Thursday, May 1, 2008

Adolescents and crazy pills

Why are kids depressed? Are they more depressed? Can we find more depression? Or is the bell-curve narrowing, and we're accepting less variation in defining the "normal" child?
Drugs don't empower children, don't work...
Real problem: We don't understand neurochemistry enough to mess with it (effectively) in very plastic brains. Check out the "This American Life" about Testosterone for a fascinating crash course in how much just one chemical affects our perception and personality.
Oh no. She's blaming the internet. Srsly.
Oooh, alternative therapies, like analysis, exercise, and going outside. Medicalization of everything, this is the sin of public health.