| HappySqurriel said: On a side note, there are elements of the problem with the American education system that can be demonstrated by the vast number of children who are prescribed Ritalin (anti-depressants or any other mood altering medication) because of perceived problems that are limiting their education; the last studies I heard of had American students being prescribed these drugs 3 to 4 times as often as most other western nations, and the rate of growth in usage in the United States was far greater than every other nation. I have anecdotal evidence in Canada that a lot of teachers will aggressively push parents to seek out medication for their children to keep them from acting up in class; and that these children will often stop acting out in class if they’re put into a more structured environment, like the ones that are often found in private schools.
I want to be clear that I don’t think the drugs are what is causing the problems, as much as I believe there are countless teachers who are unwilling or unable to adequately supervise and teach their classes; and in order to get some sort of control over their class they encourage the parents of the most disruptive children to medicate their children turning them into brain-dead (but quiet) zombies. |
U do have a point like always, but the difference in prescription rate between countries ain't necessarily bad. In Sweden for example still not enuff kids are getting Ritalin and antidepressants (mostly cause of fear-mongers everywhere in society and media alarms of this or that when it comes to mind altering medicines, which sadly affects the medical proffession becoming cautious).
Yes, I have a hunch that in America there might be a trend of over-prescription of mind altering medicines (and over diagnosing of these conditions like ADHD), but under-prescription can be just as bad.
