Bad Therapy Is HARMING Your Kids | With Abigail Shrier

Physician here (not a psychiatrist) and I have seen an astronomical rise in anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, etc, etc, etc. I spend so much time reviewing and recommending a healthy diet, exercise, and habits but, I get maybe 15-30 minutes to address a lifetime of poor choices/unhealthy environments. Also, I’m treating patients (or patient’s parents) who want medication. Even when I prescribe an SSRI or other medication, I still emphasize non-pharmacological treatments. Early intervention is key, but it has to be the right intervention… healthy eating, exercise, friendships, and play. There is no substitute for independent play, healthy friendships, fresh air, and being read to.

We had our daughter in therapy after she expressed signs of depression at 11. 2 years later things got worse over time. For reasons I won't go into, we no longer took her to therapy, and the weirdest thing happened she got happier she has more friends she hangs out with the neigbors kids often. My personal opinion on our situation is that she developed a dialogue with her therapist and was expected to be depressed and do things that depressed kids do to the point that she wasn't allowing herself to have fun anymore. Now she even plays with her "annoying little brother" and laughs and I feel like I'm getting my happy daughter back something 2 years of therapy tried to destroy.

It's like a bad mechanic, if they don't know what they're doing they can end up messing your car up even more than it was when you brought it in.

When I took clinical psychology, the MAXIMUM length of time they recommended for anyone to be on antidepressants is 90 days and to be walked down to none by 180. WTF happened?

Very impressed with this conversation. As someone with two degrees in psychology, much of the information presented here corresponds with what I was taught as well as my own experiences. A good place to start if you're mildly or moderately depressed is exercise. I know that will make many roll their eyes, but it's true. Just start off with 30 minutes each morning - no more! - and then reward your efforts by treating yourself to a nice breakfast. Only when you feel ready - you'll be encouraged by positive body changes - steadily increase your limits. Mental and physical changes reinforce each other and a better outlook is the result.

Amen, Abigail. Please continue to call attention to this attack on children's brains!

Normalize letting kids know that these feelings are normal.

I remember being Sad is part of life, something you live with instead of needing medication to make it worse.

There's no profit to be had in fixing things correctly.

Currently reading her book Irreversible damage.