An article in the UK Telegraph yesterday takes a look at the increasing medication of children for “mental illnesses.” Titled “Child mental health fears prompt rise of ‘quick fix’ drugs“ it saw the tendency toward “Mc”Donaldisation” of childhood mental health, and that it is feeding on “peoples’ desire for instant satisfaction and a quick fix.”
This is something we have observed over the years here at at Woodbury Reports and have expressed concern about. It seems a similar pattern is developing in the UK as is happening in the States, with a study in 2004 finding that the incidence of drug prescription to troubled teens and other children rose 68% in the UK over a two year period.
Some children suffer from mental health problems definitely do need medication, but the increase as reported in the UK of prescriptions to cildren for stimulants increasing from 6,000 in 1994 to 450,000 by 2004 sounds like an extreme over-simplification of the treatment for behavioral and emotional problems.
Not only can the medication carry with it negative side effects, the more damaging part is the attitude that seems to go along with medication that the problem is addressed and no further scrutiny is needed.
What do you think?
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It is important to note that not only medication is on the rise, but diagnosis rates are as well. It gets back to the classic argument in some ways. Is the prevalence, and thus the need for medication rising? Or, are we finally able to recognize it (while the prevalence has remained constant), name it, and treat it? Or are the pharmaceutical companies marketing products to stressed out parents aiming to resolve intrafamiliar problems and youth behavior problems with a quick fix?
Thanks Mike. I think all those things are contributing, but I think also our expectations and standards are getting more rigid within a higher bar, making more things unacceptable and thus cause for some kind of treatment or legal action. I am seeing behaviors that result in intensive and serious interventions currently that when I was a youth was considered at most an anoyance and within the normal. For example, boys fighting or playing war was considered mildly unacceptable at times depending, but now, the same thing might result in legal action with a stiff penalty. In some cases like binge drinking, this change in attitude is an improvement, but in others, it puts kids in a straight jacket and they are not allowed to be children. -Lon