Given the nature of depression and the teenager's tendency to hide their depression from others, as well as the fact that many teenagers, even when offered help, are reluctant to accept it, what needs to happen is not a change in policy or in the method of reaching out; rather, the norms and standards that surround teenage depression is what needs to change. In other words, no matter how effective a method is in treating depression, if we cannot create an environment in which the teenager is comfortable getting help. Granted, this is something that is easier said than done. But there definitely are some steps that can be taken to ensure that a more understanding society is created. To begin with, I personally believe that the use of depression as a topic of humor is exacerbating by shedding a lighthearted light on its effects This not only encourages the teenagers to believe that their conditions are just mere emotions, and become increasingly hesitant to ask for help. Also, another step that can be taken to ensure a more understanding society is to be more educated about the effects of depression; if people truly understand the devastating effects of depression and what it does to the teenager, it is only an obvious consequence that people will be less inclined to make light of the topic, but be more understanding and welcoming, thus allowing teenagers to more comfortably seek help.

Despite South Korea being a country with one of the highest (if not the highest) teenage suicide rate in the world, there is still a lot of stigma regarding its leading cause, which is depression. I think that because a lot of depression stems from academics, which is set in high regard by a lot of Asian parents, parents take depression as a sign of weakness and therefore a sign of low academic performance. Thus, many parents not only stress against depression but actively discourage their children from being depressed–which is a counterintuitive approach that actually exacerbates the problem by pressuring the child to try to forcibly "cure" their depression. Compounded with the tension heightened by an expectation of high grades, teenagers in Korea are put into a cycle in which the very fuel that propels their depression also happens to be the figures they are supposed to look up to and derive support from–their parents. As such, many students are cornered into depression without a tangible escape. Of course, this is an extremely biased post and is only a generalization of the side of Korea that I have been exposed to. Moreover, there are great parents out there that are very supportive. But as a whole, both statistic and anecdotal evidence point to the conclusion that as a nation, we are failing in protecting our teenagers from depression.

While I do believe that there are certainly valid and reasonable arguments for anti-vaxxers which are also grounded in scientific basis, I still believe that in cases such as these where the rights of one person places the health and safety of tens of thousands of those in their proximity–and possibly even millions of people if the disease or virus is not properly dealt with– government intervention is most definitely justified. It is a common understanding that certain rights can be withheld in cases where the practicing of those rights endangers others; for instance, the freedom of speech, which is a fundamental right, can be withheld if those words hold an inherent malicious intent and have the capability to cause harm (i.e. bullying and death threats). I believe that the same logic applies here. Of course, it is of paramount interest that everybody's right is guaranteed, and while that may be possible in a utopia where there are no clashing interests, reality is riddled with situations like these in which two parties have opposing viewpoints. Furthermore, as citizens of a nation and members of a society, from the moment we are born, we are automatically signed into a social contract. In this intangible contract, we are expected to act in civil ways in exchange for being part of a society. A common understanding of what it means to be "civil" is to consider other peoples' interests in addition to considering ours. By this logic, acts such as stealing, trespassing, battery, rape, and murder are all considered "uncivil" and therefore unlawful, because they do not take into considerations the interest of the greater society. Vaccines are no different; by ensuring that one's child is both safely protected from diseases and does not endanger others of the disease, individuals place the wellbeing of the society above their personal beliefs. All of this being said, it is understandable that many still fear vaccines and have a certain perspective when it comes to injecting their children with weakened bacteria and viruses. Thus, it is also the role of the society as a whole to build trust within those select individuals and properly educate them about the benefits and importance of keeping their children safe and vaccinated.