“Today, Prozac and its relatives have been taken by some 28 millions Americans, or 10 percent of the population” (Fukuyama, F 43). Doctors are increasingly prescribing psychiatric drugs, such as Ritalin and Prozac. These drugs are not only taken by adults but also and what is more alarming it is taken by children as young as two years old. In addition, the worst part comes when we look at the insufficient research on the safety and effectiveness of Ritalin and Prozac. According to Marsha Rappley, a pediatrician at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, doctors are not completely sure about the side effects and long -term consequences of those psychiatric drugs. We do not know what many of the children are taking as “solution” to their personality disorders.

Ritalin is classified as a schedule II drug by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the same class reserved for drugs such as morphine and, yet it is prescribed to children diagnosed with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). According to the National Institute of Mental Heath Ritalin is taken by more than three million children and adolescents throughout the United States. Since 1990, the number of prescriptions for Ritalin has more than tripled. Ritalin consumption is dangerously high and ADHD is consistently over diagnosed. The worse part comes when we as adults do not even know the consequences of it but we are given it to our kids. Fukuyama in his book, Our Post Human Future, clearly states that Ritalin can have similar effects as methamphetamine and cocaine. Most of the parents are unaware of the reality of those drugs and they trust doctors looking for the easiest solution to their hyperactive kids. We are substituting maybe attention and love giving psychiatric drugs to a two year old baby. If we look closer to what ADHD, then maybe we will understand that drugs are not the best alternative. ADHD and other disorders are not inborn disorders, but rather a reaction to a conflict that a child has in his or her home or school environment (National Institute of Mental Heath). Those kids are crying for attention and the way to demonstrate it is by being hyperactive, unattended or impulsive. Usually kids have these characteristics and it is up to the parent to decide what to do either to drug the child but preventing him or her to experience and learn about life and how to cope with the different adversities or to let him live as a regular person experiencing the happiness and sadness of life. Under Ritalin the kid would be like under control and sooner or later that got to stop otherwise that kid in the future will be the next drug-addict around. Life is a matter of learning and we as humans where created to live and experiencing every aspect of it. We have to learn how to overcome obstacles and get stronger learning through difficulties. We and especially kids who can not decide for themselves do not need drugs to survive. Instead of drugs parents should dedicate more time to their kids teaching them how to cope with their difficulties.

In addition to Ritalin, Prozac is another drug that has been very popular. Prozac is prescribed to children and adolescents who are diagnosed with depression. Because physicians and psychiatrists have been able to prescribe Prozac to children for some time, there has been a significant increase in the number of prescriptions to the children population.  However, there is still not enough evidence of Prozac's safety for use in children. One of the most outspoken psychiatrists against prescribing these drugs to children is Peter Breggin, in his book Talking Back to Ritalin says that ADHD and depression should be treated only with humanistic therapies, and counseling intervention. Although Prozac is not as commonly prescribed in children as Ritalin, it is still the center of much controversy because of its alleged harmful side effects. In addition, the effects in children have not been well established. Every person would know that there is a problem in “taking a pill” to solve life’s every day problems. Parents should dedicate more time to their kids and even if necessary decide on counseling before putting their kids in psychiatric pills.

There has to be some sort of regulation as Fukuyama suggested in his book. Doctors should not be allowed to prescribe psychiatric pill for babies as early as two years old ignoring the consequences and knowing that their brain is still in development. It is scary to think about the future knowing that we do no have any kind of control with drugs such as Ritalin and Prozac. Drugs should not be the first hand solution in “problems” such as ADHD and depression. The first alternative should be more loving parents with more time to dedicate to their kids whenever they need it.

“Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - Questions and Answers.” National Institute of Mental Health. <http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/adhdqa.cfm>

Breggin, Peter. Talking Back to Ritalin: What Doctors Aren’t Telling You about Stimulants and ADHD. New York: Perseus Publishing, 2001.

Fukuyama, Francis. Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002.

 “MSU Study Find Very Young Treated for ADHD Have Higher Percentage of Health Problems.” Michigan State University: Newsroom: Press Releases. 4 November 1999. <http://newsroom.msu.edu/news/archives/1999/11/adhd.html>

Woodworth, Terrance. “DEA Congressional Testimony.” United Stated Drug Enforcement Administration. 16 May 2000. <http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/cngrtest/ct051600.htm>

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