Now Age Minute - 2/4/04 - The Kids Aren't Alright

[Guest guest]

2/4/04 - The Kids Aren't Alright

 

In the continuing debate about kids and antidepressants, a National

Institute of Mental Health panel recommended that the F.D.A.

underscore warnings to doctors about suicidal, and violent

side-effects from kids using the drugs. According to a story from the

NY Times(1) about a hearing held by the panel:

 

>>A scientific advisory panel urged the Food and Drug Administration

on Monday to issue stronger warnings to doctors now about the possible

risks to children of a newer generation of antidepressant drugs,

rather than wait until the agency's review of the drugs was completed.

 

" Our sense is that we would like in the interim for the F.D.A. to go

ahead and issue stronger warning indications to clinicians " about the

chance that the antidepressants might be linked to suicidal thinking

and behavior, hostility or other forms of violent behavior, said Dr.

Matthew Rudorfer, a scientist at the National Institute of Mental

Health and the chairman of the F.D.A. advisory committee.<<

 

This is an interesting debate. Is it safe to drug our depressed kids,

or not? If I'm getting this right, the risk assessment here is, 1)

whether we let our kids stay depressed; or, 2) drug them, with the

possibility of killing themselves, or others. Sounds like a lose-lose

proposition to me. Seems to me that the pink elephant in the living

room is: why, in this country of material abundance and wealth, are so

many kids depressed?

 

There are so many things about America I'm grateful for. The ability

to live in relative freedom is big. The fact that many people gave

their lives to keep America free is pretty remarkable. Better to live

here than in a repressive society, where self determination is not

possible. Yes, America is a pretty special place, and I'm grateful to

live here.

 

America, however, is far from Paradise. The National Institutes for

Health claims about 10 million Americans are diagnosed as depressed

each year. Why are so many people so sad? I have a few thoughts.

 

Our values. In America, our value system is quantitatively based. We

push our kids for higher grades, we go for jobs with the highest

salaries, and we strive for BMWs to cruise around town in. We keep

pushing for more. If a little is good, in America, a lot must be

better. Sounds like fun, no?

 

It's all about me. Success in America is measured by one's ability to

live independently. It's often considered shameful to rely on others

for financial, or material, support. Seems to me that people would

rather max out their credit than ask a neighbor for help. Americans

don't like to talk about money, unless it's about their new raise. I'm

getting stressed out just thinking about it.

 

Our disconnection from nature. In our relentless pursuit of progress

and technology, we've separated ourselves from the natural world. That

would be fine if we were robots. But, we human beings are products of

nature. In the past century, we've removed ourselves from agrarian

life; we've polluted our air, water, and soil; and we've replaced

forests with shopping malls and suburban sprawl. As I write this, I'm

sitting alone, in front of two computers. Houseplants are my

companions. Looking out the window, I see the neighbor's windows aglow

with the fluorescent tint of television. Norman Rockwell would be hard

pressed for subject matter in today's America.

 

It's no mystery to me as to why so many Americans are depressed. We're

way out of rhythm with nature. In the natural world, what's valued is

quality, not quantity. " Rhythm " , as Rudolf Steiner said, " is the

carrier of life " . If that is true, we're so out-of-sync with natural

rhythms, we're on course to dance ourselves right off the planet.

Unfortunately, we'll take the rest of the Earth's population with us.

 

Yes, we Americans have freedom. But freedom comes with responsibility.

We've clearly swallowed the sweet candy of consumption, and, like

candy does, it's rotting our bodies, and our souls.

 

Don't fret, little camper, there is still a window open for change.

There's still a chance to reverse the trend towards global warming, to

bring an end to poverty, and to dis-create the concept of war. Yes,

there's a window, but it's closing fast. You gonna change the channel,

or change your life?

 

-Craig Gordon

 

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