Question 1: Demi Lovato has noted the importance of treatment with regard to psychological disorders, including the use of medication. Suppose a friend of yours in his late teens is prescribed antidepressants. What concerns might you have based on your friend's age? What concerns might you have if a family member in her 80s were prescribed antidepressants?
Question 2: Depressive disorders may be related to a number of life events, such as childbirth in the case of Brooke Shields. Alternatively, they may be persistent but exacerbated by life events, as appears to have been the case for Robin Williams. What are some other causes of depressive and mood disorders? Which factors do you think have the most impact on an individual's outcomes?