To be truthful about it, I take Xanax. I take it on an as needed basis, but it is used for those days that anxiety, and panic seem like they are going to take over. In my case, I feel that I ocassionally need them for the schedule that we keep. A schedule which I am sure is not much different from 1/2 the other people on these boards. The problem is that I know I become a B****. So I chose to do something about it. Between my job and my husbands, we have three children. He is a volunteer fireman, a member of the Lions Club, and the Local Chamber. I on the other hand anm President of the PTO, belong to our local Fire Department Auxiliary, and secretary for the Baseball Commission and for the Soccer Commission as well. I help out with our schools academic and athletic boosters and I also help the school principals when they need help. Take into play that I volunteer at my kids school three tims a week, am usually one of the few moms who will take time to attend field trips, and I run a taxi cab service as how our school district is set up, they attend three different schools. Did I mention that all three play baseball and soccer and the two oldest also play basketball. We are active in our Church and the kids are very active in 4-H, they show livestock as well as taking other projects in which each year they strive to be selected as the counties State Fair Participants. I also take dinner twice a week to a friend who is a diabetic, had a stroke, and on Thursday night while I was at a PTO meeting, suffered another stroke, which caused bleeding on her brain and now is in coma. Yes, my what I do with my life is up to me, and I am the one choosing to do it, but there are certain days that I do feel overwhelmed and do take a Xanzx mid afternoon.

Now tell me, if your asking yourself why did they just explain this? I really don't care what she does care. My point is, we don't know what is going on in our teachers lives. They more than likely are going through the same things. As long as it isn't affecting their performance, it isn't your business. As for the medicated children, I have seen some who need it and some that I think need other forms of action being taken. But if it isn't your children, their really is nothing you can do about it either.

I agree that too many children are given medication and personally I think it's because everyone seems to be too BUSY to deal with it in any other manner. There are some children who possibly do need it. As for the teachers, I don't think that it is really anyones business as long as it is not affecting the students. Are they mistreating anyone? I myself take Zoloft and to tell you the honest truth I'M NOT ON MARS. It is for anxiety for me not depression, and it takes that edge off so that I don't "Bite peoples heads off" at the least little thing. This is actually a wonderful thing for my husband and children because I don't yell as much. I would appreciate a teacher who did not yell at the students all the time because the teacher has anxiety from stress. I'm not a pill pusher, but think, sometimes they do have their purposes and not ALL drugs are mind altering.

YES!
First society needs to stop drugging our childern!
The medication rate for the USA vs. other western countrys is shocking.
I also see it on the Soccer field.
That blank stare and sunken face.

Not to open a huge can of worms. But....I have several personal friends who take Prosac and they think it is the worlds greatest invention. What myself and others see is that this person is like a zombie. The ones taking the miracle drug talk about the lack of stress and how small things don't bother them. What other have saw is that nothing bothers them, because they are on mars. I would hope none of my childrens teachers are teaching from this stand point. Although I do agree that there are people out there with a serious need, these wonder drugs seem to be for all instead of a few.

I agree that it is society's latest trend to take medication...parent's who are not at the school after lunch would be shocked at the number of kids who are lined up outside to get there mood altering meds. I have talked to a women who has two kids on ritialin and was taking her 2 1/2 year old to be tested too... In our district any teacher who is taking anti-depressants must also see a thearpist. The do have to fill out forms with the school when they are taking meds such as these. But to judge these people is so very wrong. The parents may not see evidence that their meds are "working" but with depression it is an internal struggle that people deal with...people who suffer from depression or anxiety don't have a big flashing sign over their head as they walk down the hall so you don't know if it is helping them or not and I hate to say it but it is really none of the PTO's business...if these people are doing their job who are we to judge? I think the real problem lies in all the over medicated children in society...not the handful of teachers who may be dealing with depression.

Am I crazy or what? It is becoming more and more apparent to us on our PTO Board that many of our teaching staff are on mood-altering medication. Some even tell us they are. We had one who had a breakdown one day because she couldn't afford to go get her prescription refilled. Why would this bother us? Because it does. It isn't helping them deal with the kids or the parents any better. (You'd think it would.)Does anyone else notice this happening at their school?