Are we raising a culture of pill-popping hypochondriac warriors? What worries me is the question whether mood stabilizing drugs are being overly-prescribed. These medications are disrupting their natural child wonder and flow of thought. Are we close to experiencing science designer-children? Did you know that scientific research has proven that mood stabilizing drugs only mask behavioral problems? I got interested in this subject because of my granddaughter, Siara. She is a wild child. She is six and in the first grade. Her school has asked that she be examined for ADHD. Siara is smart. She talks like an adult. She is imaginative, creative and cheerful most all the time. She’s got a great heart. Yes, it is hard to quiet her down. She gets so excited. I do, too. Yes, she loses her pencils, her homework, her place when reading nevertheless she loves to learn and can sit on the computer doing learning games for a long time. It has her complete attention. Her biggest problem is her memory. Coincidentally, that is my problem, too. Most of us older people suffer from memory lapses and we’re given the natural vitamin St. John’s Wort and Ginkco.
Everyone in my family has trouble taking verbal instructions. Must we be medicated just because we process information differently than others? There are many famous people who suffer from social disorders and yet they have successfully overcome their quirks by becoming celebrated inventors, masters in the arts, writers, poets, musicians and teachers. Two of the most well-known inventors are Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison. They both struggled with school work and eventually had to be home schooled. The 1999 Time Magazine named Einstein the "Person of the Century," and Einstein’s biographer Don Howard says, "Einstein is synonymous with genius.”
Many of us can’t help but wonder if the brain serves the body, or does the body serve the brain? Maybe, some kids just have bad manners? What is normal at home may not be normal outside the home. Every person, event, circumstance and situation that affected us deeply traced itself into our heart. We can’t take our heart out of the equation. Haven’t we all heard, “What is your heart trying to tell you?” Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung knew so long ago, language was not always adequate to express what we’re feeling. Disrupting the flow of their mind is a dangerous thing to do that can effect all their futures.
We need to listen more to our teenagers when they tell us what it is, “they like and what they need.” Even Super Nanny, the TV show, uses communication to get through the hard shells of a problem child. Although, I would spank a few, she is amazingly successful remaking problem kids into loving obeying kids. That is where we parents need to step in. None of us likes to be ignored when we need to vent. If we don’t vent, we blow. The same is true for kids.
Plato wrote “That each member of a society ought to do what they are best at and be alleviated from responsibility of those things they are not good at, which can be done by others.” He understood that all us are gifted in our own way. I agree with Sylvia Brown, the psychic who says, “It’s just a fact that every single on of us had a God-driven purpose and every life we experience is a building block toward fulfilling that purpose. Our spirit minds know what that purpose is, whether our conscious minds can define it or not.” Following our heart is the best way to discipline and medicate. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.
Teachers need to sell education as a fun and necessary not a place of torture. Not long ago Siara came home crying. She filled many pillow cases with her dolls, toys and clothes. She was running away from her home to grandma’s house because her mom made her go to school. She didn’t want to go to school anymore. The teachers were mad at her and she was facing detention for not paying attention. This is so sad. As they get older, they are going to need all the hope and confidence they can get. Children need to learn self-love.
If we adults label them as “dumb” or “not like the others in a bad way” this could destroy their confidence. They may even quit trying and some day think, “why bother?” When I was in grade school, I suffered from a nervous bladder, runny nose, depression and anxiety. I had no self-esteem. I’ve looked for self-love most of my life. It is so hard to concentrate and learn when our body is attacking us. Everyday was torture for me. I remember being put in the corner because I wasn’t obeying my teacher’s instructions. I was mortified and everyone laughed. I wish that teacher had tried to build me up instead of tear me down. I grew into an unhappy perfectionist because I wasn’t perfect at anything.
Those who suffer mental illnesses like depression and attention disorders are happier in repetitive jobs. My own particular flow of concentration made me a good statistical and legal typist. We all have distinctive talents we were born with and we should be encouraged to hone our natural abilities. Those with ADD-ADHD are especially good at reading body language. Genes are curious little fellows who can’t hold us socially challenged down if we’re optimistic about learning. The rich & famous have been known to carry the ADD/ADHD gene. This includes geniuses, rock stars and billionaires. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this group?
The three main reasons for medicating are inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity. If you feel that you or your children have some form of these disorders, check out “The 3 Simple, Proven, Steps to Conquering Your ADD-ADHA Naturally.” Jon Bennett, the author, warns us these medications can cause death, suicide and/or life-threatening injuries. Please discuss all these concerns with your doctor before prescribing mood stabilizers for children.
Now, science has discovered the cause of many strange occurrences in the life of children and teenagers. Before it was Freud explaining everything to an Oedipus complex, but it doesn't wash anymore.
The good quacks, having the symptoms but not having a clue how to dispense with with the malady...props the little patients with all kind of pills that will make, some of them, a screwed human being that you don't wish for a neighbor.
This is a well balanced article that give also guidelines how to.
Georg