Gabor Maté

So medication or no medication, I took medication, it helped me.

Not anymore, but it did.

I'm not against medication.

When I was working as a practicing physician, I prescribed medications for children and adults.

But they're not the answer.

They can help with symptom control.

So here's what I say to parents.

No child should be forced to take medications.

No child should be given the impression that they're acceptable to the adult world only if they're medicated.

Number one.

Number two.

The goal of medication ought not to be behavior control, but to help the child focus better and to be more grounded.

They have to participate in that decision.

Thirdly, medications may or may not cause side effects.

If they don't and if they help, great.

If they cause side effects or if they don't help, stop them.

But whatever you do, don't think you've answered the problem.

You've only dealt with symptoms.

There's simply no evidence that medication in the long term helps kids cope better with life.

It helps in the short term to focus, you know, I'm great, not against it, but there should never be the first answer and there should never be the only answer.