There’s an epidemic in Virginia. Not Ebola, nor the swine flu. It’s depression, and it has been ravaging FCPS. Counseling’s solution has been a “screening.” Students watch a video and take a short survey, which is read by counselors to find students considered “at-risk.” This system, however, is wholly flawed. At-risk students, likely feeling that treatment options are hopeless, are inclined to lie. This leads to a lot of false-positives or worse false-negatives.

This system needs to change. Currently, Lake Braddock uses the ACT (acknowledge, care, tell) system. Acknowledging that one has depression is a great first step; however, it’s time that we move past curing depression with “caring.” It’s time to start using real treatment methods. Showing parents and students the effectiveness of antidepressants or therapy could be truly effective in fighting the rampant spread of depression. Medication, while controversial, can be very effectual; once we start advocating for the use of antidepressants, we can make progress in curing our critical epidemic