Will You Join Me.

It really annoys me when I read about school shootings. It infuriates me that the media glorifies these shootings. What ever happened to integrity? I am disgusted by irresponsible journalism. I am even more disgusted that this country does not support the treatment of mental health issues.

Let's start with the media. Is it really necessary to flood the papers, news channels and internet with shootings of children by children? Is it necessary to constantly write about the horrors of Sandy Hook prior to the anniversary until the anniversary then after the anniversary? Did it ever occur to any of those writing these articles that there is some other mentally ill child out there without the "means" to act and that perhaps you may be supplying the "means"? Have you any idea that the constant reporting, glorifying and 24/7 coverage provides some emotionally ill child out there the "idea" of how to "act" on his/her fantasy, distorted thoughts, anger, revenge or neglect? And please do not preach to me that mental illness is an excuse for bad behavior. Try sitting across from a person who hears voices, sees dead people, devils and believes someone or something is after them. Do you believe for one moment that these folks like feeling this way? How would you like it if you thought you saw your dead 12 year old sister sitting across from you and having a conversation with you. Part of you understands that this sister was killed when she was 12 years old after she stepped out into that road while holding your 5 year old hand, was hit in front of your 5 year old eyes and was killed instantly. Spend the following years with survivor's guilt reinforced on a daily basis by your grieving parents who "blame You" for the accident. "If she was not paying attention to you, then "may be" she would have never took that step onto the road and in front of that speeding truck". What if you were brutally raped and beaten and left for dead only to wake up a week later after coming out of that coma, which was a direct result of head trauma only to begin to hear command voices to "stab someone" to the point that if you did not "stab someone" you would be killed?

This stuff is not from a movie. This stuff really happens. I know. I am their therapist.

We live in a country with access to opportunity, to medical care, to advances in drugs and services that can place a person with hallucinations and delusions into remission. So why are there so many mentally ill people living on the streets without access to treatment and services? I have my guesses on the answer. Could it be that insurance companies deny the very basic treatment of a person who may be suicidal and/or homicidal? Try stepping a suicidal or homicidal patient up into a locked unit where medication is mandatory to arrest symptoms. Insurance companies can deny that care if they can justify their answer. What happens to that person? Do we discharge them to the street? There is a 50% chance the facility will keep the patient despite not being paid. Then there are the medications! One medication works better than another medication to arrest symptoms and help the patient live a better quality of life until "bang" insurance does not want to cover (the very expensive cost of) that particular medication because "they" think you should use another "cheaper" medication.  Who cares if the "cheaper" medication is not effective. It's cheaper!

Services for our mentally ill population are sparse. We have a variety of outpatient and day programs, but what we really need are residential programs. I am not talking about state hospitals where everyone is locked up for years (though we do need a few), we need safe residential assistant living programs for mentally ill folks who are stabilized on their medication and still need assistance with daily living and medication compliance. Get them off the streets and out of the shelters and into programs and I guarantee we will see crime rates decrease, homelessness decrease, substance abuse/dependency decrease and productivity increase.

We are a country that does not invest in those who cannot advocate for themselves.

We are a country that hides behinds "stigmas".

We are a country that helps every other country but neglects our own.

We are a country focused on materialistic money motivated means.

We need more people to step up to the plate and advocate for those less able to advocate for themselves.

We need to start caring, have some compassion, understanding, and tolerance.

We need to stop blaming and take responsibility.

Will you join me!