Many, many times in my 12+ years as a mother, I have been stunned speechless by the wisdom of my son. Usually with statements far beyond his 12 years. Last night was another such time.
This story http://www.cbsnews.com/news/darpa-program-to-develop-brain-implants-for-mental-disorders/ came on the news and gave us pause for discussion.
Now, if you're not up for reading the article (I get it, you're busy!) I'll summarize it for you. In a nutshell, they are developing brain implants that could possibly assist in managing the symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc. It is still in the early stages of development, but it brought up a valid question in our house, since my son was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) at the age of 5.
Since we have been working hard with doctors, therapists, teachers, etc, for many years to assist him in managing his symptoms, I wondered aloud what his thoughts would be on something that would eradicate the anxiety altogether.
His surprising answer - NO WAY!
I paraphrase here, but this is the gist of what my oh-so-wise 12 year old said:
"I would never want to eliminate my anxiety altogether Mom. I think it has opened my eyes. It has made me see things more clearly. It has made me stop and think, and consider things more deeply before I act. And I think because of my anxiety I make much more responsible decisions than most kids my age."
And that, my friends, is the truth!
So kudos to modern science for taking steps to help those who wish to eradicate the symptoms of these illnesses they suffer from. And more power to those who choose to go this route. It is a personal choice, and you have the right to choose what is right for you.
But for us........anxiety has opened my eyes, Mom. And we'll keep it, thanks very much!
~ The Lazy Gourmet
No comments:
Post a Comment