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Emily Krivak
Aughenbaugh
English 12
4 February 2014
Antipsychotic Drug use on Children
Many children in the United States are being prescribed powerful antipsychotic drugs for
disorders such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, ADD, and other psychological and mood
disorders. These drugs are designed to change the chemical composition of the brain and
stabilize a persons mood and thoughts. Though these drugs are proven to help adults with actual
psychological disorders, they were never intended for children. Children are being over
diagnosed with disorders that cannot be proven and have to take serious drugs to make them
better or normal. The overprescribing of these dangerous drugs can seriously harm children
and adolescents.
More than seventeen million children in the world are prescribed psychiatric drugs that
are very dangerous. Of the seventeen million prescribed children, ten million are in the United
States (Facts and Statistics). These drugs are so dangerous that the United States, Australia,
and parts of Europe have been issued warnings about the negative and adverse effects that can
harm children. Most of these drugs are considered Schedule II drugs, meaning that they have
the same potential abuse as morphine, opium, and cocaine (Breggin). At least ten percent of
teenagers abuse drugs like Ritalin and Adderall that are used to treat ADHD and ADD (Facts
and Statistics). These drugs are very dangerous and should not be available for minor disorders.
They are so dangerous that their side effects are harmful to adolescents. Many school shooters in
the U.S. were taking antidepressants or stimulants at the same time as the crime. Eric Harris is
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one of the more known school shooters who many professionals believe that the antidepressant
he was taking is responsible for his part of the Columbine shooting. There have been many
others school shootings that were committed by students who were on antipsychotic and mood
stabilizing drugs. Over prescribing medications like this children can be very detrimental and
should be avoided at all costs.
There are many reasons why children are being diagnosed with disorders and medicated
with strong drugs. Many parents tend to be uneducated about these drugs and the pharmaceutical
companies that manufacture them. Parents are not warned about the complications and the
serious health risks that come with the medications. Educated and responsible parents surely
would not put their child in harms way. Also, societys view on normal has drastically
changed. Years ago, disorders like ADHD and ADD did not exist. Though those disorders are
real and may even require psychiatric help, they also tend to be over diagnosed to many children
who are showing symptoms of just being kids. Some symptoms of ADHD and ADD include:
careless mistakes, acts without thinking, says wrong things at wrong time, temper tantrums,
guesses rather than thinks, and often interrupts others (Mood Stabilizers for Child and Teen
Bipolar Disorder). With that criterion, almost every child in the United States could be
diagnosed with this disorder. These symptoms are basically kids just being kids.
If societys views on normality did not change, than its more likely this disorder would
not be as big as a problem that it is today. Many teachers, parents, and other adults with
authority want to children normal and well behaved by their standards. When kids are not normal
or well behaved people automatically think that there is something wrong with them. Adults are
usually too quick to medicate their children rather than trying to find a safer alternative. This is a
busy world and many people do not want to take the time to help their children; instead they
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medicate them. Parents absolutely do not understand what these drugs can do to their children;
they believe that they are a quick and easy solution to a problem that may or may not exist. Often
a child can grow out of behavior like this, and going to therapy is a much safer alternative than
prescribing risky drugs that can be much more harmful than the actual disorder. It is more likely
that kids would grow out of these behaviors before any medications would be effective.
Mood stabilizers are among the most common antipsychotic drug and the most popular
prescribed to adolescents (Child and Teen Bipolar: Mood Stabilizers Uses, Side Effects.). A
mood stabilizer balances the brains chemicals and controls emotions. Basically, these drugs can
alter a persons entire thought process. There are no long term studies that confirm effectiveness
or safety in children (Carlson). Actually, they have not been studied in children and adolescents
at all; this is evidence that these drugs were never intended for young people. The side effects of
most mood stabilizers can be pretty harsh. Some symptoms are Nausea, vomiting, trembling,
weight gain, metallic taste, bed wetting, and abnormal kidney functions (Child and Teen
Bipolar: Mood Stabilizers Uses, Side Effects.). Stabilizers also cause abnormal functions of
the thyroid and parathyroid. They react very dangerously with other medications like antibiotics,
seizure medications, and cardiac medications (Child and Teen Bipolar: Mood Stabilizers
Uses, Side Effects.). These are very strong medications and are very difficult to get off of them.
A person cannot just stop taking them, the person has to gradually lower the dosage and
eventually stop taking them.
The benefits of these drugs absolutely do not outweigh the risks. More than half of
pediatric patients being treated for bipolar have been exposed to other antipsychotic drugs in the
past (Child and Teen Bipolar: Mood Stabilizers Uses, Side Effects.). Until they were
drugged up with stimulants and antidepressants, children and adolescents were not associated
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with bipolar disorder. There is absolutely no evidence that these drugs were made to work long
term. In fact there is a very high incidence of long term drug therapy patients becoming
chronically ill with serious life threatening diseases (Breggin). When taken off these drugs, a lot
of disorders and symptoms seem worse. When being taken off Ritalin, a lot of patients
experienced the same, if not worse symptoms. About twenty-five percent of children on Ritalin
experience horrific manic or psychotic episodes that their disorder could deteriorate and patients
developed bipolar disorder.
Adverse effects can cause major problems with metabolism, causing children to gain
weight and possibly become obese. Gaining excessive amounts of weight can lead to other
serious health issues. Most psychiatric drugs can cause many disorders and diseases such as
diabetes, pancreatitis, cardiac disease, and even premature death (Fight For Kids). There is a
strong correlation between women who have polycystic ovary syndrome and their previous
treatment with antipsychotic drugs. There is also correlation between Pituitary tumors and
antipsychotics (Breggin). Of the Seventy-seven cases of pituitary tumors experts believed to be
related to antipsychotics, fifty-four of them were on Risperidone (Breggin). There have been
many cases where both males and females develop Gynecomastia while on the drugs Risperdal
and Serquel. Gynecomastia is a disorder that causes abnormal breast growth and milk secretion
in both genders.
Although psychiatric drugs negatively affect the whole body, it has a particular effect on
the brain. Most antipsychotic drugs can cause neuroleptic malignant syndrome. This disorder is
very harsh and could potentially be fatal. This disorder mimics viral encephalitis, which is a viral
infection that causes the brain to swell and flu like symptoms, so is sometimes difficult to
diagnose quickly. Antipsychotic drugs can also cause disorders like Tardive Dyskinesia, which is
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a brutal disorder that can drive a person insane and often leads to suicide. Lithium is often
prescribed to young adults to treat depression, and is a very scary antidepressant. It is suggested
that patients get their thyroid and parathyroid tested on how it functions because lithium often
messes up the balance. Lithium, like most other antipsychotic drug can make any of your
symptoms worse and could lead to serious danger. Drugs like these completely change the
chemicals in the brain and change the whole thought process. These are very scary risks that no
one should take. Changing things in the brain can result in permanent damage to person that will
never be the same again. There are much safer alternatives to getting help disorders that do not
involve changing the composition of the brain.
Millions of young people are being harmed by these medications. It is truly astonishing
how these drugs were even approved without enough studies and research on children and
adolescents. Ironically, the Food and Drug Administration was approving these drugs at the same
time that the Justice department was fining drug companies for illegally marketing their drugs to
children. Eventually the FDA approved off label prescribing. Its nearly impossible to win a
lawsuit against a drug company because they are so big and powerful.
Psychiatric drugs have harmed millions of children and young adults. Though they help
treat serious disorders, they were clearly never made to be prescribed to children. It is not
necessary to drug up every child with a disorder. These drugs could create serious lifelong
problems. The over medication of children must be stopped because they suffer through endless
side effects and only masks symptoms. Children are being over diagnosed and doctors, parents,
and any authoritative adult should be aware of what these drugs actually do to todays youth.

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Works Cited
Breggin, Dr. Peter. Antipsychotic Drugs, Their Harmful Effects, and the Limit of Tort Reform.
The Huffington Post. 2009. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Carlson, Harold E. Adverse Effects of Antipsychotics and Mood Stabilizers. Psychiatric
Times. 2007. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.

Child and Teen Bipolar: Mood Stabilizers Uses, Side Effects. WebMD. WebMD, 2011. Web.
15 Jan. 2014.

Facts and Statistics. Fight for kids. Citizens Commission on Human Rights International, 2009.
Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Medications for Mental Illness Are Overprescribed. Mental Illness. Ed Roman Espejo. Detroit:
Greenhaven press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing viewpoints in Context. Web.
14 Jan. 2014.

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