
Luna, the subject of this starkly intimate documentary, is like many other teenagers who have only known their young lives through the lens of psychiatric medication. Like them, she’s spent most of her childhood undergoing psychiatric tests and fluctuating treatments, many of which left her sick, or emotionally despondent. As a young child, Luna's parents separated suddenly, leaving her overwhelmed and deeply anxious. Luna didn’t understand what divorce was, and developed anxiety, mainly around separation from her parents. Luna’s father describes how her safety was undermined, as she had to move frequently, and didn’t know where she was going to be sleeping. Her mother, who was exhausted and desperate for a solution, sought professional help, and was soon sent down a diagnostic rabbit hole. Luna was medicated for anxiety at 7 years old. Soon after she was diagnosed and medicated for ADHD, and eventually depression. From a young age, Luna’s older brother Lee was deemed a naughty kid. His mother felt pressure from the school to "get him under control" for exhibiting what many would describe as typical childhood behavior. Lee was eventually diagnosed with ADHD and describes being diagnosed a heavy dosage of stimulants, which led him to experience numerous side effects and left him feeling like he wasn’t enough. A trained psychiatrist and director of a county health agency contextualizes the family's experiences as he describes how the system of psychiatric medicine is a business and is not set up properly to care for children. Through heartbreaking testimony from both Luna and Lee, this film depicts the human cost of the cut-throat pharmaceutical business, and delivers an often untold perspective on the childhoods lost due to the overprescription of psychiatric medication.
- Runtime26:26
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- DirectorKate Cohen
Luna, the subject of this starkly intimate documentary, is like many other teenagers who have only known their young lives through the lens of psychiatric medication. Like them, she’s spent most of her childhood undergoing psychiatric tests and fluctuating treatments, many of which left her sick, or emotionally despondent. As a young child, Luna's parents separated suddenly, leaving her overwhelmed and deeply anxious. Luna didn’t understand what divorce was, and developed anxiety, mainly around separation from her parents. Luna’s father describes how her safety was undermined, as she had to move frequently, and didn’t know where she was going to be sleeping. Her mother, who was exhausted and desperate for a solution, sought professional help, and was soon sent down a diagnostic rabbit hole. Luna was medicated for anxiety at 7 years old. Soon after she was diagnosed and medicated for ADHD, and eventually depression. From a young age, Luna’s older brother Lee was deemed a naughty kid. His mother felt pressure from the school to "get him under control" for exhibiting what many would describe as typical childhood behavior. Lee was eventually diagnosed with ADHD and describes being diagnosed a heavy dosage of stimulants, which led him to experience numerous side effects and left him feeling like he wasn’t enough. A trained psychiatrist and director of a county health agency contextualizes the family's experiences as he describes how the system of psychiatric medicine is a business and is not set up properly to care for children. Through heartbreaking testimony from both Luna and Lee, this film depicts the human cost of the cut-throat pharmaceutical business, and delivers an often untold perspective on the childhoods lost due to the overprescription of psychiatric medication.
- Runtime26:26
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- DirectorKate Cohen