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Depression in Kids By: David Rader II on October 20, 2011 @ 7:34 AM
On WYPR Public Radio recently I heard The Center for Disease Control say roughly 1 in 25 adolescents are on some type of depression medication. I believe we shouldn't be giving adolescents depression medications. Depression medication masks the problem so well that it often has no outlet for recourse and often makes things worse.
Even worse than making the depression worse is the high likelihood that giving someone medication confirms for them that they have a problem. That confirmation can do more than make the depression worse, it can solidify the problem. Once a kid hears something about themselves either directly or indirectly, they often take it to heart. Tell them the truth, these kids aren't depressed because there's something wrong with them, the kids are depressed because there's something wrong with society. We've become materialistic to the point that we dislike or even hate ourselves for not being as much like our idols or the image of perfection we have.
Our image of perfection is often worthless in regards of the true value of a human being. Our image of perfection deals almost entirely with outwardly things which are of no importance to the actual value of a person. It is the things we have done, do, and will do that control our real value.
Even as many in our society get older, we fear looking older. What message does that send to our kids? Even we- the indestructable parents (in our kids eyes) fear age! What does that say about the pressure society puts on ALL of us. Just keep your mind open, if you ever need to hire someone, give them a break for their appearance. Race is only one appearance difference to be aware of discrimination. I've heard this many times- towards me in the past and towards others at other times- "You look like a hippy!"
People are afraid that if people stop caring so much about apperance, materialism will come to a halt and capitalism will be destroyed! I don't think this is true- people will just buy different things, higher quality things, more meaninful, useful and necessary things. These superficial things we waste our attention on not only eat up our time and money, but eat away at our potential to be a better human race.
#1Diarmuid Hunt January 25, 2012 @ 7:31 PM
I agree with your reasoning that we live in a materialistic world with a value system that is detrimental to all, young or old. The fact that many adolescents are on anti-depressants is a sad fact but were you to take them off their medication it would not rectify any problems. They would still have to continue to exist in this soceity with all it's problem but they would have less respite from it.
I am 19 years of age and I have recently taken myself off Lexapro 20mg(escitalopram) not by choice but because I could no longer afford it.
For me a Doctor and later Psychiatrist telling me I had a problem helped, it meant to me that my depression wasn't a natural state that I would stay in for the rest of my life, it gave me reason to fight against my depression.
I suffered from depression from the age of 15. I started the anti-depressants only last year. For a few months before I was on anti-depressants I was self-harming and relying on alcohol. I overdosed once before I was on the anti-depressants, using over the counter drugs and alcohol and once again while I was on the anti-depressants. I also broke both my hands in a depressive rage before the anti-depressants. I don't know which I was better off with, I felt less depressed for a while when I was on the anti-depressants but then I sank to the same lows as before. Now that I'm off them I don't get so low but am much more prone to anger and frustration, I'm also very easily agitated.
That is my individual case. Anti-depressants help some young adolescents, and as studies have shown they are detrimental to others but there is no point in taking all adolescents off anti-depressants until soceity itself has been rectified.
