#odaat stuff

we already have Penelope AND Lydia who are both shown as really strong women dealing with anxiety (and the whole therapy squad!), and Elena already had a really big arc about her feelings and mental health after her coming out last season, having her first real relationship and everything tied to that also where did syd go at the end of the season?? dealing with her dad not accepting her and really letting her down on her quinces - all which were prominent through the whole season. 

If they instead had let it be Alex who (silently) had struggled with anxiety they easily could have tied in the whole pot-smoking ordeal, by saying that one of the reasons Alex enjoys smoking/vaping/the pot™ is because it makes him calm down when he feels anxious and it helps him relax when everything is just too much, they could also explain him not telling his mom about the anxiety by having Alex confess to not wanting to put even more stress on her and the family especially after getting caught with the pot in the first place and lydia having a stroke last season 

and if they needed a “reason” for him to feel anxious (not that there really needs to be something specific) theres really alot they could have used; everything with their father (i mean - even if Elena got the worst of it it still must have and obviously did affect Alex emotionally) 

they could also have used Alex being obsessed with how he is perceived by his friends and his looks (they could have put in commentary about the pressure on young people using social media! the desperate need for likes!) and even the pressure to be the perfect boy in Lydias (and Penelopes lbr) eyes! 

They could also have shown Victor reacting to his perfect son, struggling in many of the same ways as he himself did and probably still does. They could have Victor fearing that Alex will follow the same awful path with using alcohol (or something else really damaging) as an espace like he did

They could even use the same scene where we first get to see Elena´s problem, just it being Alex suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of school and being as smart as his older sister and having an anxiety attack. Elena could still take part in the converstation that follows, maybe even saying that she too sometimes feels like that instead of alexs “ive never felt like that” or whatever he said i mean what come on

to sum it all up i think having a young, physically healthy, handsome teenage boy who have been made to look popular and confident openly admit to be struggling with his mental health and dealing with himself not being perfect, could have been something really powerful for the show, and that they really missed out on a great story arc for Alex when they gave it to Elena