Observations about the Mental Health Care System in America
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| Observations about the Mental Health Care System in America |
When one has been playing the patient role for so long, a person begins to identify themselves as a “psych patient.” That’s who you are. This is the phrase that sums up who you are. You belong to the mental health system. Soon enough, you find that every activity you engage in is related to your disorder and the medication your doctor prescribed to suppress it. It’s a sad commentary indeed. Even more tragic is the situation for the person who fights an intractable flaw in their character needlessly, treating the diagnosis as the unquestionable reality. I acknowledge the fact that the unsettling scenario I am painting here is not true for every psychiatric patient.
The psychiatric patient eventually learns the advantages of having a mental illness diagnosis. There are mental health workers, such as case managers, who assist the “consumer” in obtaining a free-living allowance from the Federal government in the form of Social Security Disability Income or Supplemental Security Income, in whatever minimal amount it may be. I will add for comfort that social security disability benefits are reported (by the government) to run dry in 2016.
A consumer is often entitled to free housing, health care, food assistance, and much more. Certain disability regulations may even allow the mentally ill person to bring a pit bull into a residential community where pets are not allowed. Technically speaking, you could even take it on a commercial airliner. The reason is simply that your therapist deemed it necessary that you have an emotional support animal (oops, was that a secret?). Don’t get me wrong. There are undoubtedly those persons whose emotional well-being depends on having a companion animal. I’m not trying to be disrespectful to those who are struggling. I am arguing that many people are incentivized by the system to accept their diagnosis and fulfill their roles.
There are case managers and outreach workers who will go to court with you and advocate on your behalf before the judge when you run afoul of the law. The mentally sick will receive assistance with all personal matters from them. What a bargain! Go inform your friends about it as soon as possible. Let the government take care of you. It makes being a psychiatric patient seem so much more attractive. Why wouldn’t anyone want a psychiatrist label them disabled? Again, I’m being sarcastic to make my point that people who are improperly labeled with a DSM V diagnosis run the risk of becoming dependent on the mental health system for their needs.
People are encouraged to give up their motivation and ambition through this type of social support. It instills the idea that living a marginal existence is sufficient. Personally, I think that people can achieve greatness for the world and for themselves if they put in the necessary effort.
Remember this. Once you get into the mental health system, your chances of getting out are slim. There are a number of reasons for this. Primarily because the Psychiatrist or Psychologist has you convinced that you have a serious medical problem, which you can’t handle yourself. We all know that’s ridiculous. Many people manage their depression and anxiety remarkably well without the use of psychiatric medications. It's fantastic if Ativan eases your anxiety and improves your ability to perform. On the other hand, I have seen plenty of people become addicted to sedatives. These drugs are unsafe. I wouldn’t put your faith in the safety of the anti-depressants either. I think the pharmaceutical giants are quick to point that out as a result of the numerous class action lawsuits filed against them.
Pharmaceutical firms bear some of the responsibility for this artificial drug reliance. As I was writing this article, I surfed NAMI’s website (National Alliance for Mental Illness) and noticed “In Our Own Voice,” a public education program, is funded by a grant from Eli Lily. This is the pharmaceutical giant that manufactures psychiatric drugs like Prozac, Zyprexa, and Cymbalta. Without using too much mental energy, I deduce that Eli Lily's kindness is a marketing stunt meant to position them as one of the good guys in the mental health industry. and as a result, boost sales.
As I surfed the Internet, I found that NAMI has been receiving its fair share of criticism for its questionable association with pharmaceutical companies. I won't claim that NAMI is unethical or immoral. That would be too easy. If Ely Lily offered me thousands of dollars, I would have to seriously consider taking it. Sometimes the decision to cross the line depends on one’s real-life needs. Sometimes it's just about getting a profit. There is no denying that this kind of corporate misconduct adversely affects the mental health system and exacerbates the suffering of its consumers. Once more, I am aware that certain individuals need support from the pharmaceutical industry and the psychiatric community. The screening process for prescribing these medications is a big part of the problem. This is a result of the inadequate procedure for administering these potentially harmful medications in place.
Society itself contributes to this dysfunctional culture. The public's common mindset is, "You can do whatever you want with them as long as they are not bothering us." This provides mental health providers with even more authority to do as they please. And so the psychiatric patient is stripped of his or her rights. As I see it, a psychiatric patient is a human being without respect or dignity. Call what I've said theatrical if you wish.
It might appear like I'm assuming the victim position and playing the blame game. Allow us to clarify the role of the patient in the mental health system (those like myself). I will be the first to admit that the informed psychiatric patient is the one who is primarily responsible for his or her unfortunate situation. We have to accept our role in the system. Someone can't put their arm behind your back and tell you to see a therapist for your anxiety. That is, for the most part, true. You'll remark to yourself, "It seemed like a good idea at the time," when you think back on why you did it.
Telling someone about their mental illness is the worst thing a person with mental illness could possibly do. As soon as you do, the other person looks at you differently. An automatic flash goes off in the person’s brain, “Oh God. Here we go. His illness is acting up.” This attitude is especially noticeable in the face of a mental health professional, your family members, and your closest friends. It’s a universal reaction. Everything you do will be attributed to your condition from the minute you disclose your secret. Your purported problem will be compared to the manner in which you express yourself as a typical human being. If you are frustrated about something, the people in your life will conclude, “His meds aren’t working.” When people think you cannot hear them, they will gossip amongst themselves, “Oh, he’s a psych patient. That’s why he looks agitated. That’s part of his illness.” This attitude is quite common. It comes from a lack of understanding. How could a person know, unless he or she has personally experienced it?
If you should attempt to verbalize your rights as a human being, the mental health provider will proceed to have you committed to a psychiatric hospital against your will. The patient may be detained without end until a medical professional determines the patient has regained consciousness. The mental health providers will have complete control over you since no one will speak out against them. In Massachusetts, psychiatric patients must retain a specially trained lawyer to represent them before a mental health court to be released. This is where we are in 2013. The majority of people who are reading this post probably have no idea how our mental health system operates. We are still in the dark ages.
The only time the state of the mental health system is brought to light is when a patient commits suicide or kills someone. Following that, there is a public outcry, and the therapist or psychiatrist is either sued or placed at fault. They argue that no physician has any control over how their patients behave in public. In my opinion, that is not their role. Until they have engaged in egregious negligence, a mental health professional cannot be held accountable for the acts of their patients. Humans are sovereign, free entities. People can usually go about their lives in the United States without too much intrusion from other people. "No one has the right to tell me what to do" is the prevailing mindset in America. If the patient says they plan to kill themselves or someone else, that's a slightly different story. Then the call to duty is activated. Mental illness is a complicated matter.
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