Sadly, it reinforces the idea that if a person has depression, they must want to kill themselves as a result. People with depression, specifically teenagers, are not necessarily suicidal just because they are depressed. In many forms of media, like books and movies, depressed teenagers are often depicted reaching the point where they consider, attempt, or commit suicide. The point of depression where a person has thoughts of suicide is one that is the most serious possible. Kelsea has severe depression and her perception of life, and her role in it, is consequently very extreme. A’s confession to Kelsea’s father about her wanting to kill herself reflects this severity, “…maybe she’d realize, if only for a split second, that even though the world doesn’t matter to her, she matters to the world” (Levithan, 2012, p. 136). Though Kelsea may feel this way about herself, it doesn’t mean that all people with depression feel the same way. Like a ladder, there are many levels of depression-the higher the rung, the more serious the depression. Kelsea is at the top of this ladder, but people can be holding on to any of the rungs and still be …show more content…
It is sometimes expected that depression sufferers are incapable of functioning “normally” on a daily basis-even to the point where they need to be hospitalized. Only in extreme cases do depressed people have trouble with accomplishing basic tasks or admit themselves to an institution or hospital. Most people with depression, like Kelsea can internalize their depression and keep it from rising to the surface where others can see how serious their mental state is. Even if others can sense something is wrong or off, they don’t have the clear view of the true terrors and agony that depression sufferers may be dealing with. A’s description of Kelsea’s social interactions demonstrate how unaware peers can be when someone in their presence is depressed. “It would be too easy to say that I feel invisible. Instead, I feel painfully visible, and entirely ignored. People talk to her, but it feels like they are outside a house, talking through walls. There are friends, but they are people to spend time with, not people to share time with” (Levithan, 2012, p. 122-123). This passage indicates the sad truth that depression can go almost entirely undetected, even by those who personally know the sufferer. David Levithan successfully presents Kelsea’s character as a caution to the reader that anyone, even the people closest to him or her, can be struggling with depression, even if it isn’t