A recent report suggests that the rate of mental illness among kids has dropped dramatically in recent years. Results of studies in this area can vary wildly, but as the NYT’s Benedict Carey reports, they all point to an increasingly heated dispute: “Critics argue that modern psychiatry is over-diagnosing and treating an increasing number of the worried well or merely quirky. Child psychiatrists insist that … the larger problem is that youngsters who could benefit from treatment too often do not get it.” On one hand, I’ve seen kids with serious issues benefit from modern psychopharmacology. On the other hand, we now symptomize too many personality traits; and every time a kid opens his mouth, there’s someone ready to toss in a pill. (One undisputed positive trend is that we’re finally talking more openly about issues related to mental health.)

+ NPR: How a machine learned to spot depression.