Fact: Hundreds of thousands of children who are at their core, whole, healthy, and spirited, have these energies labeled as "medical disorders" or "disturbances," which are then controlled by a drug. The underlying need—identifying and addressing the conditions that are confusing, frustrating, and hurting our children—remains unacknowledged. The immediate and genuine needs of our children remain unmet, and the tremendous gifts they may offer us are at best, hidden, at worst, destroyed forever.

I believe that children are the earth's most valuable natural resource and in particular, that kids who have been labeled hyperactive or ADD are sitting on a storehouse of creative energy that hasn't yet been effectively tapped. —Thomas Armstrong, PhD

Medicating children makes it easier for their parents to "parent," and easier and more acceptable for schools to control their classrooms. There are innumerable reports of Ritalin producing positive changes in the lives of children who gain a sense of control over themselves, become calmer, more focused, and socially accepted.

ADD fulfills a number of important needs. The purported existence of ADD and the drugs used to "treat" it are a boon to those who provide special educational programs, diagnosis, and treatment. Labeling provides a relatively simple way of explaining troublesome behaviors: a relief to parents who have struggled for years to cope with a child's difficult behaviors.

Major Boon to Pharmaceutical Companies
Compliance and Conformity: The Hidden Threat
Side-Effects of ADD Drugs
Cultivating Addictions from ADD Drugs
Labeling Children ADD
ADD Drugs' Impact on Learning

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