Still on the subject of excessive medical intervention, an article in this morning’s Natural News by human rights investigator, Monica Young, on the over-medication of boys for behavioural problems make horrifying reading.
She suggests that, in the US, what used to be seen as typical child and adolescent behaviour (disobedience, defiance of rules, moodiness, talking too much, cheekiness) is now being redefined as mental illness in need of medication.
To pull out just a few statistics:
• Over 5 million US children are now ‘diagnosed’ as ADHD
• In AfroAmerican schools up to 50% of boys are referred for medication.
• No medical tests are used for diagnosis before medication is prescribed.
• Prescribing stimulants to children is thought to foster a drug habit which may lead to the use of illegal stimulants.
• None of the drugs aim to cure, merely to manage – and many are designed for long term usage eg the children may be on them for life.
Quote:
Vice president of drug giant Bristol-Myers Squibb recently announced FDA approval for an expanded use of their bipolar blockbuster. He states, “Because bipolar disorder is a lifelong and recurrent illness, this labelling update provides physicians with the option to prescribe Abilify as an add-on to either lithium or valproate as a long-term treatment to help manage symptoms of Bipolar I Disorder.” Translation for bipolars: “You’ll be hooked on our medications for life.”