Sharing – Trauma Healing Requires A Certain Amount Of Privilege
Amber does a great job of recognizing, and sharing, the various ways in which she has the privilege of getting help in ways that so many others do not.
“The trauma that happens to us is not our fault; I or other victims are never to blame for the loss or abuse we experienced. It’s not fair to also claim that it’s the victim’s responsibility to become a survivor who is in complete control of their mental wellness and stability. Healing from trauma can never be done without help, and not everyone has access to that help.”
She lists out things like having insurance, having financial security, having a partner and friends from who she doesn’t have to hide her therapy sessions, etc.
As we just talked about yesterday, the reason less than half of all people dealing with mental health issues actually get any treatment at all is because they don’t have all of these things.
That’s not good enough. We aren’t the society we claim to be when we only make mental health treatment available to a select few, and as much as money and insurance play a huge part in Amber’s story, I wouldn’t forget the role her support system plays as well. There are people who can’t afford treatment, and we should do everything we can to change that, but there are also people who can afford it and don’t get it because they lack any support for doing so. Worse, many don’t get it because of the stigma attached to mental health issues. That’s something we can all change for the people in our lives.
