Generation RX

The main thesis of Generation RX centered around the over prescription and over diagnosis of children and adolescents, as well as young adults. As we have seen media hype over supposed disorders, we have also seen a rise in diagnosis and prescriptions for these disorders. A 400% spike in prescriptions for young children and adults, the explosion of drugs like Ritalin and Adderall on the market, and the hidden risks and side effects, including the cover up of how many suicides were linked to Prozac use lend compelling arguments to stand behind this thesis. In our class, we've discussed how stigma is related to a diagnosis of a deviant mental health label (autistic, bipolar, adhd). The Frowners illustrated a family of a father and two sons, all with differing views of how the younger son, Emanuel should be treated for social awkwardness, later diagnosed as Aspergers. Without a label, he was confused and mistreated, but with a diagnosis, he lives with a stigma. As the FDA allowed questionable drugs and practices, and severe over-diagnosis to try and fix these deviant minds, the film illustrates that not only are we giving people stigma and labels they don't need, but we are risking their lives with these diagnosis. 
    The most convincing argument in my mind, was listening to Candace's sister talk about what a wonderful young lady her sister was before her suicide. Inability to focus on tests, combined with anxiety, earned Candace a prescription which her family believes led to her untimely death. Listening to these stories of a daughter laughing at Animal Planet with her father, then being found dead hanging in her closet, of a mother killing herself in front of her child sickened and saddened me. The thousands of stories like these, about people who went on Prozac to focus or lose weight, and resulted in suicide are staggering.  There was nothing I didn't find convincing and compelling about this film. 
    The overdiagnosis of ADHD, especially in children who are behaving normally for their age interests me greatly. As we read in Harmon's article, children who are in the younger group of their grade are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, when ultimately they are really just less mature. I would be interested to see a comparison of ADHD diagnosis in children outside of the United States, for example in the UK, to see if the same over diagnosis for younger children holds true outside of our country. 



Harmon, Katherine. "Are some ADHD-labeled Kids Just Young for Their Grade?." Scientific American. Nature America Inc, 2010. Web. 8 Mar 2012. <http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2010/08/17/are-some-adhd-labeled-kids-just-young-for-their-grade/>.


Warner, Gregory, narr. "The Frowners." Radio Lab: Diagnosis. WNYC, 29 Dec 2008. web. 8 Mar 2012. <http://www.radiolab.org/2008/dec/29/the-frowners/>.