Tag: mental-health

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hopeful of change for Iraq, and some other interesting things

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So, the surge, you know, the one that I said wouldn’t work (because the many before it didn’t either), apparently isn’t working. Oops… I mean, we should have known better right? Wait… WE DID! Well, you would think at this point we would have gained a better perspective on things, especially regarding foreign policingpolicy, but alas, we aren’t making the changes we need to. But if you want to continue to believe that we are not causing any problems, and that genocide of Iraq and Iran is the answer, please, bury your head back in the sand, and let those of us that know the truth, strategize in peace.

However this goes, I have ultimate hope that this is true (that picture makes me want to vomit): apparently, given the dissension of his cronies, Bush might actually give in and compromise on a pull out strategy for Iraq. It is becoming clearer and clearer each and every day that we are doing way more harm than good by being in Iraq, and it is good to see more people coming over the that truth; even if it has taken this long. (Apparently, even though they aren’t doing what they need to do to get better, the Iraqis don’t agree that a pull out is good… hmmm, aren’t they already in a full blown civil war? Yeah, so stop using the “threat” of that as an excuse.).

This whole issue is like beating a dead horse, and we really just need to go ahead and bury the corpse already; it has gone beyond stinking. Stop the war, stop the killing, and stop trying to steal oil from another country. Let’s focus on us… that would be a good place to start.

Also, I don’t know how I feel about this, other than to say it pisses me off that people can generalize things so ridiculously. So let’s see, since SOME people get prescribed anti-depressants who are not depressed, it must mean that everyone is just seeking a “freebie” or an “easy out”? Fuck you. Seriously, fuck you. I know for my depression, I was in therapy a good 3 months before I ever even brought up the word medication, and I didn’t want to go on it, because I was not sure I needed it. I sought help for my depression, and as a result, have gotten a lot better. If I would have kept going down the road I was on, who knows what would have happened. I have said it before, and I will say it again, this sort of turning a blind eye on the need for mental health (as one sane doctor in the article calls for more of) is dangerous and just plain wrong. I hope that people continue to seek help if they need it; because even with the drugs, it isn’t an “easy fix”. Getting over depression is a daily struggle, and those drugs don’t take care of that for you. Shame on the people that are lumping and splitting all people on these medications in that way.

I also found this an interesting read. It seems pretty compelling that there is enough of a case to believe that perhaps Kurt Cobain didn’t kill himself. That really gets me thinking, especially because I remember when it was reported that he died. It really hit a lot of people hard, and it did seem a little out of place. Hmm… perhaps something will come of this? Either way, it was interesting to read, so I thought I would share.

That’s enough for today, I guess. Stay cool… it’s hot as fuck out there.

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a strange way to try and commit suicide

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It isn’t a secret that getting a positive diagnosis from an HIV test is jarring, and can potentially cause suicidal thoughts, but very few follow through on their actions, and actually commit suicide. Strangely enough, that is not the case for two men that found out they were positive in midtown Atlanta. In fact, that is only where the strange begins.

Apparently, the two men found out they were positive, and having that news coupled with some issues with their business, they decided it would be best to commit suicide. But they decided they would do it by cutting off their arms. Now, I am not making fun of this case in the slightest, in fact, my heart goes out to these two men and anyone who would be so down that they would want to take their own life. But I can’t believe that this was the option to end their lives that they thought of. This must have been excruciatingly painful, not to mention, downright strange. I can’t imagine inflicting this level of pain on yourself in order to get away from the pain of your life. And, it appears that they were saved before they were able to bleed to death; so now, they have to live without arms.

I really can’t believe that this late in the epidemic this response was the one these men chose. I would have hoped they would have sought the counseling they need, and I hope that everyone that finds themselves contemplating suicide seeks out help as well. While this is a strange and unusual case, it is definitely horrible that these men decided to inflict this pain on themselves. I hope that they are at least getting the help they need now.

Also, I found out today that a friend of mine recently tested positive for HIV. I don’t know what to say. I haven’t talked to him in a while, and honestly, I am pretty surprised. One of the things I am most surprised about, is that I heard that he felt it was “inevitable”. That really hurts me, and makes me feel extremely sad; because gay men should not have this view of infection. We can prevent it. We just have to work at it, and not give up. I hope that my friend is okay. I hope that he and I can talk about it soon.

Kind of weird stuff for a Sunday, but there it is, kids. Hope your weekend is going well.

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why we need a national mental health system that works

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In light of the events that transpired this week, there is buzz on the internets about gun control and whatnot, and I was seriously thinking about chiming in, but I realized that there is something that is far more critical to focus on: mental health and the lack of support for those that need it. The man that committed these murders at VA Tech this week was suicidal and declared officially mentally ill and a harm to himself by a court and professional mental health professionals. So why didn’t he receive treatment? A teacher even threatened to quit if he wasn’t removed from her class because he was so disturbing; yet the system still failed him. If he would have had the support of a working mental health system, there might not have been an incident as awful as this one.

I am not saying that a mental health program that truly works to treat those that need it will solve all of these problems, and I am certainly not suggesting that this was a simple solution that could have definitely prevented the attack at VA Tech. But, it is ignorant to think that it couldn’t have at least opened up the chance that it could have been prevented.

The key philosophy of public health is prevention. It is the foundation upon which all of our epistemological approaches to handling epidemics and pandemics is built. Preventing the disease, and preventing it from spreading is always more important than waiting for the fall out of what happens when people become infected, or in this case, if the disease is allowed to run its course without treatment.

Cho was mentally ill. Severely disturbed. He should have gotten the help he needed. There were at least three known incidents in which he was deemed unstable before this attack, and yet, he was never forced to get the treatment he needed; even though that forced treatment was recommended by a court. We need a system in this country that provides that level of service for people like Cho. We need a system in place that will work to help people like Cho, instead of letting them fall through the cracks.

When youth act out in ways that are characteristic of mental illness, what they need is treatment. This treatment can save them; and more importantly, it can save others. Currently, there is no such program, because if there were, there wouldn’t be mentally ill youth sitting in juvenile detention facilities instead of mental institutions getting the treatment they need.

This lack of services, and the lack of those getting the help they need when they need it is backed by this statement, taken from the National Institute of Mental Health’s website:

The study indicates that the U.S. mental health care system is not keeping up with the needs of consumers and that improvements are needed to speed initiation of treatment as well as enhance the quality and duration of treatment. For instance, over a 12-month period, 60 percent of those with a mental disorder got no treatment at all.

60% is a lot. We must do something about that. Our government must do something about that. Whether or not you agree with socialized medicine, I would hope that you can see how crucial this health service is to our society. It can not only save those that need the help directly, but it can save others. If only Cho would have been able to get the help he needed, things might be different. I personally hope that this sends a loud message to the government, that they immediately work to invigorate and revamp the current mental health services available in this country. I hope that action will be taken before another tragedy like this occurs; because apparently, it didn’t happen after Columbine, which happened under similar circumstances.

The time for mental health is NOW.