I believe life has become more stressful for young, growing children. Kids are growing up in a much more stressed environment. These are multiple gene disorders and, like diabetes, not everyone with the gene gets diabetes. But if they have the genetic vulnerability to become depressed or anxious or obsessive compulsive, it will express itself in the kind of social pressure cooker we are putting our children in. |
Twenty or 30 years ago, psychiatrists and other physicians believed that childhood was a happy time. We had a belief that psychiatric disorders didn't begin until a child reached puberty or after. That wasn't based on science. It was based on the philosophical sense that children are always happy. |