A Dangerous Son

Forget these other reviews that yell about child abuse and sensationalism, this was a very disturbing look at the most innocent victims of America's failed mental health system, children. In the 1920's, America had 30,000 mental hospitals, now we have 13. I'm serious. This film shows the aspects of children under our broken system. A system where children are either forgotten, or are put on medication that either doesn't work, or makes things worse. It shows the sadness of parents who are simply told by psychologists that they don't know how to help. As a person who grew up in the 90's, during a time when kids were force-fed ADHD medications, so in my reputable opinion, this film accurately portrays the calamity of parents and kids in this sad situation.

While the film portrays things well, I feel like it didn't push hard enough. There are some serious question about the roles of parents and psychiatrists in the mental deterioration of our defenseless child. While it appears most psychologists put their hands up in the air and say "I don't know" while at the same time deliberately prescribing medications that will either make things worse, or do nothing at all. At the same time, proper guidance is not given to parents on how to deal with it correctly. So while its portrayed, it doesn't go far enough to ask why and ask what can be done, at least not as much as most HBO documentaries. So while this is a tough watch, but an important one.

I have so many discussions to have with the amount of negative views to this documentary, I am 41, married with 4 boys..8 to 14 yrs and 3/4 boys have ADHD, ASD, Lacking Melatonin Hormone, Severe Behaviour Issues. I have completely understood all of the mums and dad in the documentary and my heart goes out to them xx. I believe that yes the system has let us down, we are in UK and our 9 yr old boy has been waiting for a referral for 3 yrs + now to then be assessed for 2 yrs and then given a diagnosis. In the mean time we just have to it take day by day. Me as mum will look around feeling envious of those who are raising non-challenging children but as I will always say there's never a dull day in our household!

It's terrible the situation these kids are in. A few things I noticed I that the mothers of the violent boy who beat up on his sister and the black boy didn't seem to deal out any consequences to their children when their violent or anti-social behavior occurred. The boy with anger problems literally pounded hard on his little sister while in the car. When they did get home, the mother lovingly escorts her violent son into the home while her beaten up daughter, who I think was 8, gets out of the car and goes in trailing behind mother and son; no hugs, no are you all right honey. Also, pretty much all the parents blame "the system," for not curing their child, or mismanaging their care or not wanting to pay for certain levels of treatment. It is THEIR CHILD to care for. No one is going to care about your child as much as a parent. And the whole world is not going to be responsible for your child. For the most part this documentary showed me how messed up some parents are.

This is an excellent documentary by Oscar nominated director Liz Garbus. The people who gave it bad reviews found it uncomfortable to watch, and it is. It should be. Viewers should be very uncomfortable with the fact that the three women it follows had such a hard time getting any help for their sons. For the lower income mom, treatment was a luxury she could not afford. Garbus was inspired by the viral blog "I am Adam Lanza's Mother," written by one of the women in the documentary shortly after the Sandy Hook shooting, and the documentary does a great job of connecting the problem of lack of treatment available to mothers of boys with severe psychiatric issues with the problem of school shootings. (All of which have been committed by teenaged boys with psychiatric problems.) This documentary should be watched and shared and, mostly importantly, sent to our representatives, with a strong urging that they delegate funding to this issue.

Surface-level effective doc evokes the same feelings of helplessness in its viewers as it conveys in its subjects; bleak outlook results in frustration & selfish hope that this won't happen to you or someone you love.

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