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FDB: “I did.”

Classic. That quote is going straight to the pool room!

LOL…explains a lot about FDB.

that is cold.

Mental illness ravaging nation’s youth
JILL STARK
October 24, 2008

ALARMING new figures have revealed that one in four young people are battling a mental illness, with many problems triggered by drug and alcohol abuse.

The first snapshot of Australia’s mental health in a decade found that Generation Y is being ravaged by depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals that 26% of people aged 16 to 24 — about 650,000 people — suffered mental illnesses last year.

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/mental-illness-ravaging-nations-youth-20090403-9mvp.html

Psych wards are full of teenagers who take drugs.

Um, yes. They are prescribed. Usually a major tranquilliser, a mood stabiliser, an anti-depressant, an anxiolytic and possibly a stimulant.

Brendon: “Kids can’t take drugs sensibly”

FDB: “I did.”

Classic. That quote is going straight to the pool room!

I myslef have taken drugs when i was younger and seen others taking drugs. I’ve seen its effects first hand and would most defnitely not be allowing my kids to play with ANY kind of drug, especially at such a young age when their brains and bodies are not fully developed. I’ve seen people lose the plot and end up being nothing because they have fried their brains on drugs or killed their bodies. I would not recommend taking drugs to anyone who wishes to have a healthy body or mind.

No, I got two for free and I don’t believe in stockpiling.

Your stats are pretty vague. Anyone suffering depression for any reason is “too many”. Anyway, considering the majority of young people take drugs, it would be unsurprising that a majority of depression sufferers have done so.”

I guess you are arguing that there is no particular connection between drug-taking and depression – that the two items are more or less independent variables?

There is a growing body of neurological research that indicates drug-taking can have a long-term effect on your neurotransmitter concentrations in the brain. It can indeed affect your thinking and behaviour.

An interesting read for non-medical people is “Mapping the Mind” by Rita Carter. I temporarily can’t find my copy of a more medical book, written by a neuroscientist, but there is at least one good book on this topic out there. He goes into the effects of legal and illegal drugs, and the effects of different anti-depressants, with summaries of the experimental tests they used to deduce the relationships. Absolutely fascinating book – makes you think twice about mind-altering substances.

I did.

“Psych wards are full of teenagers who take drugs”

Correlation does not equal causation. I’m sure the causation does exist in plenty of cases – I wonder how many such cases are the result of a careful and informed approach to drug-taking. Not many, I’d think.

“I’m guessing you have not bought up kids yourself.”

Correct.

“The only education for teenagers on drugs is don’t.”

Incorrect. There is a lot else teenagers should know.

“Its an imperfect world and some will.”

Correct. Do you want them to have no information, or good information, about how to proceed safely?

“But there are no safe drugs for an adolescent mind.”

Arguable, I guess. So make the argument. Just asserting the conclusion smacks of dogma.

“You think its a coincidence we got Beyond Blue nowadays? You can’t educate that away.”

I think we’ve got Beyond Blue and similar largely because of an increasing awareness of the prevalence and treatability of depression. Perhaps there’s more depression around, and perhaps it’s due to drug-taking in adolescence. But again, you need to make that argument, not just wave your hands around.

“The amount of young people I know that suffer depression that took drugs when younger is quite a few. Too many.”

Your stats are pretty vague. Anyone suffering depression for any reason is “too many”. Anyway, considering the majority of young people take drugs, it would be unsurprising that a majority of depression sufferers have done so.

Another thing – self-medication. Ponder that.

“A real shame to see an unfullfilled life. One of my boys just said the other day “Remember so-and-so? (his age 23). He is just walking the streets like a zombie. Too much dope when he was at school.” I was shocked because I remember him being a bright kid.”

Again, with the correlation vs causation.

“There aren’t any safe recreational drugs for teenagers.”

True. But then, the is no safe anything really, is there? Footy, riding a bike, drinking alcohol, crossing the road, wearing shoes without socks in cold weather…

“Adults, yeah.”

Err… no. Not safe for adults either. Most adults know what they’re doing though, for better or worse. The main difference is experience, which is a great companion to, but a poor substitute for, education.

“Some adults can handle it. I’m 53 and in my time I have never met anyone who could handle it all the time.”

Have you ever met anyone who could handle anything “all the time”?

“If you want to rely on you dealer for your health, thats your lookout.”

I’m gonna stick with my doctor.

“Like most druggies, I’m sure you know everything.”

Nope. Always willing to learn more.

“Willhelm did too, I bet, before this.”

No, and that’s why he’s in lots of trouble. He gave drugs to someone he just wanted to have sex with then never see again. So when she got into trouble, he cut and ran like a cowardly scumbag.

Kids can’t take drugs sensibly. Psych wards are full of teenagers who take drugs. I’m guessing you have not bought up kids yourself. The only education for teenagers on drugs is don’t. Its an imperfect world and some will. But there are no safe drugs for an adolescent mind.

You think its a coincidence we got Beyond Blue nowadays? You can’t educate that away.

The amount of young people I know that suffer depression that took drugs when younger is quite a few. Too many. A real shame to see an unfullfilled life. One of my boys just said the other day “Remember so-and-so? (his age 23). He is just walking the streets like a zombie. Too much dope when he was at school.” I was shocked because I remember him being a bright kid. There aren’t any safe recreational drugs for teenagers. Adults, yeah. Some adults can handle it. I’m 53 and in my time I have never met anyone who could handle it all the time.

If you want to rely on you dealer for your health, thats your lookout. Like most druggies, I’m sure you know everything. Willhelm did too, I bet, before this.