Pediatric Major Depressive Disorder: Now we can cure teenage!

While out a breakfast this morning I heard a fucked up radio ad for some clinical study, asking you to send your "depressed" child as a lab rat subject.

The good people at Studying Children Administered Medication (S.C.A.M.)* direct you to a site where these are listed as "signs of depression".

Frequent sadness, or crying
Decreased interest in activities
Persistent boredom; low energy
Social isolation
Low self-esteem and guilt
Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school
Poor concentration
A major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns
Talk of, or efforts to run away from home

I know I'm not a doctor, but that just sounds like teenage to me. It feels like someone at a drug company just finished a training manual entitled "Get 'Em While They're Young".

Testing drugs on an underage victim, a drug that might have long term effects well into adulthood, without their consent, seems unethical at best. I pity the poor kids subjected to this nonsense.

* not their real name, but sure as hell should be. They are not affiliated with Coke For Kids, or Oh My God My Child Showed An Emotion, Stamp It Out Immediately.

Visit kidswithdepression.com.