This is interesting. There’s no question that our mental health system in the US is not getting the job done, and a big reason is because it simply isn’t funded properly. But could it be the stigma of mental illness that is causing that problem in the first place? Could it be that not having sympathy and understanding for those “crazies” leads to an underfunded system? It definitely doesn’t help!
Of course, he’s right. What he sees in the UK is the same thing I see from my “much less qualified but simply paying attention” seat in the US, and I’m sure many of you see where you live as well. Our current mental health resources are designed to help “fix” something wrong with us. I can’t say they even do that well, but at least that is the plan, and that plan makes sense for many mental health struggles.
It is only part of the picture, though. In all seriousness, how would the 6-8 therapist sessions a good insurance plan covers help someone escaping domestic abuse or trying to feed a family on a minimum wage job? How is the teenager being abused at home, bullied at school, and overwhelmed by the bleakness of what the world might look like when they are an adult supposed to find hope in one crisis text line conversation?
How will we provide hope and connection to people without first understanding their world and how they navigate it every day?
Trolls make up fake stories of parents forcing kids to be trans to fuel moral panic– To quote myself from a few years ago – “How much of the internet is fake? Almost all of it”
Campus Mental Health Services Have to Be More Inclusive of LGBTQ+ Students
If you’re like me and don’t want to be open to lengthy conversations with strangers, this article is good news. Even small connections, a smile, a nod, or a pleasant “hello,” have mental health benefits.
It might also remind us of the humanity of the people around us. There are worse things.
This article is about the UK, but we’ve seen plenty of similar stories in the US. I’m sure many of you from other countries might even see it in your areas as well. The Chief Inspector of Prisons has just described the past year as a “dramatic period in which we documented some of the most…
Post-traumatic growth can happen. Healing from any trauma can happen. It occurs more frequently when the survivor has the financial means and social support to seek help.
This is not something we do on our own. It requires resources. It requires people in our lives to be there with us through it. Ignoring survivors’ current needs and assuming that they will eventually see growth is harmful. It might just be the missing thing, preventing growth.
I also want to point out that this sense of being enough, having an internal sense of self and worth, is an important part of keeping children safe. Kids constantly on the lookout for external validation, are easier targets for grooming and abuse.
How would you develop this sense of self in yourself? I have some ideas, but I want to hear from all of you too.
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RT @SurvivorNetwork: If you missed it – Reading – Three Reasons the Mental Health System Suffers http://t.co/MnjJxWru0h #links