Who has had any real success here?

For the love of god Max if you continue this bitch fest yes you won't have better luck or any luck. Like literally lady luck looked at you and just dropped dead from horror. And Darwin had to give you an award for that very awkwardly...... But you can avoid all of that by changing your attitude into more positive like. Because seriously its only going to get worst before it gets better if you keep this up.

Wait gets better than worst to better? Because of his age and he is probably in high school College will be a whole new ball game.

On the off chance, he has actual clinical depression (which is really sounds like he dosn't), as someone who has been there i have to say, one does not simply change into a better attitude. One seeks professional help which usually consists of medicine and comprehensive therapy forcing you to change your attitude with behavior modification. usually comes in the form of forcing you to think good things about yourself until it becomes natural. now outside of being fair, what should we do if he continues to be this way? Ignore him. Because that kind of negativity spreads and makes other people not want to come here, and that's the last thing we need for others to be put off and make this place even more inactive.

I know its hard to move into a better attitude from a really down one. But atleast keep trying day by day. Plant the idea in your mind and keep going, like Inception lol. I used to be like this and now I am out of the pitt, only to meet real life head on into the fire lol. Yeh his negativity is like a virus.

The way hes acting if not caused by actual depression (and many times the following applies to depression too) is most likely caused by circumstances being shitty enough to condition him into it. Its called Learned Helplessness. Its really bad because its nearly, and fully impossible for some to even think of of the possibility of a better way (without professional help).