Helping to keep Kids off Drugs

A great story from H.E.L.P. Miami:

Sometimes, having the city closed due to a hurricane can be beneficial. Last weekend Doris Bentz met a TV producer from MEGA TV, a Spanish-language television station based here in Florida, and gave him a DVD on psychiatry. Due to the passing storm, pretty much all South Floridians remained home for 48 hours and because he had nothing to do he watched the DVD from beginning to end.

Excited about the topic, the producer called Doris and she told him about H.E.L.P. Miami. Next we knew, we were invited to appear on the #1 Spanish public opinion TV show, 'Maria Elvira LIVE,' to talk about how we disagree with labeling and medicating children for learning disorders. The plan was for H.E.L.P. Miami staff member Luisa to go and tell her story of how Ritalin caused permanent liver damage to her son Jose and how at H.E.L.P. Jose overcame his inability to learn and is now in high school.

However, about five minutes before going on air we find out that the show had also booked a psych to counter our opinion. This poor guy had NO CLUE on what he had gotten himself into. What I love about Luisa is that she is a fighter and truthfully a room full of psychiatrists does not change one detail about how her family suffered under their care. Well, without missing a beat, Luisa went on camera and was very to the point and held her ground.

During the show, video of Columbine ran on the background monitors displayed behind the guests, which did nothing for the psych and his defense of using drugs to treat study problems. Doris was also a guest and between Doris and Luisa the psych just appeared dull and his points were weak at best. The producer was so happy with the 'controversy' that he wants to do a whole week of psych confrontations!

Well done Luisa and Doris! The nationwide show was seen by millions in the US and Puerto Rico. I got a call the next day from a woman who did NOT medicate her child for learning disorders but was not sure if she made the right decision...after seeing the show she called to thank us, as she now knew what she did was right!