What are your thoughts about this article about oxytocin?!?

Question

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/2175030/Shyness-drug-could-boost-confidence.html

Two items in particular got me thinking:

"As well as being released by mothers after childbirth, the hormone is believed to make people more generous. Research shows that the higher the natural level of oxytocin people have in their brain, the more likely they are to give money to charity and act kindly towards strangers."

"There is speculation that oxytocin might be able to help new mothers who have trouble bonding with their babies or orphans whose mental scars from neglect make it hard for them to love adoptive parents."

I'm really interested in hearing what people think about this!

Thanks in advance for answering! :)

Answer 1

I think more support should be given to anyone struggling with the bonding issues with birth and adoptive parents and children. Its a vicious cycle and more needs to be done than just taking the child away from someone. That's not a solution. Its a band-aid in which many times doesn't help.

Answer 2

What are my thoughts? IT's a natural process that happens with out our knowledge and we can't control it. Do you think it's some kind of wonder drug or something cuase your body releases this when you take MDMA (commonly called ecstacy) and your body makes oxytocin naturally anyway so what is the point of posting this?

Answer 3

Hmm more generous hey? Generous enough to push a frightened woman into "gifting" her newborn to strangers? Interesting thought to ponder there!

Answer 4

I think the article is important in supporting what has already been known in the medical community that oxytocin can only be produced by the mother and newborn babies who are relinquished from them suffer a tremendous loss. First mom's sure don't hear about it and I doubt that AP's are told.

Like all drugs, it's not the real thing, it's not the naturally produced oxytocin it's synthetic.  In a few years we'll find out what the side affects are because there are always side affects to any kind of drug. Putting a drug into a newborn is always dangerous. I don't think it's a good idea.

Answer 5

What is important with the current research is that it is possible that children of neglect or who suffer from attachment disorders may not have enough of this hormone in their system (i.e. below normal levels). If they bring it up to normal levels, will this improve outcomes?  Kids who are born very prematurely, even with loving parents, often have attachment disorders as a result of their prematurity.  Is it because they don't have enough oxytocin? If we give it awhile, will the body start to produce it?

Yes, I think it is good research to work on.  I do not think it will have much effect on women who have trouble bonding with their babies, however, because often situation and depression are compounding factors.

As far as the adoption community, I don't actually see any boon here except for children born in American hospitals.  As mentioned by another poster, oxytocin isn't found in appreciable amounts once children are more than maybe 6 months old or so.  The disorder is usually apparent by then. By the time many adoptions occur, the opportunity is lost.

Answer 6

Overall, I don't believe that it should be used, but if the possibility were there to help a child overcome anxiety and bad emotions because of their abandonement and neglect, I think it might be more useful than a lifetime of anti-depressants and mood altering drugs.  If it could help a new (natural) mother bond with her baby, without causing other adverse side effects, it could be great.  If it would help a baby who doesn't understand what is going on, and who has truly been through a rough time where the baby would feel more loved, and nurtered (in the case where it was being loved in it's present care), why not.  We purchase bears who have fake heartbeats to place in their cribs, and some have been sedated to sleep because they cry so much.  Like any drug though, it should be used only in cases where it is truly needed, and only for the patient themselves, not for the A-parents!  

Jokingly though, I wish someone would give Donald Trump a shot of it, while he's throwing money out the window at me (ha).