I’m glad that Tammy was willing to share this story. I think it really helps to know that those of us who might feel like it’s weak to ask for help are not alone in that thought, but we are also wrong about that.
Sadly, as much as apps like TalkSpace might offer ways for people with no local therapist to find one to work with online, they still suffer from this very basic issue:
“The underlying problem of access — the fact that there simply aren’t as many therapists as there are people who need therapy — has not been solved by therapy apps so much as papered over. “
You will not go through life never knowing anyone who is dealing with mental health issues. You might go through life never being trusted enough for anyone to tell you about theirs, but educating yourself will go a long way to being useful, and supportive, to the people you care about.
Seriously, go read it. And save it.
I often talk about encounters between police and someone in a mental health crisis ending in tragedy. So it was refreshing for me to see a situation handled differently, and effectively. I also felt like it might be refreshing to share it to you as well, to see what it could look like when someone with proper training responds to these calls.
Obviously, talking about can lead to these other things. Not talking about it won’t get us anywhere. But we need to do more than talk, we need to figure out better ways to treat people who need it, and make it accessible. That doesn’t happen until all of society understands the importance of it, and is truly educated about it. So, keep talking, but also keep demanding better.
