Topic : 09/28 Overmedicating America: The Cruise Controversy

The answer is yes, many western countrys over medicate today, why ? because to many, far to many  people, demand a painless life.  Ha ha ha ha, opps sorry that was not ment to come out

For years I struggled with depression and kept wondering what is wrong with me, why can't I just snap out of it or just get over what ever it was bringing me down.  Then I decided to get help.  If taking medication is what makes me feel better then bring it on.  The first one I tried I honestly wasn't expecting it to work, often times people can try numerous meds before finding the right mix for them, I got lucky.  I don't know what causes depression, I don't care if it can be measured, if it's a chemical imbalance or a socializing issue, or even if a definate answer has to wait until I'm dead for the autopsy.  What I do know is that Tom Cruise didn't graduate from medical school with a specialty in psychiatry and until he experience depression first hand I don't need him sprouting off about the specialty being a crock.  Quite frankly all medicine is a guessing game.  Would he redicule someone with cancer?  The "growth" from depression may not be measurable like one from cancer but that doesn't make it any less real or painful for the individual suffering from it or their family.   One this is for sure, this woman has seen her last Tom Cruise movie.

What kids need these days are a little more exercise, less video games, less SUGAR and parents who actually take an interest in their childrens lives.  I have a family member whose mom does a wonderful job making sure he is happy and adjusted (not normal because God only knows what that is).  She spends hours a night with him doing homework and giving him the extra time he needs.  Quite frankly I think it would be a cold day in h*ll before she put him on meds.  For them and this situation that works.  Not every case is the same though

There have ALWAYS been kids with ADHD it just wasn't diagnosed.   You are right, they were called "bad kids, brats, trouble makers" you name it and many of them got kicked out of school, dropped out of school or ended up in JAIL.   Today we have medication that can HELP the child to focus and LEARN so they can get a education and live a NORMAL life.    That is where these "ADD kids come from".   

  

I get so sick of repeating myself but it must be said, the meds will NOT work if the child doesn't have the problem.   If the meds make the kid "zombie like" or whatever they are either NOT ADD/ADHD or are the wrong medication or dose for the child.   

  

RR 

It's also happening here in Australia. Just this last week on one of our TV show's, A Current Affair. They had an interesting story on children that are ADHD and ADD who are on tablets. Some of these children are taking up to 15 to 20 tablets per day.  

 

Some are to keep them calm while others help them to sleep at night.  

 

I do understand the pro's and con's of these tablets as I have seen first hand what some of these children are like that have ADD or ADHD.  

 

Yes it was thought many years ago that these children are just brats that need their parents firm hand on their behind but then over the years the Specialists and Doctors have been doing alot of research and have found it to be true about ADD and ADHD. It's not that the children are being little so and so's. These children just can't help that they are like this. It's all to do with whats happening upstairs in their brain. 

 

So I guess the only thing that we can do is to support those who have children with these problems and also help the Doctors and Specialists to find a better way of helping those children who need the help to get on with their lifes.  

 

And if these children need these tablets for now then just let them be on them for now and hopefully in the mean time something can be done to find a better way to dealing with the problem long term. 

 

TAKE CARE, LOVE KELLY. 

HELLO if you read the package insert given with every prescription medication has all side effects and risks. The public has this information to make an informed choice. People CHOOSE not to investigate medications and their risks, people choose to not read the fine print and then go on TV and whine about it. Stop blaming the drug companies for everything and take responsibility. 

  

For kids that really have ADHD they could play outside from 8:00AM until 8:00PM going non-stop and it will NOT tire them out. 

  

And to say that the parents are not taking a interest in the childs life is SOO wrong.   You have no idea what these parents are doing.   All of my sons teachers have commented at how great they think it is that I'm SOO involved in my sons life and helping him to do his best.   

  

Spending HOURS doing homework is not something I have time for, I have a 2 yr old and a 4 month old that need my attention as well and my son does him homework right after school so my husband isn't home to help at that time.  With medication he is able to concentrate and get the homework done in a reasonable amount of time and get it done on his OWN which is great for his self esteem.   

  

People really get true ADHD kids confused with kids that are not. 

  

RR 

Exactly! The misinformation out about these drugs,especially antidepressants,is criminal. I almost lost my child to a reaction to paxil. Suicidality,aggression,violent thoughts are all things to watch for. TWO adolescent psychiatrists missed all the signs and just kept increasing the dose until he attempted suicide. Now withdrawal was a whole other story. Months of hell! We as consumers have a right to complete information about the drugs that we take. We should have been told that the clinical trials showed NO efficacy in children and SHOWED the increased risk of suicide. This was only after ALL the clinical trials were made public. The FDA only saw one. Yet it took hundreds of families fighting everyday to have the FDA finally issue a black box warning. Withdrawal is still denied by pharma, yet thousands are living this hell everyday. To subject a childs brain to the unknown effects of these drugs is scary. To this day my now recovered son has short term memory loss and twitches. He lost out on 3 years of high school due to paxil side effects and subsequent withdrawal. Don't do this to your child, learn from my mistakes in allowing him to take this.I consider my son very lucky. I started to look on the internet to find answers to what I was seeing and found them. I talk to families every day who weren't so lucky and their children has successfully committed suicide. Everyday new warnings about these drugs are coming out. Great Britian has banned these drugs outright for under 18 and has put in place required therapy for treating children and teens. They are light years ahead of the U.S. in recognizing the danger of ssri's. You cannot alter the neurotransmitters of the brain without affecting every other process in the body. Only the future will tell the true damage being done. The insulin/diabetes argument, while a favorite of docs, doesn't fly. When they can give you a "normal" range in serotonin and norepinephrine and a test kit to take home with you that argument may work. Until that time it's guesswork. They can't prove the chemical imbalance "theory" any more that I can dissprove it. It's a moot point, it's NOT measurable by current medical testing. The only accurate way to measure serotonin is with a brain biopsy. Yet we're altering something that may be completely normal.To randomly alter the brain chemicals with no controls opens up a Pandora's box.

There is no black and white regarding this issue.  

  

The solution is exactly what Dr. Phil said, medication should not be used lightly. Extensive testing needs to be done before.  But, it is not offered.  There is very little literature on testing.  Especially the type of testing suggested.  ADHD/ADD is most often diagnosed through questioneers answered by parents, teachers and family.  And if a child is tested and it is determined they need medication as a tool and the medication is effective. Then we should not judge that and make the parents feel bad for medicating their children.   

  

Its obsurd how this country likes to judge people.  pfft...  

To All,   

  

It appears that everyone has an opinion about these medications whether or not they have a medical background or personal knowledge by taking them.  I would not be alive today if now for Prozac, and the other newer medicines.  To those who need those meds, they are a gift from God.  They certainsl made it such that I could get well.   

  

So, Tom Cruise, your credibility went down to zero from your remarks in that regard.  You were speaking for fact something that you know little or nothing about.   By the way, I am older than Dr. Phil and have been around this old  world a few times also.    

  

Haroldbras