i think firstly we need a certified psychiatrist to tell us, based on what the movie revealed, whether the boy's responses could be considered as typical of clinical depression.
we can keep guessing all we want, and i think it is important to compare with our own real life experiences, but it is also plain to see that none of us can really give an accurate last word.
that to me is the key here... depression isn't something we pretend to know, even if we have had some first or second hand experience. depression is something that requires so much extra sensitivity (even appearing overly concerned could have the reverse effect) that it might be harmful if we pretend to know it better than we really do.
so are we then stuck with some kinda paranoia... about who exactly is depressed around us? not really. but if we were kind to others, we would definitely not deepen the stress level of anybody near us. in fact, if we could care enough to do small things for others, it might just be that crucial ray of sunshine which saves a life.
would you be nice to Craig? or would you add to his troubles? that's all that really matters imo...
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cuvtixo
10 years ago
I'm not a certified psychiatrist, but a have been a lowly mental health therapist. I think they'd first try to assess how much of a threat he was to his own safety. Then they would make a diagnosis that his insurance (or medicare or whatever) would cover treatment for. It's a kind of game that's played, that psychiatric diagnosis are partly or even mainly made on the basis of health coverage rather than the other way around. After all you can't make a diagnosis of a psychiatric condition on the basis of a blood test or urine test or any other physical measurements. Suicidal and even just self-harming patients would be admitted on the basis of that fact, independent of an exact diagnosis.
In other words, in real life you can come across very sane seeming individuals on psych wards. I think the writer actually wants to make it unclear exactly how mentally ill the characters are, and in particular make it easier for people who don't have experience with mental illness to empathize with the main character.
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