Questions Round 1

[Tiffany]

I'm not quite done with the book yet, but I thought I could post some discussion questions to get us started. Take your time and feel free to only answer one at a time or whatever you have time for. :)

1. Do you think the book properly and accurately portrays both depression and suicide? Do you think it describes well the effects of suicide on those who experienced the loss and were left behind? What message do you think the author is trying to communicate about depression and suicide?



2. Sloane remarks, “I can’t believe they don’t understand. I wonder if it’s because adults would rather forget about their problems, the thought that ignorance is bliss.” Why do you think Sloane’s peers and their parents have very different attitudes toward the Program? How does each group, respectively, view the demand for, and methodology of, the Program? Why is there such a disconnect between the teenagers and their parents’ generation?


3. In one of her therapy sessions in The Program, Sloane says to Dr. Francis, “That’s not the point, we should have a choice.” Dr. Francis replies, “But how can a proper decision be made when the mind is clouded with disease? It’s an infection, Sloane. A behavioral contagion. And we’re the only cure.” (Pg. 128)

Do you agree with Sloane that those suffering with depression should have a choice in whether or not they receive treatment and what type of treatment that should be? If so, is there a point at which that choice should be taken away? Is this conversation a reflection of the modern-day treatment of mental illness or does it serve a different purpose?

[Whitney]

Tiffany! Thanks for coming up with these questions :) I am so glad I can be a part of this book club! Full disclosure: I read this book a few months ago, so all of my comments are based on what I remember from the book, so if something seems totally off, it is just my memory :)

1. I think while the book accurately portrays some aspects of depression and suicide, particularly with younger people, other things are inaccurate, and viewed with rose-tinted glasses.
The loss seemed accurate among the friends of people who had committed suicide, but the way parents viewed it seemed very inaccurate. Sloane's mom, in particular, I felt was very robotic and mechanical about the loss of her son.
I believe the author is trying to communicate that suicide and depression is more widespread than people realize. I also think that by satirizing "the Program" the author is suggesting that there is not a set treatment that works for everyone.

2. I think, in general, a lot of parents have a problem admitting their child has an issue with depression or mental illness. I also believe that most parents would do anything to help their child. If the parents in the novel truly believe that the Program will be helpful to their child, it is only natural that the parents would push for the Program.
I think the teens in this novel view the Program as a terrifying joke. They don't believe in the methods, but they also try to avoid drawing any attention that might cause them to have to go through the Program. The parents however view the Program as a definite solution for their children--despite the fact that their child would be someone different when they left the Program.
In the realm of this novel, suicide and depression is a very wide spread problem among teens, and I got the impression that the problem was fairly recent. I didn't get the feeling that the parents went through the Program when they were teens, and it is likely that most of them did not lose close friends to suicide when they were young.

3. I disagree that there should be a choice for treatment, but agree that the type of treatment should be a choice. I think depression is a type of disease that clouds a person's judgment, and if we can help uncloud the person's mind, we can hopefully help get the person out of their depression. There are all types of treatment for depression and there is likely not a universal treatment that can help everyone. As long as the person has the capacity to make their own medical decisions, I think the person should be made aware of the different choices and make the best decision for them.
I think there is a big stigma on mental illness and the treatments for it. I think the author was attempting to comment on how silly it is to try and treat everyone dealing with mental illness the same way. Perhaps we will find out more in the subsequent books--who plans on reading them?

[Tiffany]

At last, I've finished it! So here are my answers to this set. :)

1. I would say the book does a pretty good job describing depression, presenting it as an aching emptiness and sadness and a mental fog that you can't seem to break through. I even appreciated how she depicted the different levels one can experience of depression, starting with grief and feelings of sadness and hopelessness and eventually leading to what we saw in James, an inability to even get out of bed and function. As for suicide, I think she captured the sadness, grief, and confusion that those who lose someone close to them experience, but I think she left out the anger. I think it would be only natural to be furiously angry at your brother if he killed himself right in front of you and intentionally put you through that kind of trauma.

I think the overall theme the author is trying to communicate is that depression is a disease and not a moral failure, which is the assumption that many make and perhaps the reason why it is often considered to be a social stigma. I also think she is saying that the worst thing a person suffering with depression and suicidal thoughts can do is not talk about it, and the lack of parenting in this book also seems to be making a statement that parents need to not only encourage their kids to emotionally express themselves, but that they also need to teach them healthy coping mechanisms for when hard times come.

2. I think it's safe to say that both the parents and the teens want the same thing---for the young ones to be healthy and happy---but have a different opinion on how to achieve it. The parents are afraid of losing their child and the child is afraid of losing themselves. For the parent, there is actually a win in that their child will be alive, but for the teen they see no hope and either take their own life or lose their life in the program. It's really just a catch 22. Teens commit suicide, the program is created. Teens get depressed but are more afraid of the program than death. Teens commit more suicide.

3. If they're minors, I don't really think they should have a choice for treatment either, but they should have a say in the kind of treatment, like Whitney said. I think the only instance in which there shouldn't be a choice at all is if a suicide, or any sort of violence, has been planned out or an attempt has been made. I think of all the teens out there who are struggling with depression and cutting and eating disorders and bullying, etc. and I know that they would be so much better off if they were able to meet with a therapist and just TALK about it with a grown-up, as opposed to their less emotionally mature peers. There are all sorts of therapies because there are all sorts of causes for depression. Sometimes it's a chemical imbalance and it's genetic. Sometimes it's seasonal, and you just need more sunshine and activity. Sometimes people are experiencing grief or trauma. Sometimes people are trapped in a toxic environment or relationship and they need to get out. There are treatments to fit each person's need and if everyone actually saw mental illness as a disease they wouldn't be so hesitant to get treatment for it.