Half the population in this country takes at least one prescription drug.
The degree of NO was not "healthy child emerging."
Right, Hops. There really are kids who meet the diagnosis criteria. I've known a couple. I'm just saying I know how easy it is - especially with teenagers - to misdiagnose; to reach for an easy explanation that very well could be wrong.
My youngest D was one who suffered through it being used incorrectly (and gleefully like a club by NDad) and it took 20 years for her to work through being angry and hurt about it. The family counselor wouldn't even let her tell her side of the story; would not listen to her... only NDad and step-mom were believed and able to tell their story. Mom had to step in and rescue her. And even then, NDad couldn't control himself. He would call and within 5 minutes would be screaming all kinds of accusations and obscenities at her over the phone, as she calmly and tentatively tried to reason with him...until I took the phone and told him to you know what and hung up on him. She was more mature and in control of her behavior at 15 than he was at 40-something. But it was the fact that he had this "label" - it was his validation and justification for continuing to heap abuse on her. THAT'S what scares me Hops.
And it's part of the reason for SL's statistic. Rather than investing the time and effort - and provide the necessary support & encouragement to make lifestyle changes - "there's a pill for that". The same situation exists: some people really do need the medication... but we risk falling into accepting the idea that medication is worth the side-effects (known and unknown) ALL THE TIME in order to artificially maintain an arbitrary standard (a one size fits all value). And if one does suffer a side-effect, then another pill is prescribed, and another, and...
well, I guess this isn't the only change to the DSM we might talk about either.