Saturday, November 3, 2012

Society's Challenge With Mental Illness.

     My direct experience with mental illness has always been from afar. However , I have never ignored the  subject of  mental health . Mental health has been a challenge for all societies from the beginning.

     My earliest memories are from the late 1940's. Mental health was not really talked about. The people around me knew very little about mental illness and for that matter the health professions knew very little as well. The public feared people who were mentally ill and shunned them.There were huge government institutions were people were locked away. Little treatment was available so these people were warehoused and kept away from the rest of society, sometimes for the rest of their life..

    As I was finishing high school one of the suggestions my father made for a career possibility was to be a psychiatric nurse. I thought about it but not seriously. 

     Now most of the big bad black institutions are gone. Medication and counselling help to keep people in as normal a situation as possible. Some space is available to treat those with very acute conditions. Many changes have taken place from the bad old days until now. In many ways the treatment now is much more humane but there's much more that has to be done.

    So another incident that got me thinking about mental health is a medication that I was given when I was diagnosed with seizures. I was reading through the information which came with the drug and was shocked to find out that it was the same medication used to treat two of the common mental health conditions : schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. With a little research I soon discovered why this is so. All three have to do with some type of brain dysfunction. In the case of seizures there's an area in the brain that has abnormally fast waves. Now I don't like taking this medication. It messes with my balance and  moods.

     So now back to how mental health is dealt with today. For those people lucky enough to come in contact with the health system there is a protocol. First, counselling and medication are tried. If things don't work out and deteriorate a number of different agencies begin work on the case. They make a joint recommendation for treatment. There is a mental health board that deals with the patient and explains the reasons why and what will take place. The patient and family also have input. If all things go well the patient agrees with the health board to follow a set   treatment . The mental heath board is a somewhat legal body that puts everybody on the same page and attempts to safeguard all from problems.

     Those who do not come in contact with the health system have a horrendous time and tend to get into serious consequences in the general society. Some refuse treatment. I can understand why they wouldn't want some of the medication because it has some nasty side effects. One of the saddest things I ever saw in my life was a man in the Washington subway yelling at a huge wall. As I listened to him it was just words pouring out of his mouth...no sentences whatsoever. He  was obviously not in contact with a health system and left to fend for himself on the streets.  

    Is this the ticket for success? Far from it.  Much more  research has to be done in the health field to find more effective medication. Society's attitude and support for mental health could go a long way to help people min their community .

    Now this is a black post but sometimes there are things that have to be said. We can't ignore the black all the time. Some good has to come out of many places to bring about a better life for people suffering from mental health issues.

    
    

23 comments:

  1. Some things need to be talked about no matter how unpleasant.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For some things it's better to face them head on. You are so right.

      Delete
  2. Interesting indeed, but I don't think this idea of yours will get off the ground.
    My neighbour, who lived below, was a case.
    He died whilst I was away. I found him outside his front door in a collapsed state at night years ago. Had I not gone down the steps, to get out of the "sauna" like conditions of that night, he would have been dead. I just managed to prolong his "miserable" life. He was both physically and mentally in need of assistance - BUT when he had to be taken by the paramedics on so many occasions that I have lost count, he was able to book himself out and so the system continued with him and his
    absolutely "unlistened" to careers who came three times a day at government expense. They were not listened to.
    However, what did he do? - taken to hospital for checks and he was able to book himself out. THAT WAS HIS RIGHT!!!! Yep, you read correctly. Doctors, nurses and we, residents, had no control over this madness. His two useless adult kids had nothing to do with him, they couldn't have cared less.
    So I wish you the best with your endeavours with Canadian health authorities, it is a problem. Sorry about being so blunt.
    Colin (Brisbane. Australia)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here somebody on the steps outside would be in danger of perishing from the cold. Yes, the signing out business is a problem. There are various classifications and unfortunately some of these people are able to manage themselves whether it works or not.

      Delete
  3. I'm sorry you must take that medication, Red, but this is valuable information for me. I realize that those awful institutions that once existed are still there in other forms, such as poorly maintained nursing homes. I hoped that it was better in Canada, but perhaps not.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have different funding basis but the treatment and space available is probably very similar to yours.
      I would like to get off the medication but if I do I lose my driver's license!

      Delete
  4. i have known a few folks who took medication for bi-polar disorder. and i was grateful they had it available for them. i think too many of our homeless are mentally ill, unfortunately. it is sad.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In some people medications work well with minimal side effects. All of these are very nasty conditions.

      Delete
  5. Tough to work with.The people I work with are duel diagnosed with mental retardation and illness.A few are court ordered, lucky to be placed in the system.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With mental handicap it's much more difficult to judge mental health.

      Delete
  6. So much to think about here. Will have to ponder it all. No easy answers, I fear. I had some experience of the difficulties when my husband had pneumonia earlier this year. He also suffers from a rare form of dementia, which means only one side of his brain is withering. So his communication ability and some mental processes are greatly impaired. He's still very much 'there' in other ways, under normal circumstances. But when his illness resulted in episodes of delirium (which is a temporary condition) on top of his poor communication skills, his treatment suffered greatly. I discovered that even well-trained doctors and nurses are ill-equipped to deal with people who display mental confusion of any kind. Anyone in that state needs a carer present at all times to ensure their well-being. It's no surprise to me that many people with mental problems end up on the street. Without a personal 'guardian angel' to help manage your care, a person suffering any form of mental illness either gets sucked up by the system, ends up on the street or wastes away alone in a room somewhere.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's really sad that in this day and age the professional health workers are poorly trained to handle acute situations.
      Many of our street people have mental health issues.

      Delete
  7. Many medications are useful beyond their original intent for certain illnesses as you've seen with your own medicine. I have some health issues where I took a malaria drug for awhile. I ended up being allergic to it so it didn't work for me but in other people it's very helpful.
    Unfortunately mental health still carries with it a stigma people don't want to associate with themselves. In that regard I fear some don't take the help they could get or need.
    I worked a college summer in an insane asylum in my hometown. My best friend's mother worked there for many years. I often heard many of her stories about the people.Most of those patients were not insane but had mental health issues. Some of them with meds were 'normal' functioning adults. Many had lived there most of their lives having been 'put away' for being different. The hospital itself closed a few years after that in the early 80's. You are correct in that we have come a long way but much education and research still needs to be done for the accepting of and treatment for mental illness.
    Thought provoking post Red!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right about stigma. The public do not well understand what the situation is. had some kids with Turrette's when I taught. they suffered terribly from abuse by students who did not understand the situation.

      Delete
  8. This is a very complex problem and the answers don't come easily. Mental health has taken big strides forward, but so many slip through the cracks due to poverty or lack of someone to help them get treatment. It is such a sad situation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your key word is complex. It's complex on many levels.

      Delete
  9. ..the homeless we work with have so many of these issues...very sad.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's sad that we look after these people as homeless. We should never let them get to the homeless state.

      Delete
  10. Red I only wish people with mental health issues could get the help they need today. With all of our cutbacks our government has imposed there's so many who either go without the treatment they require, or they are put on a waiting list which is a mile long. I was dealing with a psychologist for my niece, to get any type of help when it was needed I had to go straight to those who were teaching me, it was who I knew that got us in. What about those who don't know anybody?

    Then there's the case of the Alberta Hospital, they were talking about complete closure, those who were forced out were supposed to be receiving community care, but there was no community care in place when the changes took place which left many people in Edmonton with mental health issues homeless.

    There are also many people with mental health issues who tend to self medicate with either illicit drugs and/or alcohol. This is their way of helping themselves.

    We have come a long ways since the '40s, but now the pendulum has swung the other way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. key to your comment is the accessibility of care. Many of the people with mental health issues are not aware there is help and how to get it. Your experience is a perfect example. There's a huge need for treatment of substance abuse in young people. man I finally got accessibility spelled!!!!

      Delete
  11. This is a very well written post Red. We had an institution that housed and medicated those with mental illness. Then they were closed and set free. Many group homes formed , for which the government paid freely. These very same people had FREEDOM, did not take their drugs on a regular basis, for most of the group homes were out to make money - there were some good ones - they wern't all bad ( there's a good apple in every barrel, Eh.) Many people today, unfortunately roam the streets, live on the streets.................SO, HOW GREAT WAS THE CHANGE?? It bothers me greatly to see OUR SO CALLED GREAT COUNTRY AND OUR GREAT GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS PROGRESSING FORWARD...............OR ARE THEY?? I like your Blog very much Red, you speak out and are not offended by comments. I do hope one day things will change and the situation will take PROGRESS and be able to step forward; however, you cannot do that without FUNDING - and I somehow feel that "Mental Health Issues", are kinda always left in the not so important file in the black cabinet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You cover a wide swath of territory here. It sounds like you've had your finger on this topic for a while. we take two steps forward and one back. Steps are taken very far apart.
      Spending a life time with kids...38 years, gave me the experience to listen and not pass judgement while encouraging expression of an opinion.

      Delete
  12. I think the government should fund licensed psychotherapy the way it funds psychiatry. I think therapy is an integral part of the healing process. You can't just throw drugs at mental illness (but I believe they do have their place in the treatment of it.)

    And we still have a long way to go in de-stigmatizing mental illness. But I think progress is being made.

    ReplyDelete