Mental health is a real problem

[rh71]

With all the tragedies we've seen in our lifetime it's hard to ignore the issue of mental health. We see it mentioned a lot these days but think it's not very prevalent.

There's a thread on Reddit right now about telling secrets only anonymously (but wouldn't tell in real life). I can't believe how many speak of suicidal tendencies and just plain hate for life. After reading for just less than an hour, it's really eye opening how life differs for everyone and surprising that more tragedies don't happen more often. It doesn't take much for someone to drag others down with them, as there are just so many unhappy people among us.

 

[Pulsar]

*Slowly raises hand*.

We have hospitals that will take emergencies no questions asked. Treat until good, then release. We have no similar system of mental hospitals that will do the same. It's criminal. Sure, we have 72 hour holds and all that.... but essentially we just bury our heads in the sand over mental illness because it's so hard to diagnose and treat.

 

[whm1974]

I agree, mental illness is a serious public issue that badly needs to address.

 

[Kaido]

We need to do a lot in the mental health scene:

1. Fund more mental institutions
2. Properly staff those mental care facilities...not just use tranquilizers
3. Not make it taboo in society to talk about (or have) mental health issues

I think probably everyone goes through depression at some point in their life. Apparently most suicides are last-minute decisions in the moment (which is why they have phones on bridges), rather than extensively pre-planned. And I think it's a problem that's getting worse...I've lost more friends to suicide in the last few years than I have in my entire life.

We have a similar problem with incarceration. We throw people in jail, do zip to help them, let them out, rinse, repeat. I spent time with ex-cons for a brief period of my life...it was pretty eye-opening to realize that some people literally never learned right from wrong because of the situation they grew up in. No that they couldn't be taught or didn't want to do better, but it involves a change of a lifetime's worth of habits. This is a great article on how other countries handle incarceration:

http://www.businessinsider.com/an-a...n--and-he-couldnt-believe-what-he-saw-2014-10

And we throw a lot of people with mental issues in jail, instead of putting them in an institution where they can get the help they need to get treated. It's an awful, awful situation. And a difficult one to deal with, in our society, because we have a vote-based system, not a morals-based system, and if mental health care doesn't get the vote, then it's not something that is really ever going to be addressed on as wide of a scale as it needs to be.

 

[esquared]

Three words.

Ronald Fucking Reagan.

 

[Kaido]

Ronald...Reagan.

I've read about the impact he had on institutions (not sure if we can really attribute it 100% to him directly based on other POV's I've read)...I remember my dad saying that there wasn't really a homeless problem in America until we shut down the institutions & kicked everyone out on the street. Before that, people who needed help had a place to go. I was born in the 80's, so I've never lived in a world where there wasn't homelessness around me. I can't imagine living in that situation...having a mental illness, being out on the street, no family support & apparently minimal government support...super viscous cycle that you can't really bootstrap yourself out of.

We have so many issues we need to address as a country.

 

[Red Squirrel]

It really is an issue and seems lot of people don't quite understand it. A lot of people also dismiss it as "it's just in the head" or "it's just NNN". It's not "just". Mental health issues can be even harder to deal with than physical ones because of how they are missunderstood, and despite it being "in the head" you can't control it.

I won't pretend to fully understand it myself without living it day to day, but I got an anxiety attack once, and it opened my eyes about what these people go through on a day to day basis. Your brain basically goes haywire and takes control, depending on the condition it does different things but you can't control it and people will say things like "get over it". You can't. It's like telling a guy in a wheel chair to stop screwing around and asking for stuff and just get up and get it themselves. I have paruresis (well I think, never really been officially diagnosed), I guess that sorta would fall under a mental health condition but I can't control it. As much as I want the pee to come out, it just won't, if there's people around.

There definitely needs to be more help involved for people that suffer daily It's not easy though, each person has their own needs, and some have a condition that is milder or more severe than others. A lot of them are high functioning, all they really need is some basic recognition so that the ones around them can be aware of any triggers. Basically they need to be respected that they have a condition and can't control it. But some others may need more serious help.

Also I think there also needs to be more training in general for people where it may become relevant, like cops. Right now if cops run into someone with autism who might be having a fit or someone with anxiety who is not speaking, they don't know what to do so they just shoot the person, but maybe if they had more training on how to recognize it they could deal with it better.

 

[madoka]

We have Mayne, Naer, and Saltynuts posting frequently in this forum. No need to remind us that mental illness is real.

 

[Red Squirrel]

We have Mayne, Naer, and Saltynuts posting frequently in this forum. No need to remind us that mental illness is real.

And people with excessive hoarding addictions.

 

[Sonikku]

As someone who spent a week locked up in the mental health ward this year, I can attest to that. I won't thread jack the whole topic though, so I'll just leave this here if anyone is interested in the details.
http://www.portvapes.co.uk/?id=Latest-exam-1Z0-876-Dumps&exid=threads/sonikku-finally-committed-by-blizzard-no-less.2507426/

One thing I will say is I remember on the night I was brought in by the police that the ward was so jam packed they didn't have a single bed in the mental health ward for me. I ended up spending the night in a tiny chamber with a stiff cot in the emergency room until a patient was discharged and a bed was freed up in the morning. I was told that if it hadn't, I would have had to be sent to a mental hospital several towns over on account of so many facilities being pushed to capacity. Need is greatly outstripping supply for mental health facilities in a country starved for them.

It makes me very angry to see Republicans dismiss gun violence as a mental illness issue and not a gun issue, only to then turn around and kick the very said care and institutions to the curb that are designed to help with what they claim to be the sources of said problems. Reagan had no understanding of mental illness at all, and his successors of today have gained little in the way of understanding or respect for the same.

 

[esquared]

I've read about the impact he had on institutions (not sure if we can really attribute it 100% to him directly based on other POV's I've read)...I remember my dad saying that there wasn't really a homeless problem in America until we shut down the institutions & kicked everyone out on the street. Before that, people who needed help had a place to go. I was born in the 80's, so I've never lived in a world where there wasn't homelessness around me. I can't imagine living in that situation...having a mental illness, being out on the street, no family support & apparently minimal government support...super viscous cycle that you can't really bootstrap yourself out of.

We have so many issues we need to address as a country.

I am a bit older than you
So what your father says it true.

I saw what happened when he shut the funding down. Living on the streets wasn't initially a huge problem, but it has now morphed into the morass that is now
called homelessness. He essentially said gov't won't take care of these mentally ill and disabled kids/adults anymore and said families need to do it.

Whenever I hear RR's name, I think of this gigantic clusterfrak and "trickle down economics".

 

[BoomerD]

We need to do a lot in the mental health scene:

1. Fund more mental institutions
2. Properly staff those mental care facilities...not just use tranquilizers
3. Not make it taboo in society to talk about (or have) mental health issues

I think probably everyone goes through depression at some point in their life. Apparently most suicides are last-minute decisions in the moment (which is why they have phones on bridges), rather than extensively pre-planned. And I think it's a problem that's getting worse...I've lost more friends to suicide in the last few years than I have in my entire life.

We have a similar problem with incarceration. We throw people in jail, do zip to help them, let them out, rinse, repeat. I spent time with ex-cons for a brief period of my life...it was pretty eye-opening to realize that some people literally never learned right from wrong because of the situation they grew up in. No that they couldn't be taught or didn't want to do better, but it involves a change of a lifetime's worth of habits. This is a great article on how other countries handle incarceration:

http://www.businessinsider.com/an-a...n--and-he-couldnt-believe-what-he-saw-2014-10

And we throw a lot of people with mental issues in jail, instead of putting them in an institution where they can get the help they need to get treated. It's an awful, awful situation. And a difficult one to deal with, in our society, because we have a vote-based system, not a morals-based system, and if mental health care doesn't get the vote, then it's not something that is really ever going to be addressed on as wide of a scale as it needs to be.

A lot of it comes down to...who's gonna pay for it?

As long as this country doesn't have single payer...or a socialistic type of health care for EVERYONE, the general public might agree that SOMETHING should be done...but won't support being taxed to cover the costs.

 

[whm1974]

A lot of it comes down to...who's gonna pay for it?

As long as this country doesn't have single payer...or a socialistic type of health care for EVERYONE, the general public might agree that SOMETHING should be done...but won't support being taxed to cover the costs.

I'm wondering if paying taxes to provide socialistic healthcare for everyone would actually be far cheaper overall then our current system?

And speaking of homelessness, I ended up becoming homeless for a few months due to severe depression back in 2009. Luckily I got help and gotten off the streets and assistion in applying for disability.

 

[BoomerD]

I'm wondering if paying taxes to provide socialistic healthcare for everyone would actually be far cheaper overall then our current system?

And speaking of homelessness, I ended up becoming homeless for a few months due to severe depression back in 2009. Luckily I got help and gotten off the streets and assistion in applying for disability.

Personally, I'm in favor of some kind of basic medical care coverage for every US citizen, with optional "additional care" coverage policies for those who want it/can afford it. Things like normal (non-emergency) doctor's visits, private rooms or elective surgery are just a couple of things that could be covered by the "add-on" policies...but emergency care, doctor's visits for serious illnesses, medically necessary surgeries, follow-up care, etc...should be available for all US citizens.
Legal immigrants? Not sure how that would work, but perhaps with a monthly premium? ILLEGAL immigrants should get sent to their country of origin for care.

 

[John Connor]

I would gather at least 99% of all people in this country have a mental health issue in one form or another. And it has grown with time. Have you ever seen the 50 year old woman with the purple hair, the 25 year old with butt plugs in his ears, the countless people that think tattooing their bodies up with crap is art? That's just one of hundreds of other things that are now wrong with society. It simply wasn't like that some 60 years ago. Woman dressed like woman and their were morals and self-decency. What I'm getting to is that the psyche and culture of society as a whole has collapsed. And here in lies the problem. You want to talk about Ronald Reagan, then let me paraphrase him. "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." With the current state of the economy, the cost of living and the cluster fuck of constant spending and printing money where the dollar doesn't buy a damn dollars worth. It's no wonder two parents both have to work and the family circle isn't the way it used to be. You never heard of school shootings, mass shootings, etc. Now they think it can all be solved with pills and if you don't see a fast food commercial it's a damn medicine commercial. Then a year latter the damn lawyer firm commercials telling you that you can be compensated for taking that pill that made you sniff your own carpet.

Society as a whole is collapsing before our eyes. Even football is going to shit. Who'd a thunk that? So we have to look at the root of the problem. Are there simply more people being born that are just freaking nuts or is there something else at play here? I think you know the answer and it isn't a political one.

 

[John Connor]

It makes me very angry to see Republicans dismiss gun violence as a mental illness

Meanwhile in the South side of Chicago...

All they would have to do is institute stop and frisk. It only makes sense in a major crises like this. But no. We have to worry about people's right to privacy and all this horse shit. Never mind how many graves are dug.

99% of all gun owners are law abiding citizens. If they weren't you'd REALLY see a problem.

 

[rh71]

So we have to look at the root of the problem. Are there simply more people being born that are just freaking nuts or is there something else at play here? I think you know the answer and it isn't a political one.

The parents of today are a lot less responsible than in the past in my opinion. And it won't likely get better with each generation. We let kids get away with so much and blame others first, so how do you think these kids will parent when it comes time? Recognizing this is the first step to wake parents up so they may turn it around.

Someone else also mentioned both parents now having to work, providing less attention and time to family. Rising costs caused by greedy folks have played a large part. I can confirm that just by looking at my tax bill.

Stressing over things like this, coupled with income disparities, how could there not be a breaking point for many?

 

[PottedMeat]

ah so this is what happens when you distill talk radio, facebook posts, and chain emails

I would gather at least 99% of all people in this country have a mental health issue in one form or another. And it has grown with time. Have you ever seen the 50 year old woman with the purple hair, the 25 year old with butt plugs in his ears, the countless people that think tattooing their bodies up with crap is art? That's just one of hundreds of other things that are now wrong with society. It simply wasn't like that some 60 years ago. Woman dressed like woman and their were morals and self-decency. What I'm getting to is that the psyche and culture of society as a whole has collapsed. And here in lies the problem. You want to talk about Ronald Reagan, then let me paraphrase him. "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." With the current state of the economy, the cost of living and the cluster fuck of constant spending and printing money where the dollar doesn't buy a damn dollars worth. It's no wonder two parents both have to work and the family circle isn't the way it used to be. You never heard of school shootings, mass shootings, etc. Now they think it can all be solved with pills and if you don't see a fast food commercial it's a damn medicine commercial. Then a year latter the damn lawyer firm commercials telling you that you can be compensated for taking that pill that made you sniff your own carpet.

Society as a whole is collapsing before our eyes. Even football is going to shit. Who'd a thunk that? So we have to look at the root of the problem. Are there simply more people being born that are just freaking nuts or is there something else at play here? I think you know the answer and it isn't a political one.

 

[Thebobo]

ah so this is what happens when you distill talk radio, facebook posts, and chain emails

It is itself a mental problem.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Big institutions are not a great answer to the issue. They have their place in the system but it is the last resort. Reagan's biggest error was de-institutionalization without commensurate community supports. It has taken decades for the rest of the system to satisfy some of the demand. Fee for service and evidence based practices should enhance the effectiveness and efficiency but it still remains a neglected segment of our overall health.

 

[nutxo]

I've read about the impact he had on institutions (not sure if we can really attribute it 100% to him directly based on other POV's I've read)...I remember my dad saying that there wasn't really a homeless problem in America until we shut down the institutions & kicked everyone out on the street. Before that, people who needed help had a place to go. I was born in the 80's, so I've never lived in a world where there wasn't homelessness around me. I can't imagine living in that situation...having a mental illness, being out on the street, no family support & apparently minimal government support...super viscous cycle that you can't really bootstrap yourself out of.

We have so many issues we need to address as a country.

My wife and I were having this discussion a few days ago. It's really hard to blame Reagan at this point when we had 8 years of Clinton and 8 years of Obama in the oval office and nothing was done.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

With all the tragedies we've seen in our lifetime it's hard to ignore the issue of mental health. We see it mentioned a lot these days but think it's not very prevalent.

There's a thread on Reddit right now about telling secrets only anonymously (but wouldn't tell in real life). I can't believe how many speak of suicidal tendencies and just plain hate for life. After reading for just less than an hour, it's really eye opening how life differs for everyone and surprising that more tragedies don't happen more often. It doesn't take much for someone to drag others down with them, as there are just so many unhappy people among us.

What I honestly find so fasinating with the whole mental health issue is that it is pretty much a first world problem. Funny how the human brain works - when you have questions in life like "What/How am I going to be able to eat tonight?" is apparently not a stressful question because countries where that is a common thought has much lower suicide rates than first world countries.

The human brain obviously has some significant flaws, hopefully as we develop the world further we evolve further as humans to not have these mental disorders. For the life of me I will never be able to wrap my head around how the brains of successful platinum rock stars can communicate that Suicide is an answer to a problem - when they definitely have a lot fewer problems than other Americans.

 

[Humpy]

Metal health'll drive you mad.

 

[nakedfrog]

I would gather at least 99% of all people in this country have a mental health issue in one form or another. And it has grown with time. Have you ever seen the 50 year old woman with the purple hair, the 25 year old with butt plugs in his ears, the countless people that think tattooing their bodies up with crap is art? That's just one of hundreds of other things that are now wrong with society. It simply wasn't like that some 60 years ago. Woman dressed like woman and their were morals and self-decency. What I'm getting to is that the psyche and culture of society as a whole has collapsed. And here in lies the problem. You want to talk about Ronald Reagan, then let me paraphrase him. "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." With the current state of the economy, the cost of living and the cluster fuck of constant spending and printing money where the dollar doesn't buy a damn dollars worth. It's no wonder two parents both have to work and the family circle isn't the way it used to be. You never heard of school shootings, mass shootings, etc. Now they think it can all be solved with pills and if you don't see a fast food commercial it's a damn medicine commercial. Then a year latter the damn lawyer firm commercials telling you that you can be compensated for taking that pill that made you sniff your own carpet.

Society as a whole is collapsing before our eyes. Even football is going to shit. Who'd a thunk that? So we have to look at the root of the problem. Are there simply more people being born that are just freaking nuts or is there something else at play here? I think you know the answer and it isn't a political one.

You're a bigger societal problem than someone with purple hair or tattoos.

 

[dud]

The LACK of mental health can/is a crime in this country. Recently took a multi-week course from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). It was a real eye-opener. Apparently about 80% of the people locked up in this country suffer from some form of mental illness.