Radical Perspectives on 'Problem Children (and Adults)' & ADD(S) / ADHD & the Schizophrenias. ADHD is a relatively new Clinical Category which assumes children have a medical problem, if they are not naturally inclined to sit still and pay attention to the World Wise Wisdoms of their parents (who helped create this wonderful world as we know it) and the carefully constructed Indoctrinations of their Institutional Instructors (educationalists / teachers). This kind of medical claptrap is not new. I feel embarrassed for the fine, ethical, socially competent, think outside the box, medical colleagues that I have worked with, but no less than I do for the genuine examples within my own profession of Social Work. At least in that profession people have and intelligent wariness and deserved contempt for the Profession and a respect only for the individual practitioners working within it, who have earn it. This distorted 'medical' perspective on childhood affects our kids and the future generation of Parents, so I will not be politically correct and polite in this instance. This is the same kind of limited intellectual thinking and prejudiced attitudes that led the medical profession to perceive, seek to demonstrate and medically treat: - "Black People as having limited intellectual and moral competence (along with religious leaders and academic thinkers of the time)";
- Women as being intellectually inferior and morally weaker than men (again, along with religious leaders and academic thinkers of the time);
- The need to keep people with Learning Difficulties in Long Stay Institutions, supposedly for their own safety (as they did until the 1970's & 80's);
- The profession that set the standard for 'social care', providing 'Specialist Nursing Homes' for people with physical and sensory problems. Homes where the formation of physical / sexual relationships and private demonstrations of affection, were challenged by 'Matron' with the threat of discharge (eviction to the rest of us). When did this end? in the 1970's.
- The view that people who think, process information and behave differently (Gay people, Transsexuals, Geniuses and the 'Psychotically' Mentally Ill included) had a form of incurable genetically determined 'Madness'.
- Now Gay people are a valuable asset to the medical profession and transsexuals can get treatment without judgment, from the Health Services. Sadly geniuses and the 'induced' mentally ill have not faired so well, as yet.
- Look at the new evidence that is coming to light through the Genome Project. I promise you. Much more is to come. Get off the fence and join the winning teams. It will be necessary to revise all our thinking about 'Mental Illness'.
- See Also: Genetics Unplugged ; The Mind Unplugged ; Institutions Unplugged ; Disability Unplugged ; Psycho-Social Perspectives ; Conspiracy Theory
All this said, there are plenty of others, within professions, institutions and communities, happy to see some other poor bugger at the bottom of the social pecking order. There always seems to need to be someone. Preferably someone at either end of the 'normal' curve of one human dimension, or other. People who threaten simple, hawkish, prejudiced perspectives that may be undermined by those with greater insight and competences. One day, some medical, or academic bright spark will wake up to the fact that the positive, active inclusion and understanding of all people, in the whole range of this 'normal' distribution of possible abilities &, types, will reduce the prejudices, injustices, conflicts, and social problems we currently suffer (and increasingly do so, as resistance to unavoidable changes persist). Its is enough to drive people mad. Sadly, it did! It will continue to do so over the next generation, unless these ridiculous social engineering practices stop. In that respect Social Work and the Legal Professions also need to buck up their ideas (such as they have any). It often starts with 'damaged' kids and 'adolescents' and then the continued injustices perpetrated on them as Adults. I have seriously seen more damage and neglect by combinations of Mental Heath Act & Social Work interventions and Legal Defences, than I have seen benefits. Then again, in all fairness, my job is undoing the effects of such intellectual 'cock ups' and the social & psychological damage caused to people with learning difficulties and mental health difficulties (or more accurately, the misperceptions of these difficulties). These are the same professions that have found it institutionally impossible to clinically identify and treat and contain Paedophiles, Sociopaths and Psychopaths, along with its equally prejudiced and increasingly justice phobic, impotent sister disciplines in these respects; 'The Justice System'. It is now increasingly possible to charge, find guilty by an advised 'guilty plea' and even imprison people with mental health problems, drug problems, or learning difficulties. (or all three) I even heard one 'Prosecutor' argue the precedent of "two paedophiles in a pub, colluding to drug their a victim" as a challenge to a mental health defence. This precedent was heard by myself, being used (successfully) as an argument to dismiss the defence of someone: With a known and diagnosed mental illness; in bereavement (loss of his Father); with suicidal thoughts; on complex and powerful psychotropic medications (that he had mixed up and taken the wrong doses); stressed by his over-demanding, stressful work (involving extensive car travel); who caused some minimal criminal damage to the car of a person, who insulted him because of his distressed & agitated state in public, while reversing into a parking space that this person 'zipped' into. Do I really need to say more. The underlying theory used to identify mental illness and mental impairment has not changed in a century. In many ways the injustice has worsened in the last 15-20 years of 'Economic / Commercial Rule'. Should we now be surprised that children, who think & act differently to the average, 'suppressed' & 'confidence challenged' child; required to meet largely 'commercial' objectives; (in latter stages of education - now at their own expense), would be identified as a 'Medical Problem'? I am not - I have seen to much of this prejudice and injustice to be surprised. Kids who disrupt 'normal' restrictive practices, geared to make 'little duplicates' of their parents, teachers, and self appointed 'experts', can also disrupt the economic functioning of families, who now need two parents going to work to earn enough to live quality lives. Bosses will not tolerate unpredictable child care demands. It used to be that 'Children should be seen but not heard" and "Do as I say, not as I do". Is it now that they should; 'Not be seen, or heard', and 'Do as I say and be as I am'. Your Honour, with the greatest disrespect, I rest my case (for now). Here are two sets of contradictory facts (or rather a contradiction between a 'Collective Set of Opinions' and an intelligent set of opinions and some fundamental scientific facts): Well, to be fair; first here are 2 illustrative medical perspectives; follow these links Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and hyperkinetic disorder (Including Dyslexia) you can choose any number of others to convince yourself of the medical basis of this 'problem behaviour'. These are the established Medical Opinions that have advanced the use of powerful drug in the pharmaceutical 'social control' of children. Well - no one said having kids, or teaching would be easy. Kids have minds of their own and an ability to learn, even in the absence of formal teaching. My opinion is: Just because they don't think and act like you doesn't mean they are stupid. In fact they may well be cleverer than you in many ways. Watch out for our alternative stories, where it could be you, or your society with the problem (it usually is). Beware clinicians and experts, looking for power, fame and fortune. Just as a taster, and as an alternative contrast to the medical perspective, try this 'Pill' (sorry, link): Get Attention 'Deficited' (and Get Real). Most of what is stated on this link is fundamentally true but they want you to buy the books. I am not recommending that, but it is your money and there are some interesting facts you can get for free anyway. Other sites want you to spend a fortune on various psycho-babble programmes and training (one went bust recently). These can sometimes be 'suppressive' in character. Little pills are, of course, only to be used in dangerous, high risk circumstances, and then only to undo damage already done. (See the normally 'Not so Nice' NICE recommendations - Top Right). Even 'NICE' (UK), supposedly advocating 'Clinical Excellence', has cracked this nut for us and advises avoidance of medication in these 'cases'. I do try to not to be cynical and assume this is to avoid the 'costs', as it so often is the case; in restricting the life saving & misery avoiding drugs (according to my wiser clinical colleagues - at the risk of breaking 'GP Practice' rules& discipline). We have a lot to say in this area, and in respect of other, associated errors, by all institutions and some entrenched professionals. For now I would advise that (as suggested by these expensive options) most mental & physical exercise and freedom of expression is beneficial for kids and Adults. Just do it (let kids do it) and enjoy it. Listen to your kids, ask them questions, give them answers and get them to argue back, let them try things out and get bored, or distracted. If that is how they learn, adjust the system to their needs. Manage the risks involved, don't suppress the child's natural interest & enquiry. Reward them for 'considered' experimentation and theorising (even when they get it wrong) ask them more questions, rather that 'correct them', let them correct themselves by reasoning. If you suppress the child, you make another problem for the likes of me to resolve later in their lives. If you keep 'correcting' them, you make a child a mirror of yourself. If current attitudes and powerful treatments operated in Einstein's, Freud's, Darwin's, Brunel's and Nightingale's youth, we may still be in the age of steam, sailing in wooden boats, typing on mechanical typewriters, reading bumps on peoples heads, using 'blood letting' as a means of curing everything and dreaming about flying one day. (some would prefer this, I know). From my personal experience and through listening to the histories of people who have been suppressed and abused as kids, looking out the window and dreaming, playing with matches, taking the clock to pieces, coming up with outlandish theories based upon manic observations, and then asking countless irritating questions; were positive learning actions and my mum agreed (but was still p**d off). All you need to know about the positive benefits of being different and the negative consequences of being 'suppressed', is on this web site and there is even more to come. Wake up parents. There are to many Medical Experts with a Power Complex. Get in touch with your own deeper instincts, enjoy your kids for who they are and watch them blossom. Get help to manage, not to suppress behaviour. Then ensure, by every means available to you, they then have an effective place in our communities. Push for social changes. Help your kids safely learn about 'cause and effect' for real. They may grow up to be intelligent, critically reflective clinicians, social workers and therapists (god help them, we need them). Maybe they will just be richer in some way of their choice, like so many who survived this prejudice in the past, by some pig headed determination, an intelligent and insightful mentor and a bit of good luck on the journey through adolescence. The wonderful, rapid technological advances we are enjoying, the most dramatic advances in science (including genetics - Genome Project included) and advanced ideas in medicine and social politics, are the largely selfless, socially advantageous contributions of people, supposedly with ADD / ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Bipolar Disorders, Dyslexia and 'adolescent' schizophrenias!. We think differently, get used to it, we will continue to do so, and more often get thing right than average. Now look forward to increasingly beneficial social and economic advances, following up on Human Rights :-). Dream the Dream & change the world, each a little bit, or in dramatic and exciting ways.. The Neanderthals within us are slowly becoming extinct. They had their day and the skills are always there for our defence, when really needed. Now its the turn for the 'social' geniuses within us to have their day. Stand aside and watch in wonder. Let those who know what they are doing take charge over those good at regimented intellectual pretence. Give the competent practitioner's a chance to do an effective job, unencumbered by fear, irrational, time consuming, duplicative paperwork and data entry, prescriptive & restrictive Policy that effectively 'micro manages' and conflicts with sound Ethical prerogatives. Let those who know about 'Best Value', from the point of view of Best Practice', take the lead in saving us all money and making community service an occupation to be proud of and that is respected once more. How, by involving those who think outside the institutional box; Service Users and people who break the conventional, institutional rules. Kids and Adults with 'alleged' ADHD and 'Out of their Boxes' thinking, have the potential to find all the answers you will ever need, to solve most of the problems you encounter. We will tell you how! For Free! Just for the fun of being 'Free Thinkers' :-). Just pay us a decent professional salary, a few toys to play with and some real responsibilities and opportunities to show what works and what doesn't. MUCH MORE TO COME | See: www.psychminded.co.uk
1st October 2008
 October 1: Drugs should not be first-line treatment for ADHD, doctors told - and NICE says medication should not be prescribed at all to pre-school children with ADHDSee: www.psychminded.co.uk
1st October 2008
 Feature: Sept 5: Schizophrenia gene, where art thou? Molecular genetics has failed to reliably identify DNA for schizophrenia. So has the search been a complete damp squid? Adam James examines the evidence. NOTE: This Document is still at some stage of development. You are invited to respond and comment on its content and its logic. If you return to the document at a future date, you will be able to see its continued development, hopefully reflecting your own and others commentary. I thank you, in advance, for any contribution that you make. Please also feel free to visit and contribute, in any valid way, to these and other social issues, through our Forums. There is also a Chat Room and protected Chat Space for more serious group discussions and individual counselling. Please feel free o use this space for your legitimate activities. Copyright: Although you will see very few reference to other formal writings in this document, I acknowledge general recognition to the discussions and debates that I have had with students, practitioners and clients over the years. Most of the ideas and theory has evolved through this rather pragmatic process (operational research), rather than any formal reading. If any content of this document describes concepts, theory, or ideas that have been established else where, (prior to my writing, either here or else where - in part or in full), I acknowledge their entitlement to claim them as their intellectual property for financial purposes, if they can evidence this. I also reserve the right to retain them as my intellectual property, with due recognition to those who have made direct contributions, including other writers, should I identify such a past influences. Other than this, I invite you to share and copy any content, to the benefit of intellectual debate and the benefit of individuals and groups, without restriction, other than it be used for constructive purpose, in the wider context of my writing. Should you wish to use any material presented here 'as is', I ask that you then make reference to myself and the web site. The 'Reading Date' would be a useful 'publishing date' for the Current Edition. 1980 is the core publishing date for most of the basic ideas and theory (unless stated otherwise). This 'Reading Date' may be an important part of this 'reference', as the document (by its 'internet fluid' nature) will be constantly changing and this may affect meaning and interpretation, for those following up on such a reference at a later date. Thank you for your cooperation. TRC. eMail: terry.couchman@visitweb.org
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