Mental health is not even considered
Mental health care in America is sad. Unless someone has insurance the ability to get care for a mental illness is near impossible.
I was suffering from massive depression, anxiety, and was suicidal in 2007 and had no insurance. The best care I received was from police and an on call mental health care worker who was called to my residence. You call that kind of care, triage. Afterward there needed to be an assessment by a mental health care professional and ongoing counseling. It wasn't there then, and isn't there now. I am one of the lucky ones who was able to come out of it, through no help from the government. I ended up on a an alcohol and drug spree, and was just fortunate enough to stop before I killed myself or others.
Our system now is completely overloaded and is simply triage in all stages. Budget cuts have axed many mental health care programs across the nation and has mental ill people homeless, rather than in an institution or engaged in some kind of services.
So, should we be surprised that there are people who are killing their families or innocent bystanders at the hands of an untreated mentally ill person?
Should we be surprised when the gun debate is long gone, passed and not an issue, and we still have mass shootings at the hands of a mentally ill person?
I think not. I think that unless we start addressing this issue the killings and suicides will continue. Until we see mental health care as something that is just as important education, gun control, and whether you are on the "left" or "right", than it will continue to the downward spiral.
Why is it that the richest nation in the world doesn't care for it's own people?
Yet, our government sees fit to fight wars, send aid, and meddle in other countries issues before taking care of our own. Our government pays top dollar, in the billions, to ensure corporations tax breaks to keep their business in the black, yet the people are left to suffer from a multitude of mental illnesses.
The people are told to 'get a job, and earn a living, to get off welfare'. Wait? Now, if I am hearing this correctly people say that those who are down and out get a job and earn a living, they will be able to get the care they need through that hard work?
Ok, so let's say a man gets a job, starts out making 10 bucks an hour. He works 40hrs a week. That's gonna be roughly 20k a year, or about 1700 mth. Now, this job likely isn't going to offer insurance for 90days to 6mths.
So, this guy is suffering from mental health issues......say......bi polar. He needs meds to manage this, but can't get to a doctor for six months due to not having insurance. Or, even if he get
I was suffering from massive depression, anxiety, and was suicidal in 2007 and had no insurance. The best care I received was from police and an on call mental health care worker who was called to my residence. You call that kind of care, triage. Afterward there needed to be an assessment by a mental health care professional and ongoing counseling. It wasn't there then, and isn't there now. I am one of the lucky ones who was able to come out of it, through no help from the government. I ended up on a an alcohol and drug spree, and was just fortunate enough to stop before I killed myself or others.
Our system now is completely overloaded and is simply triage in all stages. Budget cuts have axed many mental health care programs across the nation and has mental ill people homeless, rather than in an institution or engaged in some kind of services.
So, should we be surprised that there are people who are killing their families or innocent bystanders at the hands of an untreated mentally ill person?
Should we be surprised when the gun debate is long gone, passed and not an issue, and we still have mass shootings at the hands of a mentally ill person?
I think not. I think that unless we start addressing this issue the killings and suicides will continue. Until we see mental health care as something that is just as important education, gun control, and whether you are on the "left" or "right", than it will continue to the downward spiral.
Why is it that the richest nation in the world doesn't care for it's own people?
Yet, our government sees fit to fight wars, send aid, and meddle in other countries issues before taking care of our own. Our government pays top dollar, in the billions, to ensure corporations tax breaks to keep their business in the black, yet the people are left to suffer from a multitude of mental illnesses.
The people are told to 'get a job, and earn a living, to get off welfare'. Wait? Now, if I am hearing this correctly people say that those who are down and out get a job and earn a living, they will be able to get the care they need through that hard work?
Ok, so let's say a man gets a job, starts out making 10 bucks an hour. He works 40hrs a week. That's gonna be roughly 20k a year, or about 1700 mth. Now, this job likely isn't going to offer insurance for 90days to 6mths.
So, this guy is suffering from mental health issues......say......bi polar. He needs meds to manage this, but can't get to a doctor for six months due to not having insurance. Or, even if he get
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