Status Of Mental Health In United States

[jrnichols89]

One problem is the state of America’s mental health system especially since the 1980’s. The problem itself varies from state to state due to lack of federal standard. At least a third of the homeless is mentally ill. This is concerning since mental illness is one of the few world problems that has increased; especially since the 1980’s due to 2 changes.. In contrast, problems like crime (since 1990’s crime has come down substantially) and wars has decreased according to Gerald Diamond, has been reduced by 90% since 1990. The 2 changes are reduced federal funding and increased difficulty to force medication and take in mentally ill patients. A federal standard should be created that has an effective treatment plan for the mentally ill to help them get help like SSI, a patient rights advocate, reasonable ability to force medication, and genetic testing from birth to get help. Genes with people that have autism and bipolar are different. For example, scientists have found the CHd8, SNCA2, and KATNAL2 mutations with those that have autism. The genes 3,5,10,13,21,22 have found to be associated with bipolar disorder.

 

[Disir]

The problem is deinstitutionalization. They don't have any place for them to go that is a long term facility because there is no cash in it for the providers. It's become even more popular to keep these people out of the facilities and send all of those patient rights advocates to their location as well as counselors, therapists and such. More money for what we loosely call the mental health providers AND no liability for them.

 

[Gagafritz]

Medication alone is not the answer. Yes, it should be used when needed and as an Adjunct. Medications are also expensive. I think society would get more bang for the buck if there was more counseling available.
However, as long as we keep stigmatizing mental health issues, then people are not going to get help either for fear of being stigmatized.

 

[Gagafritz]

Every time there is a murder or some heinous crime, the media immediately jumps to mental health issues. We have now labeled EVIL as a mental health issue when instead, we should be calling out EVIL as EVIL.

 

[September]

Every time there is a murder or some heinous crime, the media immediately jumps to mental health issues. We have now labeled EVIL as a mental health issue when instead, we should be calling out EVIL as EVIL.

That is an interesting point.

So often, people have a hard time believing that "evil" can be embraced and performed by extremely intelligent and healthy people. So often does the common man or woman assume that "evil" is caused by some sort of "mental health issue".

It is an exploitable weakness.

​

 

[Gagafritz]

99.99% of mentally ill people are not violent and do not harm others. But ,there is a rush to blame it on PTSD or bipolar or whatever. And, what does that do for people with those conditions? It makes employers and other people leary of them because then they might snap too. We are afraid to say that some acts are simply EVIL born out of an evil mindset. Some people kill because they want too.

 

[Disir]

It's more than stigmatized. You know, if you come into contact with someone in the middle of a psychotic break then they are taken to a psych ward, medicated and released. Some of these people do not belong on the street. They are not compliant with their medication and they cannot function in our society.

They get their SSI blow it on drugs to self medicate. They can't hold down a job, living quarters etc.

So, we have moved beyond some everybody have a different view point of the mentally ill. They wind up in jail. Then they are released. Then start the whole bloody process over again.

Every time something happens that involves a mentally ill individual there is no stigmatization. There is an attempt to back track to look at who dropped the ball. Most often, somebody lost the ball several years ago.

So, before we start looking at federal policy changes, I'm gonna need to see a very clear assessment of what we have on our hands and not by a suit but by the people that have to deal with the repercussions.

 

[waltky]

Schizophrenics smoke at three times the rate of smoking in the general population...

Why Do So Many Schizophrenics Smoke?
A whopping 75 percent to 90 percent of people with schizophrenia smoke.

That's three times the rate of smoking in the general population. Compared with other smokers, people with schizophrenia also tend to smoke more often and inhale more deeply. What's going on here? Scientists think the nicotine in tobacco smoke may temporarily reduce some symptoms of schizophrenia. People with the condition may not be consciously aware of why they're so drawn to cigarettes. But by smoking, they're actually self-medicating. Unfortunately, they're also increasing their risk for cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, and early death.

To cut these health risks—by as much as 60 percent in the case of cardiovascular disease— quitting smoking is vital. That's why a recent review article in the journal Addiction is such good news. Based on eight previous studies, the authors found that quit-smoking strategies worked about as well for those with severe mental illness as for the population at large. When mental illness was well managed, giving up cigarettes also didn't make symptoms flare out of control.

It's About the Brain

Scientists are still studying how nicotine and schizophrenia may be linked. The brain contains several types of receptors—proteins on the surface of cells that receive chemical messages. Nicotine attaches to the same type of receptors as a brain chemical called acetylcholine. This brain chemical affects memory, attention, alertness, and mood. Nicotine receptors also affect levels of dopamine and glutamate, two other important brain chemicals. An imbalance in these chemicals is thought to occur in schizophrenia.

When people with schizophrenia smoke, nicotine attaches to its receptors. This may help brain chemicals get into better balance, and that may help the brain to work more smoothly. As a result, memory, learning, attention, and thinking speed may improve. Negative symptoms, such as lack of motivation and interest, may also lessen. Such improvements are short-lived, however, and the brain quickly adapts to the levels of nicotine. This is why a nicotine patch doesn't have the same effect as intermittent cigarette smoking. Brain chemistry isn't the whole story. Social factors play a role in smoking as well. When you're around other smokers, it's tempting to join in. Some people with schizophrenia pick up the habit at a day program, hospital, or group home.

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[Darlene]

News Flash: everyone on Earth has some form of a mental "disorder." Normal is non-existent.

 

[I.P.Freely]

The LSE in London has just published a report that states 20% of mothers suffer mental health issues whilst pregnant and after giving birth. Dropping the sprog costs the NHS £billions.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

What I wanna know is with so many Americans supposedly suffering from a variety of conditions, what's the baseline? Seems like everybody has some problem (so the pharm companies can hawk their wares) but is anyone "normal?" And if so, what's that look like?

 

[Bonzi]

The medical profession and society does NOT take mental health seriously.
They blow it off and others pay - either the mentally ill person or others that suffer at their hands... all because we don't want to be bothered with it OR, because we have not figured out how to deal with it.

It's time to start dealing with it.

Man accused of stealing $5 in snacks died in jail as he waited for space at mental hospital

 

[Spinster]

Medication alone is not the answer. Yes, it should be used when needed and as an Adjunct. Medications are also expensive. I think society would get more bang for the buck if there was more counseling available.
However, as long as we keep stigmatizing mental health issues, then people are not going to get help either for fear of being stigmatized.

Counseling is another format of jerking off, yes it gets you off but isn't particularly satisfying nor has more than instant effects.

 

[Bonzi]

I'm starting to think.... Clockwork Orange.....

 

[DGS49]

(1) Blame the de-institutionalization of seriously deficient people on the ACLU. They convinced the courts and state legislatures that institutionalization was "cruel," and that it would be cheaper and more humane to put these fukkers out on the street and on welfare. And now we have a national "homeless crisis," because eventually they go off their meds and off the rails.

(2) There are large populations within our society that "profit" from mental illness or the pretense of mental illness. They get disability benefits for themselves and for their children. They are not expected to behave responsibly, or to perform as well as "normal" people. They get more clients for their social-welfare agencies.

(3) On the other hand, we have people with real problems who fight being stigmatized by being declared "mentally ill." I heard of a guy one time - an Olympic decathalon champion no less - who THOUGHT HE WAS A WOMAN! No Kidding! And rather than tell him he was bat-shit crazy and get him some help, his FRIENDS and FAMILY pretended he was really a woman so that he wouldn't feel bad about himself. I'm not kidding. This really happened.

 

[Bonzi]

People that are legitimately mentally ill often times can not get help or treatment.
Perhaps there is no way to "fix" them - and we just have to live with them until they kill someone (or themselves)
It's not limited to what you think of as "off your rocker" nuts either.
People that have narcissistic and control issues are a threat to spouses/wives, yet, same thing, nothing can be done until an attempt on their life or physical harm is done. And, often time, the physical harm goes un-reported because, the spouse/child/physically abused person is afraid for their life.

I guess there are just some things in life we have to deal with...
It's just a shame it's not address and people would rather focus on issues much less serious or important.