Institutionalized Teenager Recounts Emotional Numbing Due to Medication

The experiences of young people in institutional care, particularly concerning the use of medication, are a critical issue that deserves our full attention. Milo Rantala's account, shared with Helsingin Sanomat, sheds light on a deeply concerning aspect of growing up within the child welfare system: the potential for medication to numb the very essence of a teenager's emotional life.

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As a teenager on ADHD medication, I still felt my eyes closing in class. Something for depression, something for blood pressure, something for anxiety. In the evening, I couldn't fall asleep without a hefty dose of antipsychotics.

Rantala's description of being medicated as a teenager paints a stark picture. He speaks of a state where neither joy nor sorrow could fully penetrate, where the vibrant spectrum of adolescent emotions was muted into a dull gray. This isn't just about managing behavioral issues; it's about the risk of fundamentally altering a young person's capacity to feel and connect. The inability to even experience basic emotions like falling in love, as Rantala notes, is a profound loss that can have lasting consequences on identity and relationships.

From a Finnish perspective, while our child welfare system strives to provide care and support, stories like Rantala's serve as a crucial reminder of the need for constant vigilance and ethical reflection. We must question whether the methods employed are truly serving the best interests of the child, or if they are inadvertently hindering their emotional development. The focus should always be on fostering resilience and healthy emotional expression, not on suppressing feelings through medication without thorough consideration of the long-term impact.

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As a teenager, it was difficult to distinguish where my own personality began and what was the effect of the medication.

This narrative challenges us to look beyond the immediate symptoms and consider the holistic well-being of children in care. It prompts a vital discussion about the appropriate use of psychotropic medications for minors in institutional settings. As a society, we have a responsibility to ensure that these young individuals are not only kept safe but are also allowed the space and support to develop into emotionally healthy adults, capable of experiencing the full range of human emotions.

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Now I remember how I didn't even fall in love with anyone.