...or stop telling them they suck.

I don't usually post about these things, but this article was just too ripe to pass up:

Nearly 2 Million Teens Depressed, Government Urges Screening for All

There are some interesting claims (such as 6 percent of all kids are depressed), but the best are these:

Because depression is so common, "you will miss a lot if you only screen high-risk groups," said Dr. Ned Calonge, task force chairman and chief medical officer for Colorado's Department of Public Health and Environment.

You'll probably miss a lot if you only screen high-risk groups for cancer too, but that doesn't mean we should mandate cancer screening for every American

The group recommends research-tested screening tests even for kids without symptoms.

Now they kids who aren't depressed are depressed, we (and probably they) just haven't realized it yet.

Instead of telling them they have a condition and prescribing drugs or sticking them in psycho-therapy, maybe we could just stop propogating the "You Suck" Culture. Today's kids are constantly told they're all the same and told they're supposed to feel good for being good at something. The natural progression of humanity is to better itself. Is it any surprise they're depressed? They're made to feel guilty for existing.

The jocks are jerks for being athletic. The nerds/geeks are uncool for being smart. The attractive people are shallow for being good looking. The rebels are assholes for not seeking social acceptance. The passionate people aren't "well rounded" for not liking everything. The normal people are fake for being nice.

Any direction kids turn, they're chastised. I'd be depressed too. Luckily, I was a rebel, and was taught by my father to make the most important statement a man can make:

I think.