[robertakarobin]

We had/have a lot of reservations about it too, and discussed it at length with our pediatrician over months of observation. We decided what was more horrifying was hearing a 7-year-old — who has supportive family and friends, good health, no traumatic events, no major life changes going on, never worries where food/shelter is coming from — say he feels like "he shouldn't be on Earth anymore" and suddenly react with extreme physical anxiety to almost everything. It was bad enough that he couldn't really implement any of the coping skills he learned in therapy. His therapist hoped that medication would bring him to a baseline where he was able to benefit more from therapy. My family's historical success with Prozac also made the decision more palatable since depression appears to be hereditary.

There has been a phenomenal positive shift in his behavior since he started medication. All that said, another commenter pointed out that the study specifically says that Prozac is no better than placebo for depression, which is similar to but distinct from anxiety, which is what my son is being treated for. My mom and I were both diagnosed with depression, but anxiety may be more accurate -- I'm not sure.

[rsyring]

You seem to be handling the naysayers pretty well. But, still wanted to compliment you for sharing and encourage you not to let them get to you.

It sounds like you made a wise decision given your personal and family history and your son is benefiting. Kudos.

[Yodel0914]

I was one of those “medicating kids is a terrible idea” people, until I had kids with severe generalised anxiety. It took a lot to convince me to try it, but it made their lives better in such an obvious, immediate way. The whole experience made me a lot more humble about opinions I hold without relevant experience.

[robertakarobin]

It's important to remember that not being a "medicating kids is a terrible idea" person doesn't mean one is a "every medication is a great idea" person. I'm probably like most people where in a perfect world I wouldn't medicate at all, and treat unfamiliar medications with some skepticism. But also I accept that I'm not (and am not interested in being) a medical expert, so if there is a medical need that I can't handle myself I'll take the advice of a clinician who has earned my trust with good reasoning.

[tempestn]

> The whole experience made me a lot more humble about opinions I hold without relevant experience.

I wish there were a way to shortcut this process for society so that so many people didn't need to either go through a similar experience personally to have such an epiphany, or worse, never have it at all. (Speaking not only about medication for kids, but other polarizing issues as well.)

[jacobgkau]

I'd be more interested in where your 7-year-old even learned phrases like "I feel like I shouldn't be on Earth anymore."

[robertakarobin]

Yes, us too. Beats us. Sure wasn't around our house, and we can't imagine any family/friends/TV/whatever he may have learned it from.

[lawlessone]

It sounds to me how a someone would describe feeling suicidal when they don't know the word for it.

[pinkmuffinere]

Ya, when I'm sad I can come up with pretty creative language to express it. It does feel really tough to know that a seven year old feels like that :(

[fn-mote]

7 year olds are second graders in school. They are exposed to plenty.

[drekipus]

[flagged]

[conception]

All this comment points out it’s you aren’t very familiar with second grades curriculums.

[Braxton1980]

For me it shows he's trying to shoehorn in right wing talking points into this situation.

[robertakarobin]

With both my kids in 2nd grade and my wife also a public 2nd grade teacher, I consider myself pretty aware of what kids are being taught these days. They certainly are being gradually introduced to some of the problems of the world, but I think childhood development experts would all agree that's healthy. As for them being told they're the source or victim that's hardly the case. I'm sure there are a few isolated incidents that right-wing media love to bang on about, but not the experience for most.

[drekipus]

> but I think childhood development experts would all agree that's healthy.

Could it be that we think it's healthy because we can just give meds to the kids that it affects?

How would someone even have the ability to say "it's healthy" - I'm struggling to think how it comes about. I think it's healthy for my kids to cry about a worm dying in the garden, but anything less than "anxiety about a dying planet"...

Put it another way: climate change messaging IS totally about anxiety and putting human as the cause, so we can (as adults) change our habits and save the planet. Could it be too much for kids though?

[Braxton1980]

I grew up in the 80s and 90s. In school environmentalism was a big deal. We did conservation trips to these ecology parks, we were taught to recycle, and often watched films about animals that might die off due to climate change.

I only felt motivated to annoy my parents to recycle more. Since the effects were not directly in front of me a strong emotional reaction didn't occur.

Perhaps there are children who already have anxiety and latch onto climate change and other problems.

[robertakarobin]

At what age will you permit your kids to leave the walled garden you've created for them?

[willmadden]

Issues like what? Civilization? Ending slavery? Those aren't teachings, they are genocidal lies.

[victorbjorklund]

Not sure about you but I didn’t learn my native language phrase by phrase only. You learn the individual parts and concepts and construct sentences from that.

[holden_nelson]

He learned it from being on Earth? And noticing that some people who used to be on Earth aren’t anymore? And it dawning on him that he doesn’t have to be either?

[georgeburdell]

I’m with you on this. Granted my oldest is only 5, but anything profound my kids say can be traced back to something they heard

[drekipus]

Teachers / schools / mandatory privilege education

[phatskat]

You seem to have a pretty narrow view of the world, especially about “privilege education.” FWIW I’ve never once heard anything about “white people bad” from my kiddo, about 10.

It’s also impossible to to talk about idk Columbus, slavery, Great Britain, or the founding of America (and like ya know, the treatment of native Americans) without ascribing some blame to the people responsible…who were by and large “white”. We also talk about how any judgement based on skin, appearance, gender, ethnicity, or religion, is flat out wrong.

[throw-the-towel]

Come on, 7 year olds should have already learned to form phrases.

[incr_me]

No, you see, this phrase must have appeared in his training set.

[throwaway314155]

As someone with bad mental health since I was ~5 and parents who refused to acknowledge it - I think you're making the right decision.

There is however also benefit in updating your priors as new research comes out. I won't say this particular research discounts your experience. But maybe some day your son will prefer a different medication.

[burner420042]

I appreciate your candor in this. A respectful and on-going discussion and dialogue about this subject is really the best way forward for us all.

[hajile]

The solution for suicidal thoughts is a drug known to induce suicidal thoughts?

You said elsewhere that there were "no known long-term side effects". Aside from that not being universally true for any drug I've ever personally researched, no side effect is more long-term than suicide.