Raising Parents with Emily Oster

Ep 4: Are We Overmedicating Kids?

40 snips
Oct 9, 2024
In this engaging discussion, child psychiatrist Sami Timimi explores the surge in ADHD diagnoses, while journalist Abigail Shrier critiques the impact of achievement culture on mental health. Dr. Gabrielle Carlson offers insights on the complexities of children's mental health, and psychoanalyst Erica Komisar highlights the importance of attentive parenting. Journalist Jennifer Wallace warns against the consequences of overmedicating our youth, questioning whether we are pathologizing normal childhood experiences. Together, they challenge the current mental health landscape for children.
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INSIGHT

Pathologizing Childhood

  • Society pushes kids to grow up too fast and over-diagnoses childhood behaviors.
  • We are intolerant of childishness and look for problems in normal kid behavior.
INSIGHT

ADHD Behaviors

  • ADHD-like behaviors, such as trouble focusing and fidgeting, have long been associated with kids.
  • These behaviors were once considered typical and often improved with age.
INSIGHT

ADHD as a Stress Response

  • ADHD is a stress response, not a disorder, according to Erica Komisar.
  • Instead of addressing societal stressors, we medicate children, silencing their pain.
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