“Study: Kids with ADHD taking strong drugs with major side effects”

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Fox 5 Atlanta featured a back to school story about the growing percentage of preteens and teens being prescribed antipsychotic medication for ADHD.  They report:  “Nobody, whether you’re a mom trying to advocate for your child, or you’re a physician trying to decide what’s best for the child, nobody wants a child on a medication with long-term side effects that may even affect their development. Nobody wants that. We have to create a system that really digs and looks for other options for these kids.”

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The segment referenced a study published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on trends in the treatment of young people with antipsychotic medications.

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Olfson, M., King, M., & Schoenbaum, M. (2015). Treatment of young people with antipsychotic medications in the United States. JAMA psychiatry. (Full Text)

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4 COMMENTS

  1. The answer to why these kids are prescribed “anti-psychotics” is quite simple – because in the current model the only thing the psychiatrists know to do is to drug people. And when one drug does not “work” then they need to go to another drug or add it on top. Since psychiatry has like 5 classes of drugs they are essentially flipping a coin (he seems sad – here’s SSRI, a bit angry – anti-psychotic etc.). It’s all ridiculous and tragic in the same time.

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    • Actually, a lot of times they are prescribe antipsychotics because the stimulants have made them aggressive. Since stimulants increase dopamine and too much dopamine can lead to aggression or even hallucinations, it’s not rare for these to be seen in stimulant users, even at “therapeutic” doses. Of course, in their rigid and narrow-minded stupidity, instead of saying, “Wow, too much dopamine, better give them less stimulants!” the stimulants are in most cases let off the hook, and the child is diagnosed with bipolar disorder or some psychotic disorder and then put on antipsychotics, which ironically REDUCE the very dopamine that the stimulants are so effectively increasing above tolerable levels. One can imagine that the result of this push me-pull you kind of “therapy” are not very happy, but as always, the drugs are never to blame and it’s always the patient’s fault, so if the kid doesn’t get better with the two drugs, they get onto three, four or even five and usually end up in residential treatment. Even if the two drug plan “works,” the child is generally left overweight, unmotivated, and kind of hopeless. It’s a great plan, if you’re trying to drug someone into apathy.

      —- Steve

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  3. Number 1: Anti-psychotic drugs are evil and toxic for any condition and any age group and to prescribe them to growing, vulnerable children is the height of complete and total immorality and care and concern for the growing mind and body of a child; which is to also consider the body seems to stop its growing as an adult; but the mind continues its wonderful growth cycle. Thus, the evil of prescribing anti-psychotic drugs to all people, to all age groups, no matter the condition. I have read on this very site about the over-prescribing of ant-psychotics to those on the other end of the “age spectrum” those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. I know at times when I have picked my prescription at the pharmacy for a particular anti-psychotic drug, the pharmacist would comment to me how I was on such a very strong drug. Second, I do applaud this news station in Atlanta, GA for bringing this horrific problem to light and suggesting there may be other ways of intervention; other than anti-psychotic drugs; although I continually question the legimatacy of the ADHD diagnosis for any person. Third, it was noted that stimulant medication can bring on “aggressiveness” thus the prescription of the dangerous anti-psychotics. My times of taking stimulants either led to a lack of focus, concentration, memory (sort of like there was an empty hole or bubble in my brain that couldn’t get released. I get the same problem with coffee, no other caffeinated drinks) or it caused such an enormous anxiety, insomnia, etc that it felt like some evil monster had taken over my body and I could only move in jerky, needlessly un-coordinated movements. Everytime, the doctor prescribed me a stimulant for whatever unnecessary reason, I told him or her I would refuse to continue taking it! Lastly, WHY ARE WE PRESCRIBING ANY OF THESE EVIL, TOXIC ADDICTIVE DRUGS, STIMULANTS, ANTI-PSYCHOTICS, ANTI-DEPRESSANTS, ETC FOR JUST BEING A NORMAL KID WHO MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE THINK A KID SHOULD BE AND ARE UNWILLING TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO DEAL WITH OTHER THAN STULTIFYING THEIR GROWTH, MESSING WITH THEIR MINDS, ETC. THAN WHAT OCCURS WITH THESE DRUGS? You see, nowadays, if we can’t deal or approve of someone of any age because of their thoughts, behavior, actions, personality, intelligence that is unique or being smarter than you in some respect, even how they dress or whatever, even if benign; even if they are essentially moral beings, WE JUST WANT TO DRUG THEM OUT OF EXISTENCE SO THEIR BEING ON EARTH WILL NO LONGER DISTURB OUR SELFISH LITTLE LIVES. I SAY :SAY NOT TO DRUGS, ANY DRUGS; UNLESS IF YOU DON’T TAKE THEM YOU WILL DIE BEFORE YOUR TIME! Thank you. Shouting is so good for the soul; even if in writing only. My pastor shouts on Sundays and I listen!

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