Freedom to Live
February 11, 2016
This week, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force came out with a first time recommendation that all adolescents, ages 12-18, should be screened for depression. As one expert interviewed by CNN put it, “They might look fine but without screening they fall thru the cracks.” The statistics on teen suicide are disturbing, but the personal stories are heart-wrenching. The following story is upsetting, but sometimes it is our obligation to confront some of our strongest emotions and fears so that we can comfort those who are suffering and hopefully help others avoid difficult times. We asked Dr. Wendy Matthews, an adolescent psychologist in private practice to introduce this post: Suicide is ‘a permanent solution to a temporary problem’. But young people sometimes view… Read More