| The recent tragedy at Virginia Tech illuminates the | | | | problems and so do most inmates in jail. Today |
| colossal failure of government and public policy to | | | | when a person is identified with serious mental |
| all our citizens who have mental disabilities and are | | | | problems there is no place to put him or her, few |
| ignored, denied. blurred, blamed and are invisible. | | | | long-term beds and certainly not an adequate |
| The Federal Government should lead in establishing | | | | amount are available for the mentally ill. Half way |
| an environment of reality and acceptance of | | | | houses substitute as a safe place to be housed, |
| treatment without the ignorant stigma of shame. | | | | but they are rarely safe. And inmates in jail don't |
| Mental problems are just as legitimate as a cut | | | | get adequate mental health help to prevent |
| needing stitches or a heart attack. Yet people | | | | recidivism, returning to jail after they are released. |
| who seek help for a psychological problem are still | | | | Then in the 1990's the Health Maintaince |
| looked upon as flawed and blamed for not being | | | | Organizations (HMO's) appeared on the |
| able to handle their own problems. | | | | reimbursement stage and embraced short-term |
| We need public education to encourage individuals | | | | therapy with an emphasis on behavioral |
| to go for help when they recognize feeling | | | | modification and limited psychotherapy to six or |
| out-of-control or in a situation where they need | | | | on occasion twelve sessions. Any additional |
| counseling, support and advice. Some problems | | | | sessions need to be approved by the HMO |
| are chemical imbalances and often medications | | | | before they would be paid. This was the death |
| can reduce symptoms or stabilize the individual, if | | | | knoll to effective therapy for the severely |
| the person takes the medication. They don't | | | | mentally ill. |
| always take them because the medications have | | | | Behavior modification is basically a band-aid type |
| such uncomfortable side effects that the patient | | | | of therapy believing if you change your thoughts |
| believes that the disease is easier to cope with | | | | you heal any pain or problems from old wounds. |
| than the drugs. | | | | Just sweep it under the carpet and it will fade |
| Other problems are situational and don't need to | | | | away. This works for some minor problems and |
| be medicated but brought to the surface, worked | | | | patients who can adjust in a very structured |
| out and resolved. The best way to do this is | | | | modality but is not realistic for more severely |
| through "talk therapy." There are many modalities | | | | wounded people, some need months and even |
| that effectively work to educate and empower | | | | years of therapy. The most seriously disturbed |
| people to stop repeated patterns of destructive | | | | patients may take months just to establish trust |
| and self-deprecating behaviors. Being molested as | | | | in their therapist before they even reveal what |
| a child is one example. There is no drug to resolve | | | | happened to them. |
| the damage done and continuing negative effects | | | | States don't have enough money to adequately |
| on adult relationships like trust issues, guilt, shame | | | | fund Community Mental Health Programs. Many |
| and sexual confusion and dysfunction. These | | | | people fall between the cracks even when |
| issues need to be resolved by other means. | | | | identified and mandated to get out patient |
| Medicating such a wound just exacerbates the | | | | therapy. Mental health practioners are overloaded, |
| dilemma and doesn't resolve or heal the wound. | | | | overwhelmed and underpaid. It is a job with high |
| Neither does behavior modification. | | | | burn out and high turn over. A patient may begin |
| Grief is similar issue. Typically it isn't pathological, | | | | with one therapist, who moves on and the patient |
| yet it hurts like hell for a long time. Medication isn't | | | | is transferred and has to start all over with |
| recommended. Talking about the pain and | | | | someone else. |
| expressing the hurt is a healthier way to deal with | | | | Private insurance limits the number of visits they |
| grief. Knowing what to expect, the hot spots and | | | | will pay for through reimbursement and |
| the time frame is empowering. Just knowing that | | | | co-payments. They closely monitor the number of |
| the immediate pain will heal itself is part of the | | | | visits, that are regulated by HMO staff. A mental |
| healing process. | | | | health professional literally has to beg for additional |
| Historically, we as a nation have attached a | | | | visits when deemed necessary. Additionally the |
| stigma of shame on the individual suffering from a | | | | HMO tells the practitioner what they will pay and it |
| mental problem and on the family. I know | | | | is rarely his or her regular fees, always less. |
| because in 1956 my father was diagnosed with | | | | Mental health must become a higher priority in this |
| bipolar disorder and rather than go to a hospital | | | | country to prevent innocent people from |
| and inflict shame on his family and himself he killed | | | | becoming victims. All of society is responsible for |
| himself at 45 years old. | | | | this tragedy. We must demand more education, |
| In the 1960's we began systematically to empty | | | | better treatment and prevention strategies to |
| out all our mental hospital. Often they were less | | | | avoid similar incidents in the future. |
| than ideal, but rather than reform them we | | | | This is a broken system and needs to be fixed. |
| dumped the patients onto the street. Most | | | | Now! |
| homeless people have serious mental health | | | | |