“I have long maintained that the child psychiatrist is one of the most dangerous enemies, not only of children, but also of adults who care for the two most precious and most vulnerable things in life – children and liberty.” Dr Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus
Parents are rarely informed about the potential risks of drugs being prescribed for psychiatric ‘conditions’ such as ‘Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder’ (ADHD). There is a lot of information provided to parents about psychostimulants, drugs commonly prescribed to those labelled with ADHD, but it is often skewed because of the financial conflicts of interest between psychiatrists recommending them and the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture them.
Another problem concerns the diagnoses for ADHD, conduct disorders or learning disorders. The diagnoses are so broad that nearly all children, and even adults, could fit the criteria.
Parents are not informed that such diagnoses are not based on any sound medical science. With no laboratorytests to verify the presence or absence of any mental illness, psychiatrists define symptoms of ADHD, including the following:
- fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork or other tasks;
- work is often messy or careless;
- has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities;
- fails to complete schoolwork, chores, or other duties;
- often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat;
- often runs or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate;
- is often “on the go”;
- often talks excessively;
- interrupts or intrudes on others
The psychiatric premise for prescribing drugs revolves around the idea of a ‘chemical imbalance‘ in the brain. This idea has been accepted without inspection. There are no scientific tests to determine the existence of such an imbalance just as there are no tests to determine if a chemical balance has been achieved.
Furthermore, the prescribed drugs can have serious consequences, that include some of the following side-effects:
- abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- stunted growth
- suicidal thoughts
- violent behaviour
- weight loss and ‘zombie’ appearance