My mother called me up a few days ago and we got to chatting. In particular she told me about an article she'd read in the newspaper. The subject of this article swiftly turned our conversation into a heated rant... in stereo. Both of us venting anger, disbelief and disgust; both of us agreeing completely that the situation is reprehensible.
The issue at the center of the situation is, as the article and later the tv news stated, the high number (over 200,000 being the number the reports quoted) of preschoolers, let me repeat that you'll understand in a moment, preschoolers being prescribed and dosed with Ritalin and Prozac. A pause to let that sink in because if you're anything like me, you'll need to read that again or at least rub your eyes. Yes, it's true, children as young as 2 years old... just barely old enough to speak a complete sentence... are being given personality and emotion altering drugs. Psychiatric drugs. Drugs that alter behavior. Drastically.
The reason for this mass medication of nearly still toddlers? Daycare providers demand behavior standards. In other words, if a 2 year old behaves normally, they must be drugged. Think about that for a moment. No, really think about that.
The aspect about myself that I value the most is my individuality, my ability to think and act for myself under the volition of my common sense, my morals, my compassion, my empathy, my self-expression, my imagination, my reason. I glory in these things, they are who I am. Think for a moment about these qualities within yourself. When were they formed and solidified? During your earliest memories right? During the time you were young, 10? 8? 5? Your preschool years? Now think about how strong and vibrant those qualities would be now if you walked through a drugged haze during those crucial years.
I find it hard to control myself to write this, the very thought of children being forced, with drugs, to conform at such a young age fills me with an emotion I can only classify as moral indignation. Before an individuality is even formed it is squashed. There's no part of me no matter how deeply I search, not one single brain cell, that even remotely accepts this as right. Its nearly as wrong as a thing can get.
Daycare providers demand that they be allowed to watch over zombies or automatons rather than actual living breathing children with precious and in the fragile stages of budding identities, opinions, personalities, imagination and individuality. And because so many parents feel they have no other choice, some who in all likelihood do not have any other choice.. the parents placate them, the doctors placate them.
I feel like were in an episode of X-Files as I watch a generation emerge and grow under the influence of behavioral modification drugs. All we need is a wrinkly faced smoking man and we've got a government conspiracy and or cover-up.
I have no answers, no witty and fix all solutions, I don't
think anyone does. All I can think of is how wrong it is, how
unbelievable, how freaking surreal and downright frightening it
is... over and over in my mind the chorus rings Godamnit, theyre
just toddlers for freakings sake! They're just toddlers, give
them a chance, let them be who theyre going to be.