EOIN RYAN,
Madam, - Kathryn Holmquist's article on teenage angst(Education & Parenting, February 25th) made depressing reading. Depression is a serious matter and have no wish to make light of it, but However I must object to the assertion that anyone suffering from "fatigue, trouble with concentration, irritability, anger, boredom, feeling anxious" should contact their GP "if any of these symptoms persist for more than two weeks".
If that were the case I think a large portion of humanity would be under constant observation and analysis.
Our society seems obsessed with treating problems, while never really looking at what causes them. I suggest that as going to school is the way most 12- to 15-year-olds pass their days, examining school conditions would give valuable insights into the causes of teenage depression.
Any depression I suffered during my teens was directly related to my day to day experiences in school. For many Irish teenagers, school is not a nice place to be, whether the cause be mental (bullying, peer pressure) or physical (sitting at cramped desks or in damp classrooms). Our education system is largely based on an unstimulating approach: read this, write it out, learn it off. Is it any wonder teenagers are bored? Then there is the extreme pressure exerted on Junior and Leaving Cert students.
How many adults would fancy another year as a secondary-school pupil? - Yours, etc.
EOIN RYAN,
Glasnevin,
Dublin 9.
