New Moon's "Real Monster": Teen Depression

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  Posted by E. Boost Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:41am PST

  I respect that you have a really big cause for this, teen depression is something that is serious, however many parents are unaware. I've been having anxiety attacks/panic attacks since I was a junior in High School and my parents were completely unaware until I had to leave to the ER one day because I thought it was over. I know it's not the same as depression, but it is anxiety and it can lead to depression or near it. By the way, my parents were unaware because I never told them/ hid in the bathroom when having my anxiety attacks.

  Now on to the Twilight movie, it seems like a lot of parents/adults are having a problem with this movie. I think Bella does show some risky behavior, and it is important to show teens that's not the right way to react. I have not seen the movie myself, but saw the first one. From what I hear, Bella develops an addiction to adrenaline or doing risky behavior to fee alive. Something like that. I think that's where the problem lies and teens should know that's not the way to react to issues they may encounter in life. Having said that, I do think there's other movies out there, not just Twilight that influence kids to have this behavior. It's pretty much impossible to predict which movie, book, or show will cause a teenager to have a meltdown or be easily influenced.

  I can sort of relate this to video games/PC games. I am a decent/soft-core gamer (meaning I don't play them too much-maybe 12 hours a week) and most of them are shooters and fighting games. My parents are extremely concerned for me and say this will cause me to be aggressive. I hardly doubt so, those games are to have fun and I play them online, which means my friends are my "team" and we support and achieve something together. I find that many parents put the blame on video games and anything aggressive when it comes to their kid's bad behavior or lifestyles, but I think it really comes from the parents themselves too! If my mother and father had not raised me right, with morals, common sense and love, I would probably be one of those kids that is angry inside and find any bad influence to motivated me. I think the kids who fall under influence of movies, tv, games, etc are simply that way because they were never taught the difference betweena movie and real life, and were never given proper parental advice/security.

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  Posted by MrsKlingonPasadena Tue Nov 24, 2009 8:54am PST

  These spammers are jacka$$e$

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  Posted by Kelly O Tue Nov 24, 2009 10:29am PST

  I felt her depression reading the book. I would have liked to know I was not alone when I was a teen. If someone would have been going through the same thisng as me and got through it I would have recovered faster. Any parent worried about this movie is deflecting the real issue. If your child feels like this let them know it will get better, it will pass and show them it can.

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  Posted by Kaytlyn Tue Nov 24, 2009 10:36am PST

  Maybe see the movie before writing an article and commenting. Bella is not combating her depression by doing risky behavior, she does it because Edward appears when she does. She handles it by hanging out with Jacob, even though their relationship falls apart when Edward returns. Just recommending that you see it before forming an opinion on the message it is sending to young girls.

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  Posted by Brittany Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:59pm PST

  What I hate is not that Bella becomes depressed, but the fact that Bella becomes depressed over a break-up! What message is that sending to young girls? When a guy dumps you you don't say BooHoo my life is over, you say F-you, I'm finding someone better! Girls need to have more self-confidence and learn that they are more than just So-and-so's girlfriend. Maybe then we'd start to see the depression rates plumit.

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  Posted by EB Tue Nov 24, 2009 2:28pm PST

  Brittany, I totally agree! Bella is portrayed as having absolutely no back-bone. She is so desperate for another 'fix' that she leaves the one that's good for her. Edward is an abusive stalker, and the fact that so many of our youth think of him as the ideal man makes me sick. Not only that, but it's something of Stockholm syndrome too; Bella spent so long under his abuse that she willingly sought it out, and defended it against people who saw the truth. Girls need to realize that the relationships depicted in Twilight are nothing like reality, and if you find yourself with your 'Edward', girl, call the police!

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  Posted by Cava Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:44pm PST

  I dont completly agree with that... most girls should know that majority of the time people aren't going to find their true love in highschool. Also I dont see Edward's treatment of Bella as abusive. His main goal seems to be to protect her. She has a low self-confidence because she been clumsy her whole life. Finally it is pretty painful to get over a break up if those three little words are involved. You know those three words that should be so special, but it seems like they hold less meaning nowadays? The words "I love you"?

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  Posted by __A_YAHOO_USER__ Tue Nov 24, 2009 4:08pm PST

  I get the whole depression thing. I watched New Moon and after coming home from watching it at the movie theater I just sat in some corner of my room crying for a minute or two, but realized that I was crying over a movie and pulled myself together.

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  Posted by Trish PenelopeA Tue Nov 24, 2009 10:25pm PST

  bella's depression is definitely not a good model for teens...but one must understand her family background which explains ONE HELL OF A LOT for her behavior in the twilight saga. her parents are divorced; Rene (her mom) was too bewildered with her own life to pay attention to her, Charlie (note how Bella calls her dad) feels too awkward to try reaching out to her emotionally and often goes fishing instead of sticking around. Her own needs are neglected because she has to take care of her own parents (cooking for Charlie, handling practical stuff for Rene)instead of vice versa. then here comes edward. He loves her unconditionally and does not need her caretaking despite her astonishment that someone as "glorious" as he could possibly love her. still riddled by her own low self-esteem in new moon, edward's cruel words "i don't want you to come with me" plunges her down further into self-depreciation and cements her doubts that something is wrong with her and is therefore not worthy of love; a result of her own relationship with her parents and heightened by her relationship with edward. who is it to say that bella just got dumped, should move on so easily and edward's a total jerk? he made a crazy mistake but he did it with some strong reasons.

  for further understanding of what i'm talking about, you should check out deborah m. chan's a psychological view of bella and edward in twilight and new moon posted on forks hs professors site. that should shut up critics from complaining the twilight saga sucks because they have no understanding of what it can say about human nature.

  here's the site: http://fhsprofessor.com/?p=14

  who's the real monster now?

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  Posted by Appletini Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:00pm PST

  Ooh this is very interesting. Some people are predisposed to depression because it can run in families.. how our parents love us is how we learn to love. I think Bella is CoDependent and simply doesn't know how to love anyone. Edward is sort of toxic to her by not giving her freedom and putting her in the "all or nothing" dilemna. He is controling and she can't see it.

  Many teens experience this kind of relationship.

  Also.. depression that is linked with anxiety/panic attacks is often misdiagnosed ADD.

  People with ADD feel overwhelmed by things such as crowded rooms, bright lights.. too many things and go into sensory overload, resulting in a panick attack. Depression associated with it is usually because they can't complete things, get organized, or function.

  Good idea to get diagnosed by a doctor cuz it is overlooked and mistaken for panic disorders.

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