Rhetorical Analysis Of Teenagers, Medication And Suicide
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Within the last twenty years, more teenagers have been diagnosed with depression than ever in our nation. An unwanted “trend,” as it seems, has plagued the minds of as many as 1 in 33 teens. Those suffering with depression have only a few options to deal with their mental illness, and Richard A. Friedman believes antidepressants are the most effective way to treat the chemical imbalance. In his article “Teenagers, Medication and Suicide,” he explains that while some may think antidepressants are a last resort, research has shown them to be more effective than any alternative. Through ethos, logos, and pathos, Friedman effectively persuades his audience to use antidepressants for those who suffer from depression.
The author of “Teenagers, Medication…show more content… Not only is he a professor, but a psychiatrist at New York - Presbyterian Hospital and the director of Psychopharmacology at the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic as well. Using a well-accredited professional resource bolsters the claim within the text. He has adequately researched specifics from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, showing that “8.7 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 25 experienced a major depression episode in the previous year, but only half of them received any psychiatric treatment” (Friedman, 2015, para. 4). This information gives his argument proper advocacy for antidepressant use, as a large number of people suffer from this illness. Even further, he references a study that found antidepressant usage to plummet after the Food and Drug Administration “issued its so-called black-box warning . . . stating that all antidepressants were associated with a risk of suicidal feeling, thinking and behavior in adolescents” (Friedman, 2015, para. 5). The FDA is a credible and reliable source for research as it is the national health agency for food and drug-related purposes. The author cites reasonable sources to help persuade his audience