We dont need gun control we need better mental health
By lilwonders
@lilwonders456 (8214)
United States
December 17, 2012 9:48am CST
I read an article by a mother who is terrified her child is going to hurt someone or himself. She desparately needs help for her child. But is not getting the help she needs. Read the article. It is very eye opening what the parents of children with mental illness go through and how badly they want and need help.
What do you think needs to be done to get these children the help they need? Everyone is talking about gun control...but that does not deal with the real issue. Getting these sick children the help they need BEFORE they hurt or kill someone.
http://gawker.com/5968818/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother
5 people like this
3 responses
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
17 Dec 12
That is a sad story, and one that I can relate to. I agree with the author that our health care system is broken, and we cut funding for things that don't have lobbyist pushing them. I agree that we need to look at how we deal with the mentally ill, and find ways to help people before they commit acts like what happened on Friday. But, it will take hundreds of millions to help solve our problems with the mentally ill, and where is that money going to come from? Are you will to pay more in taxes? Are you willing to work longer to solve this problem? Are you willing to give up some of your rights to deal with this?
Much of the funding cuts for programs like this are taking place at the state level, which is a huge issue. If one state does a great job dealing with this issue, and other states don't then it can lead to problems in every state. Cuts in funding from the government have led to cuts in spending at the state level, and redistribution of funds to other pet projects. The problem here is that there are no lobbyist fighting for funds for programs to help the mentally ill. One of the families who were effected by this needs to start an organization to help these people. The sad part is that they are going to need a lot of money to buy lobbyist, because nothing happens in Washington with out money.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
18 Dec 12
I hope this mom can get help for her son before somebody gets hurt or killed. At least she seems responsible about it and is keeping him away from weapons and Sharp objects.
@hoseasmate (720)
• United States
18 Dec 12
When the rights of the mentally ill became more important than the rights of other citizens, we entered the world we live in today. When I was younger those with mental illnesses that caused harm to themselves and to others were sent to live in an institution. Yes, there were horror stories about life in those institutions and we have moved those stories from the singular location of the institution into mainstream society. The result is the victimization of not only the mentally ill, but the victims of their perception of reality. Those released from institutions because they had the right to live 'free' are now roaming the streets in inclement weather and suffering violence and abuse as they struggle to exist in their isolation and altered reality. What is more 'humane'? Keeping those individuals safe in an institution or allowing them to wander 'free' without meals, medication, and appropriate shelter? I vote for institutions that can be as highly regulated as the long term care industry and day care industry that provides a safe alternative to our children and elderly. Sure, we hear of horrible things that occassionaly are sensationalized by the media about these settings, but for every single instance of abuse there are thousands of stories of employees who take from their own meager income to give to those they care for.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
18 Dec 12
If the mentally ill hurt others, they loose the right to wander free, as you put it. The legal system can take away their right to personal liberty. If they only hurt themselves, they can proceed to do that without restraint. Our legal system, our social service systems all operate on that concept. We as a society accept the idea that a person has the right to determine whether they live or die when faced with a physical illness that is terminal. Do we then want to outlaw allowing a mentally ill person from deciding to end their life (slowly by exposure or quickly by violene to their body)from having the right to decide?
It is when the mentally ill harm someone other than themselves that the legal system can step in to stop them. Unfortunately that is after the fact. It is the way our legal system works, and frankly I don't think you want to live in a world where any judge or other authority can decide to remove someone's liberty from them without due process.
You mention long term care, I worked in long term care for over 20 years. I could not force anyone, mentally stable or unstable, to take medication. And if they wanted to leave, unless there were LEGAL papers from a court after due process, I couldn't keep them there against their will. Even if I knew they'd go home and fall and suffer painfully.
How we solve this dilemma I do not know. I do think we need to concentrate more on the individual, personal level...than just top down solutions.
1 person likes this
@hoseasmate (720)
• United States
19 Dec 12
Yes, in the long term care setting. Even if a doctor has asked that the resident be admitted because the have health issues that require our help, that person can refuse the treatment and we stand back and try to educate and encourage the person to follow the physician's orders. When we cannot meet their needs because of non-adherence to the orders or the policies then we can do nothing else but discharge them to their own fate because we can no longer meet their needs. It is sad, but I don't think they should be held against their will, either. It is the mentally ill who cannot make appropriate choices that I think they should be helped with. We care for and make decisions for and protect the infants and children in our care and those that are 21 and older, yet only have the decision making skills of a five year old we turn out into the streets.
@Cutie18f (9546)
• Philippines
18 Dec 12
What I want to know is why is the number of mentally ill children increasing? Is it the food? environment? family? The root cause of this problem must be known in order to solve this problem.
