'Take Your Pills" documentary on Netflix

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would like to watch this but am hesitant because our teen was just diagnosed with adhd combo and after learning about adhd, it's clear DC has it. I'm sure it will have me second guessing using drugs but DC is so much happier being able to finally focus. The medicine is amazing. Grades went up immediately because learning could occur as well as focus.

DC only wants to take it for school days, never on weekends or holidays unless has homework. I do worry about college and I do hear from older cousins that pretty much everyone uses it. DC uses an extended release version not Adderall which is shorter acting.

Adderall has an extended release version, you know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's really only a matter of time before a paper like the NYTimes does a big exposé on the overuse of Adderall and people start getting exposed.

If you've got a legit disorder, fine. But it's being abused the way competitive athletes use performance-enhancing drugs and steroids.

When I was watching, it did strike me that athletes get banned for performance enhancing drugs, but college students are taking this stuff without penalty. In addition, one girl went for a diagnosis to get extra time for her SATs. Can someone outline the longterm consequences of adderall (liver etc) please.

[Anonymous]

I recall Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk that included discussion of adhd and showed the variation in diagnosis rates in the US vs the rest of the world, and also between different US states. It makes me sad to read people here and elsewhere online say that their kid really needs these drugs. I imagine no one was taking them when these parents were in school in the 70s and 80s. If they lived in other countries, it wouldn't be as much of a possibility. Are big pharma or the educational system contributing factors in the US to the high rate of diagnosis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recall Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk that included discussion of adhd and showed the variation in diagnosis rates in the US vs the rest of the world, and also between different US states. It makes me sad to read people here and elsewhere online say that their kid really needs these drugs. I imagine no one was taking them when these parents were in school in the 70s and 80s. If they lived in other countries, it wouldn't be as much of a possibility. Are big pharma or the educational system contributing factors in the US to the high rate of diagnosis?

Yes, it's true that in the 70s and 80s people weren't diagnosed. In my family, 3 of 4 people who clearly have ADHD self medicated with alcohol and/or drugs as a result. As a result, some of us are willing to have our family members give stimulants a try if prescribed as there is evidence they can help avoid the need for self-medication. After learning more about ADHD after our child was diagnosed, I realized how misinformed I was from popular media and seeing/reading all the anti-med threads here and how it is possible with testing (6+ hours) to tell although learning the actual symptoms made it obvious to me our DK and my DH have it. I will say DK was a teen when diagnosed and I'm sure I would have been hesitant to start him earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recall Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk that included discussion of adhd and showed the variation in diagnosis rates in the US vs the rest of the world, and also between different US states. It makes me sad to read people here and elsewhere online say that their kid really needs these drugs. I imagine no one was taking them when these parents were in school in the 70s and 80s. If they lived in other countries, it wouldn't be as much of a possibility. Are big pharma or the educational system contributing factors in the US to the high rate of diagnosis?

Yes, it's true that in the 70s and 80s people weren't diagnosed. In my family, 3 of 4 people who clearly have ADHD self medicated with alcohol and/or drugs as a result. As a result, some of us are willing to have our family members give stimulants a try if prescribed as there is evidence they can help avoid the need for self-medication. After learning more about ADHD after our child was diagnosed, I realized how misinformed I was from popular media and seeing/reading all the anti-med threads here and how it is possible with testing (6+ hours) to tell although learning the actual symptoms made it obvious to me our DK and my DH have it. I will say DK was a teen when diagnosed and I'm sure I would have been hesitant to start him earlier.

DP. You cannot possibly be suggesting that the rates were actually the same but all of the people were just undiagnosed. I remember my classrooms. We moved around a lot and I went to a lot of different schools. And there's no way that more than at most one kid in every class had ADHD/behavioral issues. I remembered those kids. I was someone who wanted to listen and learn as much as possible from the teacher, and if someone was affecting that then I noticed. These days, it seems like half the class (sometimes the majority!) has some sort of behavioral issues that are "explained" by ADHD or other diagnoses. I do also remember the occasional kid with some learning issue like dyslexia (since sometimes the teacher would pair those students with one of the stronger students to try to help them a bit) but I don't think that's what we're discussing here. Overall, the kids were much more focussed, got their work done, managed to do their homework without a thousand excuses, and not stop the class from learning. The only school I remember where there was more than one such kid in a class was a school in a very low SES area that these days is rated a 1/10.

I know that parents want to believe that it was always that way that so many kids had ADHD, because then they don't have to accept that there are other factors involved, but it really wasn't. Not even close.

[Anonymous]

The defensiveness for medication on this board is consistent and astounding. For people who are quick to deplore processed food, chemicals, etc., so many are willing to medicate their elementary school children to make them easier to manage and to make school focusing easier.

This is speed. I don’t understand why people don’t embrace CBT, etc because that has lasting effects where Adderall wears off in half a day and the person has not grown their abilities at all. And there are significant side effects.

My ADHD child I manage with therapies, etc and while it isn’t easy for him or me, in the long run it is the only thing that will help him as a lifelong matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recall Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk that included discussion of adhd and showed the variation in diagnosis rates in the US vs the rest of the world, and also between different US states. It makes me sad to read people here and elsewhere online say that their kid really needs these drugs. I imagine no one was taking them when these parents were in school in the 70s and 80s. If they lived in other countries, it wouldn't be as much of a possibility. Are big pharma or the educational system contributing factors in the US to the high rate of diagnosis?

Absolutely. Both.

[Anonymous]

I work at a college. Adderal use is rampant and cocaine itself is making a comeback.

The competitiveness and pressure to achieve in an environment of high achievers leads to needing an edge. And once everyone has that edge, you need another edge.

In one program where they have exams on subsequent days, most of the students stay up about 72 hours without sleep. They write, study, write, study, write. How do they do it? Drugs - caffeine (energy drinks), adderal, who knows what else.

[Anonymous]

When your kid is struggling at school and getting into trouble, it causes stress, insecurity and negative self worth. Our son was tested and has no learning disability, but has ADHD combined. We can not afford a small school and he has to sit huge public school classes that are boring as hell. We avoided meds for years bc we were afraid (I am in the health field and my husband is a doc). But when we finally realized how much he was struggling, we tried meds. He never gets in trouble now (rarely) and holds it together all day (and does well). He is still creative and social on the meds. Once he comes home and they have worn off, it is tough... he never wants to do homework and only wants to do preferred tasks. Every day I feel funny about giving him a pill bc I am a very “natural” and healthy person. But I know this was the right

[Anonymous]

Whoops... choice... given this adhd dx. Adhd is not just exec fx issues... it’s also emotional regulation challenges etc. while this documentary is correct to help people be mindful of abuse, making it seem so slated is very shaming to parents and adults who benefit from meds. We were not flippant about this and we are both scientists, but I am still human and feel shame and worry after watching something like this (e.g. am I doing the wrong thing? Will he not be able to get off these etc.) this was a tough decision, but we need to go with the data— that these meds can be very helpful for people who have ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The defensiveness for medication on this board is consistent and astounding. For people who are quick to deplore processed food, chemicals, etc., so many are willing to medicate their elementary school children to make them easier to manage and to make school focusing easier.

This is speed. I don’t understand why people don’t embrace CBT, etc because that has lasting effects where Adderall wears off in half a day and the person has not grown their abilities at all. And there are significant side effects.

My ADHD child I manage with therapies, etc and while it isn’t easy for him or me, in the long run it is the only thing that will help him as a lifelong matter.

+5 million

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was shocking to me when I was hanging with the boy moms at a bday party when my son was 8 and found out he was the only boy not on ADHD meds. Out of a class of 23 split as evenly as possible. They kind of looked at me like I was crazy or something or in denial. A boy that age not on meds was unheard of in their circles.

This is either untrue or a gross exaggeration, no parents brag about their child being on medication to other parents. It’s still stigmatized to some degree for your child to be on medication for ADHD. I have a teenage boy and out of all of his friends, there is only one other than himself on medication. He is accepting of it because he needs it to stay focused while at school and to get his homework done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whoops... choice... given this adhd dx. Adhd is not just exec fx issues... it’s also emotional regulation challenges etc. while this documentary is correct to help people be mindful of abuse, making it seem so slated is very shaming to parents and adults who benefit from meds. We were not flippant about this and we are both scientists, but I am still human and feel shame and worry after watching something like this (e.g. am I doing the wrong thing? Will he not be able to get off these etc.) this was a tough decision, but we need to go with the data— that these meds can be very helpful for people who have ADHD.

Of course "the data" shows that stimulants can be very helpful for people [with or without ADHD]. You're talking about speed. The same stuff that truckers pop so they can stay awake and drive all night long.

If you want to look at the real data though, the data showing the long term effects of these drugs, then you'll be looking pretty hard because it doesn't exist.

And if you knew you'd really tried everything, and that drugging your child was 100% necessary, you would not feel guilt or shame about it. I'd be willing to bet money that even a "natural" and "healthy" person like yourself has not done a 100% strict special diet for any serious amount of time. And for most parents on this board who laugh at "natural" parents, well, it's even less likely.

FWIW I have a science PhD. We highly value education. We plan/hope for our kids to go to one of the top colleges in the world (we have multiple citizenships) of their choosing. But above all else, we value the health and wellness of our children. We would move to a farm in a heartbeat and homeschool and teach our kids a vocation related to farming or whatever else they could handle before we gave them speed even once, let alone every day. I'm not staying in a rat race that they can't handle and then drugging my kids just so I can throw them in public school and make life more convenient for me.

[Anonymous]

Wow. You sound very sanctimonious. Maybe you are right though..., who knows. But I know that there are many other PhDs in science and MDs who are comfortable with the data that shows the meds are efficacious. All I can say is I hope your methods have helped your child— who presumably has severe ADHD— and that s/he is thriving. To each his own. Pls do not shame others. There are kinder and more empathetic ways of helping others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whoops... choice... given this adhd dx. Adhd is not just exec fx issues... it’s also emotional regulation challenges etc. while this documentary is correct to help people be mindful of abuse, making it seem so slated is very shaming to parents and adults who benefit from meds. We were not flippant about this and we are both scientists, but I am still human and feel shame and worry after watching something like this (e.g. am I doing the wrong thing? Will he not be able to get off these etc.) this was a tough decision, but we need to go with the data— that these meds can be very helpful for people who have ADHD.

Of course "the data" shows that stimulants can be very helpful for people [with or without ADHD]. You're talking about speed. The same stuff that truckers pop so they can stay awake and drive all night long.

If you want to look at the real data though, the data showing the long term effects of these drugs, then you'll be looking pretty hard because it doesn't exist.

And if you knew you'd really tried everything, and that drugging your child was 100% necessary, you would not feel guilt or shame about it. I'd be willing to bet money that even a "natural" and "healthy" person like yourself has not done a 100% strict special diet for any serious amount of time. And for most parents on this board who laugh at "natural" parents, well, it's even less likely.

FWIW I have a science PhD. We highly value education. We plan/hope for our kids to go to one of the top colleges in the world (we have multiple citizenships) of their choosing. But above all else, we value the health and wellness of our children. We would move to a farm in a heartbeat and homeschool and teach our kids a vocation related to farming or whatever else they could handle before we gave them speed even once, let alone every day. I'm not staying in a rat race that they can't handle and then drugging my kids just so I can throw them in public school and make life more convenient for me.

This is funny...I am the other poster appalled at so much medication. We actually do live on a farm and it is great for our ADHD child. I am very well educated as well but find this lifestyle centers the kids, keeps them active, and they find it rewarding. plus, they learn entrepreneurship with our farmstand.