Hey, society.

An evolving cautionary tale!


     Hey, an evolving cautionary tale, evolving may be an inadequate word choice when scientists describe the path of civilization.  Addressing our roles is more accurate for society.  You know, facing up to the roads our children may be on; one being drug addiction.
     Sharon, a past student on psychiatry ward, age 12, with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD/CD) and suicidal (SI), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), parent-child problems and aggression toward her brother and threatening to hurt her mother.  Sharon had a history of outbursts.  She had transferred from another emergency unit for stabilizing and her safety.  A number of times she had been found at the Marriott Hotel at 3 a.m. and at a neighbor's home and there was question of drugs.
     Dexedrine was discontinued on admission with the suspicion it might be contributing to a thought disorder.  Sharon remained fairly cooperative on the Inpatient Unit - no outbursts, no inappropriate behaviors and no psycho motor agitation through the weekend and Monday.  She was to return to the Child and Adolescent Partial Hospital (PHP) because of her mother and Sharon's motivation to try again.  Society and Sharon failed. 
     Sharon ran away and tried to break into her own house, but Police caught her and contacted her mother.  Next day she stayed out all night to be with male peers who reportedly used drugs, alcohol, and had a history of violence.
     In my classroom, I explained that each of us causes his own thoughtlessness or unrestraint with reckless abandon if we choose not to listen to ourselves.  I grasped the mirror for Sharon to view herself telling her she has the capacity to view, see, and choose wisely - possibly beyond her age.  (Perhaps why she flees impulsively.  Now she could begin to learn how to not run away.  That her mind wanted to, but that her body would not cooperate.  Three other students spoke up in support.  They were born this way and did not want to take dangerous drugs.
     Here we took time to discuss the use of Ritalin, Conterta, and other drugs to regulate our brains' transmissions.  These drugs must be monitored for each "individual brain motor". We reviewed the simile of tinkering and fine tuning automobiles as tuning for your brain and regulating the seasonal oils or drugs accordingly for our brain motor.  It's not your fault, Sharon.  Society has to improve the 'mechanic-isms'.
     We, society, evolve to new level.  We are not in the dinosaur age.  As my elementary kids would say, "Why did the dinosaur cross the road?  Because chickens had not evolved yet." 
     Taking drugs wasn't a choice.  Society lead them down a wrong road.