Boredom in Utah
Saturday, April 13, 2002
After reading the article "LDS Request: Pleasant Grove May Put End to Monday Fun" (Tribune, March 29), I had to write. The mayor and City Council members of Pleasant Grove need to stop and think about the changes being considered.
This is just what Utah needs, another day with nothing to do but sit at home. Utah as a whole and Utah County especially already have a very high level of depression. Remember a news item several weeks ago stated that Utah had the highest Prozac usage in the country. The main use of Prozac is to fight depression. Much of this depression can be linked to the lack of affordable activities to do in Utah.
Utah also has one of the highest suicide rates, especially by teen-agers, in the nation. Part of the teen suicide, as stated by several doctors of psychiatry, is the social pressures placed on them.
I agree that this is part of the problem. If this is the only cause then why is the problem not nationwide? I think that much of the depression and suicide in Utah is related to the lack of interesting and affordable activities for persons of all ages. The LDS Church has prevented or is attempting to prevent anything fun to do. Do not let Pleasant Grove city officials bow again to the LDS Church and force more nothing to do but be bored. Boredom is a large cause of depression, and pushing up the use of Prozac and similar drugs even higher.
R. K. HULETT
Taylorsville