Increase Awareness of the Need for better Mental Health Care
We need to pay more attention to mental health in this country. About half of the homeless suffer from one or more untreated, serious mental illnesses. Mentally ill people that for many reasons don't get the proper treatment they will self-medicate with drugs and alcoholics. I came to realized when I stopped drinking regularly that I was actually using it as a way to combat my depression and previous to 2005-06 mostly to cope with generalized anxiety disorder with reoccurring panic attacks. After being diagnosed and treated my drink significantly reduced to the point that I don't feel the need to drink like I used to. Even though most of you know me as an open and friendly guy, I get anxiety from being in large crowds of strangers and have been compelled to drink. I still enjoy beer occasionally and I have done unintended drinking to much sometimes because I still get that social anxiety. I know it is bad for me and people ask, "Even if you only drink social ( in never drink at home or really anywhere, but bars and parties) you know it is especially bad for you to drink why do you do it," Because mental illness can over ride your higher cognitive functions and your impulses kick in and your logically thinking gets overshadowed and halted because of the serious mental illness. I am luck I see a psychologist and take medications that have helped tremendously, but most either don't have access or money for mental health care while other still feel the stigma that the public puts people with mental illness are weak and just need to have more will power. If that worked we would not have all the problems in out society as a result of not receiving or being over-treated mental problems. Share this post, please and don't just pray for the mentally ill, which most family has someone close effected by it, but see what you can do to improve your mental health and helping those you care about with theirs. Thank you.
We need to pay more attention to mental health in this country. About half of the homeless suffer from one or more untreated, serious mental illnesses. Mentally ill people that for many reasons don't get the proper treatment they will self-medicate with drugs and alcoholics. I came to realized when I stopped drinking regularly that I was actually using it as a way to combat my depression and previous to 2005-06 mostly to cope with generalized anxiety disorder with reoccurring panic attacks. After being diagnosed and treated my drink significantly reduced to the point that I don't feel the need to drink like I used to. Even though most of you know me as an open and friendly guy, I get anxiety from being in large crowds of strangers and have been compelled to drink. I still enjoy beer occasionally and I have done unintended drinking to much sometimes because I still get that social anxiety. I know it is bad for me and people ask, "Even if you only drink social ( in never drink at home or really anywhere, but bars and parties) you know it is especially bad for you to drink why do you do it," Because mental illness can over ride your higher cognitive functions and your impulses kick in and your logically thinking gets overshadowed and halted because of the serious mental illness. I am luck I see a psychologist and take medications that have helped tremendously, but most either don't have access or money for mental health care while other still feel the stigma that the public puts people with mental illness are weak and just need to have more will power. If that worked we would not have all the problems in out society as a result of not receiving or being over-treated mental problems. Share this post, please and don't just pray for the mentally ill, which most family has someone close effected by it, but see what you can do to improve your mental health and helping those you care about with theirs. Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment