So I just wanna start this off by saying that my dad’s a psychiatrist and he’d personally diagnose anything under the sun. Unfortunately I wasn’t immune from that. I was put on a whole host of different medications (some prescribed, some unprescribed) my whole adolescence and now I have very little recollection of my teen years. I wasn’t an easy child to raise in a strict religious household so their response was to tranquilize me. AMA.
My parents had me drugged since I was around 13 yrs old so I’d “behave better”. Now I’m 19 and the side effects are ruining my life. AMA
r/AMA
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I’m so sorry. Do you still live with them?
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What did they give you?
Hey just wanted to say that I’m sorry to hear that, and that I hope that you’ll be able to make some important & beautiful memories going forward <3
Are you still taking meds? Are you taking any other substances right now like acholol or cigs?
When did they stop?
I hear you, my friend.
I was prescribed amphetamine beginning at 5 years old, Zoloft / Wellbutrin / Depakote at 8 years old.
Amphetamine certainly had a massive negative impact on my life and the ability to feel like ‘myself’. I don’t think I laughed for years at a time.
Of course it’s a great ‘efficiency’ drug… But I didn’t know who I was at 5 years old.
My parents were trying to do the best they could, I think fancy doctors really took advantage of their fear that I wouldn’t turn out ‘okay’ and subjected me to regular psychological evaluations for over a decade.
You’ve got a religious upbringing? I’d love to hear about how that plays into your situation- my upbringing was non religious.
Did any of them help you in any way?
I grew up in a struck religious household and I have very little memory of my childhood except for bad parts. I think our brains hit pause on the record button as much as possible in those situations. I wish I could erase the whole childhood from memory. Sorry, no question just empathy.
Have you talked to your parents about this? Have they ever considered that this was a mistake?
Ooh! Amphetamines!
Which religion did you grow up following? Do you still believe in that religion?
How do your parents treat you now?
Do you have any siblings? If yes, have they given them any drugs?
My sons been diagnosed ADHD and is on some moderate stuff, guanfacine and zactin. I was off my tree growing up and the 80s but no meds back then and I kinda feel like I learned to live with it and am better for it. I worry terribly that the ‘taking the edge off’ effects of the meds are robbing him of part of his childhood. But at the end of the day, I’m following the paediatricians advice. He’s been diagnosed ritalin they said a ‘small dose’ but I took the same dose prescribed as an adult and the effects and side effects were very noticeable and I quit straight away. Not entirely relevant but I’m 40 and a father of two do you have a particular perspective on this ?
Do you have siblings? If not, what would you wish that an older sibling could do to help the situation? I feel like I might have a person similar to you in my life and I don’t know how to make it better
Do you ever fantasize about revenge? I can’t contemplate being in your position and not being threatening your parents with retribution, especially when they’re elderly & infirm.
Report him and have his licence revoked.
I had to re-learn how to smile at 16. I was on adhd medication for 10 years up until that point. I was severely depressed and didn’t know it. Just assumed that was the way life was. My mom wanted me on it because “she couldn’t handle me”. I would never do that to my kid , just because some doctor said “there’s this new medication that’s on the market they should try”
We don’t even know the long term effects of these adhd meds that’s have been given to children.
I could get dementia in the next ten years before I turn 50 🤷🏻♂️ who knows
Have you seen Garden State?
Garden State….
If they are heavily religious did you every try the angle of maybe I am this way because I am created as God intended and drugging me to try and change my behaviour is messing with God’s will?
If so what was the response?
Where are you based? Are there not laws in place to stop doctors prescribing controlled substances to their own family members? In England a psychiatrist would not be able to prescribe their own child amphetamines. I don’t even think they’d be able to psychologically evaluate them due to them being too close to the patient. You won’t get an unbiased and truthful account from either when they’re family.
Unfortunately children of psychologists or therapists usually end up being really fucked, its legitimately a thing… and it’s something to look into and worth exploring maybe you can find some understanding of it and maybe find others in your situation. Now that you’re an adult you have the decision to not take any medications and try to move on and heal from it.
Just a quick story: I used to be a dog walker for 3 years and ran my own business. Over that time i worked with many different professionals, but one in particular was a psychologist and she was a very nice woman and owned the sweetest Portuguese water dog who was a puppy when I met her. I walked her several times a week. Very early on I noticed that this sweet pup didn’t have a regular puppy temperament but she was rather aloof and seemed really disinterested in everything , and at the same time had a very intense attachment to her owner. I brought back my concerns and was brushed it off saying it was an adjustment period because the puppy in on Prozac and other antidepressants/behavioral medication and I was SHOCKED!!! This pup was absolutely a shell of herself and definitely wasn’t happy or playful at all because she was drugged up 24/7. Not to mention the owner was taking her to the vet several times a month for gut issues and for some reason couldn’t make the very obvious connections despite her master’s degree and being highly intelligent.
It’s crazy how child psychology is approached, at least how it was when I was a kid. They just let parents fill out a form of behaviors and emotions that they attribute to their child, they can actually just say whatever they want. Then the psychiatrist will prescribe prescription drugs based on that.The kid gets very little say in what they’re feeling or what they need.
Can I have his phone number, I could use a prescription or two. In all seriousness, I’m terribly sorry you went through that. Being medicated at such a young age is terrible. Do you feel it has affected you as an adult?