The Drugging Of My Youth - A Survival Story

in #story7 years ago (edited)

When I was just 4 years old, I was put on television to advertise Ritalin. My mom was a psychiatric nurse and whilst I hold no ill will towards her as I understand the indoctrination all too well after my course in veterinary asst. I do however find it to be absolutely abhorrent that society would have us believe there's nothing inherently wrong with drugging children (or dogs for that matter). For a decade I was what I refer to as a 'lab rat' having been on multiple medications during that time; Dexedrine, Prozac, Seroquil, sadly the list goes on... We also moved constantly, every few months to a year. I must have switched schools 20 times. So I struggled a lot with making friends.

I was pretty bright at age 4. I wanted to be a marine biologist (I absolutely adored Free Willy) and my favourite story my parents told me is when I stole my dad's contact lenses and put them on my simba stuffy. When my dad asked why I did that I told him that it was because he needed to see that one day he would be king.

Fast forward to age 13 when I first discovered cannabis. I finally felt somewhat normal and accepted. I ate food regularly and I slept at night without sleeping pills like a regular person. It basically woke me up from the drug induced slumber I was forced to endure throughout my childhood. I since quit all the medications and became quite the rebel having realized what had been done to me. My mom did not approve. I understand that this was out of fear instilled in her by propaganda. But cutting off my contact with my friends (and flushing cannabis) caused me extreme grief. I would self-harm as a result and then I ran away.

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Wearing my SOAD army coat and a pair of fairy wings I hitch hiked for the only time in my life. I took a transit bus out as far as I could go and began walking. My first ride was in a semi and the driver exclaimed his concern saying he has a daughter my age but took me as far as he could. The 2nd ride I don't remember much of but the last one was in a DeLorean with fuzzy interior and green lights, a very kind gay man dropped me off right where I needed to be. I had made it 250kms to see my best friend.

It was a surprise visit since my mom had cut off my contact with her. I ended up being unable to find her and wound up in a foster house. The last thing I remembered was falling asleep at this foster house and then waking up in a psych ward. I have no recollection of what happened. Apparently they found me in a 7-11 completely out of it. And all I could recall of my arrival to the ward was being stripped down, stabbed in the ass with tranquilizers and thrown in a cement room with only a cold floor to sleep on. 3 days amnesia from the tranqs.

I spent most my time there making scrapbooks from magazines and conversing with the people there. Most of them were pretty swell, to my recollection there was only one person who seemed 'crazy' and made me nervous. The rest adored me. There was an old man who could contort his body in all kinds of incredible shapes who I remember fondly.

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This is the only page really with writing on it. The 2nd book is lost

Then I got ahold of my friend and planned my escape. Went outside to the smoke area and when I knew no one was looking I threw my scrapbooks over the fence, climbed over and we ran off into the night together. I was caught the next day and upon my return the people I had met previously cheered me on for having escaped. But unfortunately it seems I would be the last to easily pass over that fence as they installed barbed wire afterwards. I was promptly transferred to another ward in the town I ran away from. They were way more serious here and kept a close eye on me.

The child psychologist with his backwards taupe who viewed me for 10 minutes exclaimed in his 25 yrs of practice I was the worst case of aspergers next to only one other. I laughed at this 'assburgers wtf is that?'. I've always thought it another excuse to continue drugging me.

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Then they put me in anger management and wouldn't let me smoke for 5 hours. Being a rebel I did not listen to this and quickly found my way out of there. I lived in multiple foster homes/safehouse until I met a friend online who let me stay at his apartment with the condition that I would still attend school.

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I loved this place, I was allowed to be myself, had a constant supply of medicine (cannabis) and had a lot of fun. Nerdy (I say this affectionately as I am too) older guy who was lonely after his room mate moved out let me build forts in the extra room, taught me to play guitar and we had lots of chocolate milk and curly fries and a safe environment to do mushrooms.

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I was 15-16 when I went to live with my dad, this is when I lost pretty much all of my artwork and that was devastating. Art was my main coping mechanism asides from cannabis. My mom advised my dad to keep me on medications but he witnessed what it was doing to me and stopped when I tried to take a bunch of them at once and overdose. He brought me to a therapist as she instructed where I used the chains I was wearing to attach myself to the chair to signify my dissatisfaction. The barbie-like woman said I was hopeless. But I never believed she could help me to begin with. How could barbie understand what I was going through?

Something absolutely horrifying happened to me in this time frame which I don't wish to talk about but it helped being allowed to use cannabis as medicine and make friends without restriction. I dropped out of school since they illegally shredded my files (likely I was a bad influence) and there's no way I would repeat grade 8. Eventually got into my first relationship at 16 and started working graveyards and then rescuing animals. Love heals. The jobs and relationship lasted 4 years and then he abandoned me without saying anything. That's when I had a serious spiritual awakening.

To Be Continued...

So who is really crazy? The way psyche deals with things is what I find to be truly insane, and it's not just me whose been treated in this manner. Though my disdain towards the system has made me strong and given me resolve. And ultimately lead me where I am today which I am grateful for.

Abuse & trauma are some of the saddest things. But I think a person can come back from anything and those make the most epic hero stories.

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What a tale, gotta wonder how all of these medication of the youth has affected and will continue to affect our society.

Ehh good you came out the other side flying! I was just writing a post like this the other day, all honesty about the shit I got up to as a teenager and the spiritual awakening that occured from it.

I am still revising and revising it though since uh it includes some prettttyyy touchy subjects. I sorta gotta figure out what I should say and what I shouldnt lol. It takes guts to be so honest. To be fair, I did much worse things then you by choice, whereas you were subjected to it all.

Its TOTALY FUCKED UP to drug children or put them in psych wards when they run away! Like what the fuck??? Our society is literally insane? It reminds me of Dirk Gently lol, there was a scene in there where he got trapped in a psych ward and they just made up disorders to drug people. Its a trap!

I would be revising this forever if I didn't just decide 'fuckit' and post it now. I'd rather not spend any more time dwelling on this portion of my life as it's in the past. It already had me up very late last night putting the pieces together. It does take guts, I was inspired to write this by @wwf and @markwhittam's posts about foster care. I feel it's good to let the truth hit the air and give others the chance to possibly learn from my experiences. Abuse & trauma are some of the saddest things. But I think a person can come back from anything and those make the most epic hero stories.

Yeah the heroes often are pretty traumatized haha. I usually just say fuck it and post stuff too, editing is really boring. I have some sensitive information though lol, I will probably be working on that post for a while. I am inspired by them as well to be tansparent and honest!

I purposely left out the most sensitive part because I had actually forgotten about it for so long until recently and I didn't want to traumatize the reader >.< Also I have not worked up to courage to talk about it either. Kudos to you for writing about sensitive topics <3

ehh some things are good to keep private anyways, its sorta nice having a secret or two haha

Wow super powerful post! Those are intense initiation experiences. I’m sorry you were drugged in this way, but that ultimately it led you on the bright and empowered path you’re on now. I’m sorry too so many kids are drugged and their voices aren’t heard! It needs to stop! It’s not the answer. Glad you got an opportunity too to use herb which worked well for your system. Our culture needs so much healing 🖤

It's intense just remembering them, and kinda miraculous I even function as well as I do now having been through all that and more. I'm happy you found my story to be powerful, the experience certainly was. Am grateful to be where I am now and have realized so much so early. The longer you are on psychiatric drugs the harder it is to quit them and my mission is to remove dependence in my life. I'm glad I got that opportunity as well, it was tough to obtain at times and may have placed me in questionable crowds but it worked for me and that was valuable. I don't even need it anymore! I concur heavily on the healing of our culture. It's beyond messed up that we handle people who are suffering in this way and indeed it needs to STOP! Thankyou for your comment <3

wow well, i'd say you're not only functioning well, but you're thriving!! you've done amazing things and that you've done many of them alone speaks to your inner fortitude, personal power and strength of spirit.

have you seen this article? http://www.jaysongaddis.com/the-shamanic-view-of-mental-illness/

to me, if we keep drugging everyone who is out of the norm, not even to say that they have ea mental illness (as in your case), we are suppressing the spiritual truth seeking to come up through each individual...

<3 <3 <3 thanks again for sharing- that took guts!!

Wow thankyou, I appreciate your uplifting words! I am pretty resilient, it's unfortunate others who've been through similar experiences came out believing there was something wrong with them - "here take this pill." Rather than a reintroduction to regular life and healthier therapeutic methods of understanding and coping with whatever they may be going through as opposed to just being drugged into a stupor. But maybe the placebo effect works for some in that manner. I on the other hand couldn't possibly bring myself to believe the state has my best interests in mind in any arena sadly.

I have seen that article and a couple others like it. I completely agree with it! ^_^

Exactly, however I don't refer to my diagnosis as a 'mental illness' rather a label for my uniqueness in an attempt to suppress it. Did you know that many famous people have aspergers? hehe.

Mhmm turning creative persons into zombies is not beneficial to the world whatsoever >.<

Grateful for your engagement on this post and insights it has significantly elevated my mood <3 <3 <3!!!

yeah i just reread what i wrote and realized it sounded like i was referring to you as having a mental illness - i wrote that wrong. it meant to read that not everyone that gets hospitalized has mental illness! i wouldn't call aspergers a mental illness either! i have met people with it and as with anything on the autism spectrum, personally, my belief is that it often gives one like extra sensory powers! ... ever since i watched temple grandin i have thought that, and then i did more research and met people and read more stories and truly i think yall have something to share/teach the world that is pretty grand in our time.

i'm also curious if autism spectrum manifestations have been around for a long time or why it is popping up more now. something in the water? or maybe, as my theory posits, that it's people with special ways of seeing and thinking that come here to give us important messages.

anyway, with temple grandins hug machine, i felt like i totally got her <3

so happy to hear it lifted your mood :) a little encouragement goes a long way and it's nice to uplift each other <3 XOXO

No. This is really a lot staggering. We must find solutions to avoid these negative phenomena in our society and, in particular, protect our innocent children from them. They are the angels of the earth to us all. Today you have raised a bone problem that is sweeping our society and culture. Thank you dear sister. I wish you more success and a prosperous future

You are very courageous for sharing this @wisewoof. You are a special soul and were meant to survive and flourish.

Your life story really shows how psychiatric services and medication does not work, there is no support in medicating people. This approach of treatment is only helping pharmaceutical companies. Psychiatric hospitals are not healing environments, they are more like prisons.
I spend some time working in mental health and like you the people I saw where not the insane ones, rather the system that got there claws into them is insane.
I'm glad to hear you got away, we need to focus more on community support and empowering people. We do have a great ability to heal ourselves,for who else knows us better. Thank you @wisewoof for sharing your story, I think you should include the familyprotection tag, this is very relevant.

Exactly! Customers not cures... Certainly felt like a prison. Lately I've been interested in working in mental health myself, though I worry it will be reminiscent of my veterinary course where I'll be expected to do things that aren't in line with my morals. I would though like to share my story with those in similar circumstances, give support and possibly lead people to healthier alternative routes for healing. I wasn't sure if it was relevant enough so thankyou for suggesting I use the familyprotection tag! And thankyou for your comment :)

The drugging of children is really a problem and a tragedy. Millions of children are affected by this and they grew up with an intoxicated brain. Their youth are ruined and the effects of the drugs damaged them for life.

But you are a survivor @wisewoof and you are determination and courage to live your life on your own normally. I'm sorry to hear that you have experience this horribly but you've survive and you are thriving and live your life successfully. Thanks for sharing this experience you have with us.

Wow Jade ❤🙏

Epic doesn't even come close, i kept wanting to believe this was a story. And, not ever possible to be the truth. I pray for a day that no child shall be neglegted in this or any other way ever again. Bless you sweet beautiful sister!!!! I am so friggin' glad to walk this good path with you.

I am really sorry you had to endure so much. Especially loosing your art. But, as you say the phoenix must rise. And, so she shall. Much gratitude, respect and love to you and yours.

Wow, thank you for sharing your story. My best friend was given Ritalin at around the same age, and he had a pretty rough ride dealing with the after effects. In this world of fake news, fake politicians, fake money, and Pavlovian social media neutering our psyches, It is great to see something real. Journalists should be telling these stories in there 24 hour news hell, so people could realize the real negative affect drugging our children can have on our people and society. But it would seem Trump's Big Mac® addiction is more important. Sharing personal experiences like this is hard, but this may be one of the greatest untapped values of this platform. So I admire you, I'm glad you came out of it so strong. I will follow, resteem and I would up-vote it 20 times if I could. Much love.

It took a lot of courage to share what you just wrote about. I pray that it helps continue your journey towards healing and finding peace in your life. I applaud and support what you just did. Bravo to you.

Thank you for sharing such a unique and unbelievable life experience. I think far too often children are prescribed medication for things that they do not have in an attempt to control the wild soul that they are. As I have gotten older, I realize that my parents only did the best they could with the information they had and although it wasn’t good enough at times, I’m grateful for the strength I now have. It’s very impressive that you have come out of all of those medications alive and cannabis is a natural healing plant, like some teas. Keep shining your light and remain confident that with all of that experience, you now can endure anything; that is scary for indoctrinators!

Amazing story @wisewoof! Seems like you've also been on quite the journey lol. I only laugh because I can relate. My brother shares a similar path as you did, but in different ways. He was always drugged out by the school systems. This of course led to major bouts of depression, suicide attempts, and ultimately the realization from my parents that these drugs were the problem.

I am strongly opposed to anything that alters behavior or creates a sense of dependency. There's no room for these kinds of things in our world. Often the problem lies within the constructs of the system. Thank God times are a changing ;-)

Thank you so much for sharing this @wisewoof! You are a true inspiration!

Thanksmuch! It's nice to find people who can relate. I tried to make the tale somewhat humorous, backwards toupe man and barbie and whatnot. Condolences to your brother for being put through that. Aye you cannot really be free if you depend on the state. But ultimately none are free when others are enslaved. We have much work to do so thank god indeed! Full speed ahead with the revolution hehe. I appreciate your comment and happy I can be of inspiration :D

Wow. We were meant to meet. They nearly killed me with SSRIs and when I bitched about it, they labeled me "craziest bitch we ever saw." OK, that was not the OFFICIAL diagnosis, but that was what they meant.
CHEERS to surviving "mental health care" my friend!

Here's to the epic hero stories! Mental illness or supposed mental illness is definitely a hero story. Life is tough, but you're tougher.

Amazing writing!

As there are in most situations, you can choose a path of negativity or a path of positivity and resilience. I’m happy to see that you overcame so many obstacles at such a young age. I understand how it can be when you have to grow up fast without a choice.

Gracias! Unexpected things are always going to happen in life. The only control we have is how we choose to handle them. Deciding to survive using courage, humor & grace, to be the king of one's own life, the choice is ours.

I agree, the unexpected will always happen. Your words resonate with how I’ve been trying to look at life the last two months. This year my mother passed away on Dec 2nd due to a car accident, 3 days before my 24th birthday. It’s been a journey learning how to cope with the universe’s actions but life will go on.

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother! I can't imagine what that must feel like to lose her so unexpectedly. I wish for you peace & healing. <3

Wow this post really spoke to me, it seems we share the same disdain for psychotropic "medications". Sick really, completely sick! We are meant to FEEL!!!! I found this woman who wrote the book "A Mind Of Your Own" you would totally jive with what she has to say. She is a incredible woman. http://kellybroganmd.com/all-in-the-family-4-steps-toward-healing-adverse-childhood-experiences/