So anti-vaxxers rightly get a lot of backlash from the mainstream, but I keep thinking about how parents that dont "believe" In either mental illness, or in the many scientifically tested ways of treating mental illness, deprive their children of mental healthcare.... And thats just......... Normal. It's totally different if it's something parents can't afford (which is itself a horror and injustice). I know there are side effects to many psychiatric meds, especially for minors, but there are very safe ways of trying medications, and lots of alternatives, like therapy. Im just talking sorry, this keeps bothering me, especially when people talk about the anti-vaxxers. I wish there was that same energy behind childrens mental health.

Wow I hadn’t even thought about it from this perspective, but you’re so right. Makes me upset too. A lot of things could have been better for me if I had started to get treatment 12 years ago.

You are right, it's not the same thing. After posting this, I started to think about how after I was diagnosed, a doctor gave me a prescription for Xanax even though I wasnt getting panic attacks back then. I was 16! Later in life, I was prescribed benzos again, and I was on them for years, which is common in America, but always dangeeous. I had to vo through horrible withdrawal after they stopped working and I keot having to up my dose. There is irresponsible and uneducated drug pushing, and the science in psychiatry is definitely less solid than it is for vaccines. Im sorry you had these experiences. Therapy is really the best treatment for OCD. It's pretty socially acceptable to believe therapy does nothing, and lots of people make fun of therapy and think it's just privileged people whining about their problems. I just think about what my OCD was like before I got treatment, and I feel horrible for people who are denied ANY treatment, because their parents dont believe In it. Treatment isn't a luxury, OCD takes away your life. But in reality, as it always is, it's complicated.

I know. My parents are among that crowd and they still try to talk me out of taking medications, they won't listen to me when I tell them that the pills are working.

I hadn't thought of that tbh, it's a really good point. I had therapy as an adult without even telling my dad since I knew he'd be against it. One time I said I'd had a panic attack recently and he said 'How did I raise such weak children?'

I don‘t think this is the same thing. While vaccinations are really working, psych meds have a high placebo effect, a lot of side effect and there are a lot of non responders. Psychiatrie systematically avoids talking about the physical dependency and the hardships of withdrawl, which exist for certain. I know many people getting worse on psych meds, including me, and only non mainstream scientists who talk about it, while the mainstream psychiatric studies are broadly sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. This is not denying the problems that are labeled „mental illness“ as some parents seem to do. But there are a lot of people out there where psychiatric treatment did harm and I hate this fact is mostly denied. While I agree completely it‘s horrible that some people can‘t afford any treatment at all.

stf really sorry to hear your med story. I know the prescription of psych drugs is even more in the US (I can speak for Germany), but also here it‘s irresponsible and makes me angry. But I get your point about parents denying the phenomena labeled „mental ilness“, maybe saying things like „get yourself together“, right? That is also not helpful and ignorant, I agree. On the other hand there are parents blaming the problem on the child and too soon and to trusting in „the experts“ give their children to doctors which is also questionable. Yes, no treatment is horrible, and being poor is one of the main predictors and maintaining causes of mental problems. It‘s the world we live in. Good you had treatment that helped you!