Dangers of Psychiatric Drugging of Children Spurs Action

Psychiatric watchdog group Citizens Commission on Human Rights brings exhibit to Old Sacramento to alert parents and other concerned citizens to the deadly ramifications for children of consumption of psychiatric drugs for ADHD and anxiety.

An increase in teen overdose deaths from ADHD and anti-anxiety drugs was the focus of the opening ceremony of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Psychiatry: An Industry of Death exhibit in Old Sacramento. The exhibit was part of CCHR’s continuing efforts to warn parents about the dangers of psychiatric drugging of children.

A report in 2015 by the CDC shows that teen overdose deaths from ADHD drugs (psychostimulants) and anti-anxiety drugs (benzodiazepines) are rising: 33 percent more teens died from psychostimulants and 100 percent more from benzodiazepines than from using cocaine.

The danger is not limited to these two types of drugs. There are 286 international drug regulatory agency warnings on psychiatric drugs. Despite this, the number of children prescribed them is staggering—8.4 million children in the U.S. with over one million age 0 to 5.

“It is so alarming to see these highly toxic, addictive drugs used on children, especially considering there is no scientifically proven test that verifies a mental disorder as a disease,” said CCHR Sacramento Coordinator Mike Klagenberg.

When parents are informed that their child has a mental disorder, they need to access enough information to make a truly informed decision. Usually, they are told that psychiatric drugs are the solution. They are rarely provided the facts about the dangers of these drugs or that there are alternative non-drug solutions.

“Some parents have been told that their child must take psychiatric drugs as a condition of attending school. They need to know that federal law prohibits school personnel from requiring you to drug your child,” Klagenberg said. “Any coercion or pressure put on the parent violates federal law.”

For more information on the dangers of psychiatric drugs, visit www.cchrint.org.

Citizens Commission on Human Rights is a nonprofit mental health watchdog, responsible for helping to enact more than 180 laws protecting individuals from abusive or coercive practices. CCHR has long fought to restore basic inalienable human rights to the field of mental health, including but not limited to full informed consent regarding the medical legitimacy of psychiatric diagnosis, the risks of psychiatric treatments, the right to all available medical alternatives and the right to refuse any treatment considered harmful.

CCHR was co-founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and professor of psychiatry Dr. Thomas Szasz.

Alerted to the brutality of psychiatric treatment by author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard who wrote extensively about the abuses of psychiatric patients, CCHR today stands as a powerful voice of reason for those abused and continues its advocacy for reforms. For more information visit the CCHR website.