Our Overmedicated Children

Does your child talk excessively, fidget constantly, or struggle to sit still or stay focused? According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), these are hallmark symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A diagnosis can quickly lead to a prescription for Ritalin, Prozac—or both.

In this powerful investigative documentary, acclaimed public health advocate and filmmaker Gary Null explores the growing trend of prescribing psychotropic drugs to children, including those as young as 2 to 4 years old. Often, these medications are recommended without first evaluating critical factors like diet, environment, or emotional stressors. Parents may be unaware of the serious side effects these drugs can carry—ranging from insomnia and appetite loss to facial tics, hallucinations, and even life-threatening complications such as cardiac arrhythmia.

In some cases, schools and family courts pressure parents to medicate their children—threatening removal from the home if they refuse.

Is this mental health care, or institutionalized child abuse? As naturally energetic and curious children are medicated into compliance, the pharmaceutical industry continues to thrive.