Thursday, October 18, 2012

Thursday Thoughts - On Psychotropics for Kids

Murphyories
by Rachel Hoyt
 
image by Jomphong via freedigitalphotos.net
 
Murf Murphy, the vintage TV,
from his spot in the foyer could see
ad slogans turn into life mantras
in the lives of Jimmys and Cassandras.
 
He taught me all that he knew
as he knew his days were soon through.
"Don't believe what they say," he said,
"Slogans just brainwash and buy bread."
 
He'd taught me I deserve a break today
and that I can actually have it 'my way',
but that the taste of the new generation
should be good old, "Everything in moderation."
 
'Just what the Dr ordered' is not
found in anything that I ate or bought.
Yet, oatmeal is something to smile about.
Got milk? Smiles are less fun without.
 
The last words he grumbled were, "Say no to drugs."
as he flashed images of famous thugs.
"They can snap, crackle, pop your braincells
with their 'works like a dream' magic spells."
 
"You've come a long way, baby -
thoughts Zestfully clean now, maybe?"
Words, like pills, can have side effects.
I told Murf I knew that (now) when I paid my respects.
 
© 2012 Rachel Hoyt. All rights reserved
 
 
This poem was written for the parent of every child
 
 
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22 comments:


  1. "Word like pills, have side effects"

    I liked that line..and so true!

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    1. Thank you, Jessica! That's an important line for the poem's message. I'm glad it resonated with you. :)

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  2. I loved this tender poem Rachel. We have been, and still are, brainwashed. But, washing a child's brain with drugs is criminal. Pharmaceutical companies are in it for the money. Period. And the doctors get some amazing perks for pushing their drugs. Parents are the last line of defense against such corruption. I'll get off my soap box now;)
    Hugs!

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    1. I'll share my soapbox with you anytime, Leah. :) It is sad how dependent the world is becoming on 'drugs' and how powerless they feel to change the environment causing the 'need'. xo

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  3. It just isn't fair! Why should the kids be subjected to such 'poisons' too early in life. Being young their immune system can do on their own. Great that you bring this up in your verse. Nicely Rachel!

    Hank

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    1. Thank you, Hank. Yes, how can we get angry at an increase in illegal drug addictions when we're pushing legal drugs at such a young age?

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  4. Parents and schools become lazy
    So the tough kids are labelled as crazy
    We then give them all kinds of pills
    To counteract all of their "ills"
    No one is sure how it works
    But the doctors keep getting the perks!
    There are side-effects you can't ignore
    But we can just add one pill more!
    Social/family dysfunction don't mention
    Medicate that disordered attention!

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  5. Rachel, this is just a stroke of genius. I am wowed by this poem. This needs to go viral. Our society is brainwashed by ads and a cult of experts. A young woman I know recently disclosed to me that she was on a detoxification mission to purify her body and mind from all the drugs they’d given her during her high school years. She says, “I was in 9th grade and didn't realize the side effects of medication. I just like to be really active and don't like sitting still too long. That is just the way I am. I was on the drugs about four years, on and off. They put me on Ritalin and Adderall. These drugs steal your soul, the way cocaine does an addict’s. It has huge highs and lows, affecting the natural biorhythms of your body. I was struggling with depression and it made my mood swings even worse. When I see pictures of myself back then, I realize how sickly looking I was.” She’d really appreciate this poem, along with thousands of other victims of the system.

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    1. Thank you, Debra! I always do my best to try to send my poems viral. :) The girl you describe is the EXACT type I was thinking of when I wrote this. I can't imagine being told as a young child that you need those medications to be normal. It's such a terrible 'lesson' to be teaching kids. They are stronger, smarter and more well behaved than we give them credit for. Often, they become "bad kids" by imitating us.

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  6. I love this, Rachel! In my years of teaching, I hated seeing parents being "talked into" medicating their children by their doctors and other teachers who "just couldn't handle the behaviors". Sad, sad, sad . . .
    Kids are kids and they are meant to be active and energetic. Now, if they hadn't done away with recess . . .
    Great poem, my dear!
    Blessings!

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    1. I still can't believe that there are schools that don't have recess. Kids NEED to let energy out!!! Argh.

      I'm glad you liked the poem, Martha. :)

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  7. I dislike the notion of giving pills to minors. On the other other as an adult I have a fair few in my day. Nothing prescribed by the doctor of course :)

    A

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    1. As you can tell by my perfect flow in commenting above that beholds no grammatical errors it obviously hasn't effected me at all :)

      oh boy
      A

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    2. LOL. :) Nope, you weren't affected. :)

      Seriously though, adults can decide if they feel they need medication. I've taken anti-depressants and a few anti-anxiety pills at times. It just seems like a suggestion of life long use when you give them to children for fairly normal kid behavior.

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  8. Rachel-- Excellent, excellent poem!! Love that "You've come a long way baby, thoughts Zestfully clean now, maybe?" Very clever and really hit home too, my oldest is dyslexic and before they figured that out, they tried to shame, force, badger me into "just trying" ADD meds. That wasn't the problem. When he was finally diagnosed, I was so glad I never caved. It's an incredibly tough job for teachers nowadays, they have no support from anyone--so I can understand why they'd advocate for a little drug therapy to ease the madness in the classroom--they are usually well intended, but baby, that ain't the panacea.

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    1. Thank you Sara. :) So glad to hear this helps shed light (for the rest of the world) on a subject that is very important to you.

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  9. ugh tough topic for me....having seen kids way over medicated and helping them and their family get free....but also the side efects dont stop when they stop either on some of these...i know some help but you really have to do your homework...

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    1. Thanks for supporting the kids and families going through this! :)

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  10. I keep trying to give these poems a chance but never get past the first few lines because they don't make any sense. Am I the only one who feels this way?

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Rhyming or not, I would like a lot to hear the thoughts my words brought...