day there will be. There are thousands of other medications that have benefitted man, all made available through science and medicine through the knowledge the Lord has made available to us as His Children.

Unfortunately, every good thing has a potential for abuse and there are always detractors who are too afraid to accept the good that is being made available in this age of light and knowledge. Shame on you.

Simon
Simon
13 years ago

ok. to start with i have adhd. taking 60mg of ritalin each morning. i know ive been a bit to hyper in my younger age. but to be honest it was from grade 1-6 i was a good student. after that i started getting trouble in school but i made it. same year as i started taking ritaline i couldnt complete the course i studyed when i was 16. after that i havnt completed any education ive tryed to learn. and also during this time i started getting trouble with other drugs and alkohol. yes were beeing drugged, atleast i started getting problems with other drugs and yes i cant live today without my medics. maybe couse i thought i was normal first i dont know that. but now i cant sit at the pc without my morning meds. havnt watched this doc yet. but i just saw some comments about adhd beeing a myth and that doctors are drugging their patients. just wanted to comment this as i got this myself.

nick_kcin
nick_kcin
13 years ago

JB - "Except for the fact that hundreds of fMRI and EEG studies have shown that the brains of people diagnosed with ADHD really do work differently to those of people without ADHD. Differing levels of activity in various parts of the brain, different time-courses for that activity, plus an improvement in ADHD symptoms due to use of common ADHD medications such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), atomoxetine, etc."

I suspect you're talking out your ass, or if not please be a bit more specific because from what I know no biological cause has ever been discovered for ADD or ADHD, anything to do with the dopamine receptors which is often cited as a cause only sometimes lead to the 'disorder' when combined with environmental factors, and dont necessarily indicate a higher chance of developing the 'disorder' anyway

MissV
MissV
13 years ago

@ Caroline and JB.

There might be studies, but find out who paid for them before you start making assumptions.
The drug companies have ties to every study if you really investigate. Not only that, but maybe the diseases are really there, but I have yet to meet someone who had a brainscan before they where diagnosed with ADHD or ADD. So then what do the studies mean? absolutely nothing.

toughen up
toughen up
14 years ago

The nutrients, acids, fats, etc., that we get from our foods, vitamins and water are the only chemicals the body uses for fuel. This is not new age. This is the oldest formula in history for good health and that includes good mental health. Psychotropic drugs do not cure, they suppress symptoms. If you are suffering from mental health issues talk to a medical doctor skilled in the art of good nutrition. It's the only cure.

JB
JB
14 years ago

"Hence, diagnosing a child or adolescent with ADD or ADHD is often the outcome, although no organic basis for either disease has yet to be clinically proven."

Except for the fact that hundreds of fMRI and EEG studies have shown that the brains of people diagnosed with ADHD really do work differently to those of people without ADHD. Differing levels of activity in various parts of the brain, different time-courses for that activity, plus an improvement in ADHD symptoms due to use of common ADHD medications such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), atomoxetine, etc.

There is an organic basis, without a doubt.

There are side effects such as nausea or insomnia to thousands of medications; it's not that surprising that ADHD medications have them as well. If kids with ADHD experience such symptoms when on ADHD medication, it is completely up to them and their parents whether they continue with the medication or not. No one will force them to.

And a recent study looking at all ADHD patients treated with medication in the UK between 1993 and 2006 found no deaths associated with the medications.

dave
dave
14 years ago

look up the baker act in florida, then judge

mazzy
mazzy
14 years ago

I prefer Frontline's 'The Medicated Child'. It's shorter, has more information, and is not one-sided.