All parents with a pre-teen have experienced their outbursts and tantrums at one time or another. Until now, temper tantrums were a normal part of childhood. But now it can also be labeled as disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.
The American Psychiatric Association now uses their newly updated reference manual called DSM-5. It has sparked international outrage and waves of petitions, including one from 14,000 mental health professionals, and over 50 organizations. Their main concern is the loosening and enlargement of behavior categories to the point where pretty much every person on earth can well be diagnosed with one mental-disorder or another.
The previous DSM-4 version first identified ADHD and caused an explosion in the prescription of Ritalin and influenced the diagnosis of millions of people (mostly kids, on which the medication still hasn’t been tested – mostly Orange kids). After its release, the diagnosis in children increased forty-fold! Do you think the disclosure that over 70% of the authors of the DSM-5 manual have ties to the drug industry is a coincidence? Hmm…
In the book: The Drugging of Our Children, psychologist Brent Robbins cites one study that found 72% of pediatricians prescribe psychotropic medication to children, but only eight percent felt adequately trained to do so!
There’s a reason the Colorful Personality book has an extensive section on ADHD in both the Orange chapter and the chapter on children. Changing the behavior of children is not just a pill away. In the school system, why is it that the few Oranges who do become teachers have almost no trouble managing Orange kids? They understand what it takes to engage them, give them the attention, and focus their energy in short bursts.
No wonder a few times a year a parent contacts me to get a copy of the Colors book right away. When I ask why, the response is always that their son or daughter’s teacher needs to learn to understand an Orange child. Oh how badly the world needs more Orange teachers…