Replies

OK. Here's my story:

My ex divorced me ten years ago when our daughter was one. Washington state favors awarding the female custody of the children UNLESS you are extremely wealthy, or the female is extremely f'd up. So my daughter goes with her mom.

Nine years later my ex is so self-absorbed that she virtually ignores her little girl. Now the school steps in with constant, subtle entreaties to the kids that the can "feel free to confide in the counselors". "They're here to help you". So my daughter relates how miserable her home life is. The school counselor dogmatically reports her findings to a district psychiatrist who starts the "Prozac Express" (actually, what she prescribed was Zoloft). I met with all of the principles and attempted to refocus on the systemic problem - her home life - all without any measurable success. The "professionals" wanted to pat me on the touchie and send me on my way: "I can assure you, Mr. Rockrr, that there are ALMOST no negative effects from the use of these psychotropic drugs".
The mother was reluctant at first to go with the treatment, but eventually folded (she could see the merit in a compliant child), leaving me to defend my daughter's health and well-being.

Things got to the point where a COURT ORDER was bandied about, when the most curious thing happened. My ex, gainfully employed and properly insured, had been suggesting to the school system that she was poverty-bound and in need of special services. The State of Washington came to me to pay the tab and, in their inimitable fashion, harassed me until I PROVED that my ex was subverting the system (of course she suffered no recriminations whatsoever). But, in the intervening time, the state chose to withhold services to my daughter. Services which amounted to force-feeding psychotropic, ADDICTIVE drugs to my child, against the express wishes of her parent. My daughter dodged a bullet because the state was now focused on punishing ME!

I place the weight of responsibility for the overuse and inordinate prescription of these drugs on the most innocent of victims squarely one the "mental Health Professionals".

A pox on them.

what do you expect?
The emphasis on "feeelings" leads to this. As soon as we get back to the emphasizing achievement, and not focusing on "how the child feeels", some of this craziness will go away.
Thios is so wrong on so many levels.
It teaches the child that doctors have power, but the child doesn't.
It teaches the child if you don't feel good, take some pills. Tis can't be good for preventing future drug endeavers.
To treat depression do the following
1- strech (especially in the morning)
2- slow deep breathes
3- exercise ( most important)
It is almost physiologically impossible to be depressed if you exercise enough.
4- eat meat
4b- eat small portions of chocolate
5- make friends
5- set small achieveable goals and take steps to achieve them
6- do something to help others
7- go to church
do not see a psychiatrist or take pills.

"I place the weight of responsibility for the overuse and inordinate prescription of these drugs on the most innocent of victims squarely one the "mental Health Professionals"."

Based on my limited experience, I believe that the least likely place to find actual mental health is among "mental health professionals".