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(see my post 24) It is truly a tragedy that teens are deciding in greater numbers to take their own lives. But I can't be overly sympathetic about the reduction in availabilty of antidepressants being to blame. I am a strong believer in personal responsibility. Isn't it possible that the increased suicide rate is due to a culture that fails to imbue respect for human life. Rap songs, movies, video games etc. embrace the concepts of murder, torture, abuse. Self sacrifice has been replaced by the overly hyped necessity - "healthy self esteem". The current culture wants kids to acheive good self esteem thru osmosis or by decree from our education systems, as if it can be poured into them. Our parents taught us to be responsible adults and they did it the old fashioned way, by example. They worked hard and made sacrifices to benefit others. Many kids today just assume that they will all of a sudden be grown up, self satisfied, well rounded individuals. After all, they have been taught that everything is "Fair" and nothing unfair should ever happen to them.

"I am a strong believer in personal responsibility"

You have never suffered from a mental illness nor had close experience with a friend or loved one who did- have you? There are many studies about why people don't do what they SHOULD. Including being normally able to be cheerful and optimistic enough to get up and function every day. It is KILLER to some mentally ill people (including the clinically depressed) for society (or more devastating, their loved ones) to judge them as "weak" or weak-willed because they are unable to do so.

When one considers the intricacy of chemical processing by our brains and the effects on aspects of our emotions and personality, is it really so hard to believe that organic disorders exist and that medication can help?

Yet the idea that one must "tough it out" and function
according to willpower and logic instead of taking "the easy way out" via antidepressant's is strong. But not among those who have walked in those shoes or lived with someone who did.