[Profpat]

Originally Posted by Mikal Whether school violence is at the University level or lower does it not seem incredible that most shooters share the commonality of having a history of young Ritalen or neuropsychotic drug use. Drugging the young was not going on back in the 60s, we had no school violence, no shootings but then again we were not drugged for behavior control and school for us was about learning not behavior. We need to do some more thinking about how the big Pharmacuetical Industrys are destroying our society, lives and our young.

Whao, Mikal, aren't you taking a giant leap of cause and effect here. Without the drugs that my cardiologist prescribes for me, and those pharmacutical companies developing and making those drugs I wouldn't be alive right now to enjoy my grandson.

The cause and effect may be the individuals themselves. Remember it was their parents who took them to the doctors in the first place, because their child was displaying behavior problems. It was the the doctor who did the examination and decided that perhaps Ritalin may help. It then was the parents who decided to follow the doctors advice.

Be careful you don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Your rush to judgement is a good example how mass hysteria works when looking for a scapegoat.

Best,

Pat

[Mikal]

No offence intended Pat but your cardiological needs are a medical issue...drugging the young is a societal issue. I am a Certified Child and Youth Councillor, trained and worked in the School System until I realized that something was terribly wrong in the system. Seen a lot, heard a lot, witnessed a lot...its amazing what walls and closed doors hide. After years of research there is no rush to judgement here.

[Profpat]

No offense taken here Mikal. And no offense meant when I state that being a child counselor doesn't really give you the credentials to judge our medical system. You are entitled to your opinion of course, as I am to mine regarding your opinion.

Your statement of:

We need to do some more thinking about how the big Pharmacuetical Industrys are destroying our society, lives and our young.

Seems pretty judgemental, with little to no evidence.
To me, the pharmacutical industry is NOT destroying our society, lives and the young.

Best to you Mikal,

Pat

[Profpat]

I forgot to mention my daughter is a K-12 teacher, and it was her comment that the ritalin starts at the school system, where teachers and counselors tell parents to take their children to the doctors to get ritalin because a perceived behavior problem they noticed at school.

So if you want targets to throw stones at there are many out there.

Best,

Pat

P.S. Many times it's the teachers who administer the ritalin to the students

[Mikal]

Pat...when psychiatrist Thomas Szasz stepped to the fringe of his field in the 1960's he stated, "Psychiatry and the Medical field will medicalize all human problems, attach them to neural circuitry, label them as disorders and pharmecuetically control them." Its a tad strange when here we are in 2008 and we are living his prediction. Our normal state to feel sad is now depression, a childs enthusiasm to play is now ADD, a childs spontaneous love to run, climb and touch his world is now HDD, if your sexual energy wanes oh yes thats a disorder, is your dog or cat looking sad...yes there is prozac for them too. I suppose you didn't know that for every child drugged there is a 500.00 payout to the school board. I suppose you don't know that behind closed doors, schools are labelled..I got sent to what they called, "the garbage pail of the system" and I suppose that you would not know that in college the first family studies class begins with "the family is no longer sacred." For a good read from the New York Best Teacher Of The Year go to the John Gatto site and read his online book. Its right from the heart of a Teacher.
Where does Ritilen start? My grandson just began school two years ago...first accusation, he's hyperactive..you'll have to put him on Ritalen. Second suggestion when there is refusal...need a psychological report in order for him to stay in school. This done I advised my daughter the results do not have to be shared with school. It did not matter that he was normal and quite intelligent..it is the fact that the report is filed that hurts. A two year battle to protect his young growing brain. He is now able to tell us that his first behavior was about not liking leaving home and mom...now he is fine, ready to go to school and those behaviors are gone because leaving home, mom and play is a hard adjustment cycle for young children.
Personally pat, I have lost three family members to the psychiatric and pharmacuetical nightmare going on in our society. I will spare you those nightmares..they are my heartaches and losses in life...no vengence here...just an insightful realization about the whole mess.
peace Mikal

[Profpat]

Mikal:

I'm very sorry for your losses. I lost my siblings and my parents and now stand alone with my two children and grandson. I'm very blessed to have children. My most fervent prayer is that they bury me, and not I them, as my parents had to do with my brother and sister.

I am not trying to defend Ritalin or it's use ( overuse ) here. I have no idea as to the positive benefits, if any, versus it's negative side affects. I and my exwife never put our children on the drug, because like you, I believe a normal child will be hyperactive, and the hyper part is in relation to old people.

My only opinion is that before we throw the baby out with the bath water lets look at all the consequences of that act.

Very best to you,

Pat

[Mikal]

Pat..sent you a private message