Medication Isn’t Evil—But It Shouldn’t Be the Only Answer

There’s a conversation we’re not having enough, especially when it comes to our children—and honestly, even ourselves.

Medication can be a powerful and life-saving tool. It can bring clarity to a fogged mind, stability to a spiraling mood, and peace to a tormented heart. I believe in that. I’ve seen it help people—children and adults alike—function, thrive, and re-engage with life.

But here’s my personal conviction: we are overmedicating our children, and in many cases, we’re skipping the harder, longer road of teaching them how to actually cope.

I’m not a doctor, but I’m a mom. I’m a ministry leader. I’m someone who watches families—broken, weary, desperate—cling to a prescription bottle like it’s their only hope. And sometimes it helps. But sometimes…it just masks the real need.

Our kids are hurting. They're anxious. They’re overstimulated, overexposed, and overwhelmed. They don’t know how to calm their minds or talk about what they feel. They’ve never been taught how to sit with discomfort, how to pray through fear, or how to handle disappointment. And instead of being given tools, they’re handed pills. Sometimes that pill is necessary. But sometimes… it’s not. And the cost is high.

It is not okay to medicate children into silence. It is not okay to dull their personalities, flatten their emotions, and strip them of the opportunity to learn who they really are. We’re creating zombies, not resilient, spirit-filled warriors.

And adults—we’re not exempt either. Some of us are so numb from our own coping mechanisms—whether it's antidepressants, sleep aids, or distractions—that we can’t even feel the love of Jesus anymore. We’re not broken vessels anymore; we’re sedated ones. We're medicating our pain instead of letting Him heal it.

Let me be clear: I’m not anti-medication. I’m against lazy solutions. I’m against spiritual bypassing and I’m against medical overreach. I’m against forgetting that our children need discipleship, counseling, structure, love, and coping tools just as much—if not more—than they need a diagnosis.

I want us to be people who advocate for wholeness, not just symptom relief. I want our children to know how to breathe through anxiety, not just numb it. I want us to cry out to God and feel Him respond—not be so sedated we forget to call His name.

It’s time to have the hard conversations. It’s time to look deeper. And it’s time to stop outsourcing healing when God is still in the business of restoration—body, mind, and spirit.

---

Disclaimer:

I am not a doctor, therapist, or licensed mental health professional. The thoughts shared here are based on personal convictions, ministry experience, and observations as a parent. Medication can be life-changing and necessary for many individuals. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about starting, stopping, or changing any medication or treatment plan. My heart is simply to encourage deeper conversations and more holistic support for our children and ourselves.