 Stranger Things Season 4 is getting record views and moving fans to tears. The storyline that hits hardest is Max's struggle with the demonic Vecna, which many have interpreted as an allegory for depression. Rates of teenage depression as well as suicide are embarrassingly high and have worsened in recent years. In 2021, nearly 14% of 12-17 year olds in the U.S. reported suffering a major depressive episode, up significantly from 2020. One factor has been government lockdowns, which forcibly isolated millions of kids from their friends and mentors. Even today, some kids struggle to connect because their social skills have been stunted. Max's own struggle with depression is worsened because she isolates herself from her friends. In one dramatic scene, the telepathic Vecna uses Max's grief, guilt, and loneliness to try to destroy her will to live. But Max's friends manage to reach her, giving her the support she needs to break free of Vecna's spell. Isolation can be deadly. If you're struggling, reach out for help. If you know someone who's struggling, reach out to help them. You could save a life, maybe your own.