Campaign Against Drugging of Foster Children

March 27, 2015

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The US National Center for Youth Law has launched an “action campaign” to educate and rally the public and persuade federal and state officials to strengthen efforts to reduce the psychiatric drugging of children and youth in foster care.

“The National Center for Youth Law invites you to participate in a campaign to end the inappropriate and harmful sedation of tens of thousands of foster children,” states the press release. “High doses of psychotropic ‘antipsychotic’ drugs produce lethargic, ‘zoned out’ children, preventing their normal development. Medical guidelines do not sanction such sedation… The federal government’s initiative is likely to succeed only if organizations and individuals make clear the need for prompt action. We are asking you to join us in communicating that message to federal and state officials, to Congress, and to state legislators.”

PsychDrugs Action Campaign (National Center for Youth Law)

6 COMMENTS

Ted Chabasinski, J.D. March 27, 2015 at 1:07 am

This is good news, and an issue the psych survivors movement should be paying more attention to. It’s the kind of practice that the general public can be made to see is very destructive. The abuse of children is something that most people will respond to.

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- Someone Else March 27, 2015 at 10:15 am
  
  I completely agree, Ted. I was shocked and appalled at the betrayal, when I was drugged.
  
  But I am absolutely heartbroken and disgusted at the almost unfathomable damage being done to millions of children, many of whom are being turned into bipolar / schizophrenics via almost the exact same iatrogenic pathway as my doctors and pastors, intentionally, covered up easily recognized iatrogenesis and medical evidence of child abuse. The “dirty little secret of the two original educated professions” has gone viral.
  
  The psychiatric defaming, and creation of iatrogenic “mental illnesses,” in children needs to end!
  
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  - moretoit March 27, 2015 at 3:59 pm
    
    Would you mind offering the scientific data that you relied upon to conclude what you have stated? I would love to be able to use it. Thanks
    
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    - Someone Else March 28, 2015 at 3:42 pm
      
      moretoit,
      
      I have spent the last 10 years researching iatrogenic bipolar and schizophrenia, but have not yet published my research. I hope to at some point, however.
      
      But I highly recommend you read Whitaker’s ‘Anatomy of an Epidemic.’ And if you google iatrogenic bipolar, you will find many websites discussing the fact that the ADHD drugs and antidepressant ADRs are regularly being misdiagnosed as bipolar.
      
      Here is a journal article and an article from Psychology Today discussing these issues:
      
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3474133/
      
      https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mad-in-america/201102/andreasen-drops-bombshell-antipsychotics-shrink-the-brain
      
      I have also found evidence on drugs.com that the antipsychotics do in fact cause the schizophrenia symptoms, especially when used in combination or with certain other drugs, via something known as the central symptoms of neuroleptic induced anticholinergic intoxication syndrome.
      
      “neuroleptics … may result in … the anticholinergic intoxication syndrome … Central symptoms may include memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, hallucinations, psychosis, delirium, hyperactivity, twitching or jerking movements, stereotypy, and seizures.”
      
      This description of the central symptoms of neuroleptic / antipsychotic induced anticholinergic intoxication syndrome are almost identical to the symptoms of schizophrenia, the only difference is “hyperactivity” vs. “inactivity.” But the neuroleptics are tranquilizers that make everyone tired, so doctors can’t distinguish between schizophrenia and the central symptoms of neuroleptic induced anticholinergic intoxication syndrome.
      
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    - B September 4, 2015 at 6:05 pm
      
      Amphetamines (aka stimulants or ADHD drugs) are known to cause psychosis, which then turns to “bipolar” or “psychotic disorder” or whatever label is more fashionable at the time.
      
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Steve McCrea March 27, 2015 at 3:30 pm

I signed up for their newsletter, and I encourage anyone here who cares about this issue to do the same. I’m also offering my professional assistance, though I don’t know what exactly that will mean.

This is such an important issue, and as Ted always points out, it’s places like this where the psychiatric storyline most easily comes unraveled. Almost anyone can understand how and why a kid in foster care comes to have behavioral or emotional problems, and the idea of drugging them at 4-5 times the national average is almost instantly offensive to most lay people. It’s a great political platform if we can all get behind it.

—- Steve

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