Two types of "mental illness"
by erfahren
So there I was looking through people's posts on a business themed social media networking platform and someone, not uncommonly mind you, posted a commentary about a ballot measure in a different state; so not really my business. The subject is of interest to me however since I know people in my own state that are in the demographic, as well as the professional field, that the type of legislation affects. The attached article was apparently about parricide and the perpetrator (the son) was reported to be "mentally ill" so the objective with the legislative action was to resolve the problem of people killing their parents once & for all. (People killing their owm children, however, would probably still happen occassionally.)
Seriously though, there seems to be some idea that people killing their parents is some brand new thing. There is trend to enact new laws when laws already enacted are misunderstood and not enforced. In the story given though, the son was considered mentally ill so to prevent similar occurrences the goal is to force people who are labled mentally ill into hospitals, that don't exist to the extent that would be needed.
In our reality the problem is that there has been reduced funding for programs to assist the people in the demographic. There are community mental health centers throughout the United States, other countries have them too, and their mission is commonly too provide services to help people with social interaction through day programs which typically have structured groups for therapy, crafts and other activities.
The issue ususally is then that people get upset when people labeled as mentally ill get to go somewhere and spend time with other people where they all might enjoy themselves for awhile. Why not send them to work instead so everybody has people they can ridicule & patronize?
In any event... what really caught my attention is that the woman posting the article had written something about "the sickest among us" and my contention is that if a person who is mentally ill refers to themselves as "sick" then it's their business but even used in a colloquial sense, the word "sick" has connotations that extend beyond what is appropriate.
The following is the text of original post and subsequent discussion. (My screencaptures may not be in perfect sync with text.)
Laura C.
Guardianships cannot be the only solution for untreated serious mental illness. It didnt prevent this attempted double parenticide. Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) we need you to support S.1115 to prevent tragedies like these:
“despite the guardianship, they couldn’t force O’Brien to stay with her. Instead, she would have to go back to court to attempt to section her son, which would involuntarily commit him for his mental health.
Police then attempted to help O’Brien find housing at Father Bill’s but there was none available. Police dropped O’Brien off so he could take a bus to Brockton.
Kathy Gaito had given police $30 to give to her son so he could get food.
A few weeks later, Kathy Gaito reported her son missing after not hearing from him and being unable to find him to give him new clothes.”
This tragedy was preventable. We are letting our sickest go fend for themselves in the streets after hospitalization leading to deterioration and tragedy like this one. We need to pass bill S.1115 Governor Maura Healey
To help support passing this bill go to www.AOTnow.org
NAMI Massachusetts Eliza T Williamson Massachusetts Health Council Massachusetts Association for Mental Health Danna Mauch Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
Thank you MassLive.com for great reporting.
my comment on the post ...
If the seemingly unprovoked attack was from a pit-bull then everybody'd insist that the dog must've been abused. A human, however, is assumed to have a "mental illness" since any report of prior abuse is assumed to be delusion, a result of psychosis. What a world where child abusers have people to defend them and help stigmatize and blame their victims. Mothers never lie, apparently.
Oh, here's entire 3rd Edition of "A Sociology of Mental Health and Illness" by Anne Rogers (currently she's up to sixth edition, I think). I have a few copies of the book and varied versions. Book made me break down and cry but I have compassion for people who've suffered as victims of child abuse. I suppose that is why I'm ignored. Whatever.
her reply to my comment ...
Laura C
Scott H., I’m not sure how this relates to the article.
my reply ...
Contempt prior to investigation, Laura C., is because of your bias. You all discuss other people like gossip-mills when there could be very good reason why a young man both loves and hates his mom or dad or whoever. You are so enlightened that you're obtuse; dog in the manger now.
I posted a link to a full copy of a popular, often cited sociology book (older version) written about "mental illness" and even includes information that is cited from other sociology books since none of this is really brand new just because you just found out about it all, do you see?
People in the demographic of "mentally ill" being referred to with language like "sick" and "disposable" — yes, I understand the context of the latter word but the maltreatment begins at family level toxicity that people are able to conceal.
There are reasons for laws to get social services involved with families but then of course with any government agency there are humans working who tend to be complacent, or oppressed themselves by a patriarchal (whitey) system of hegemony and hubris.
If someone refers to themselves as "sick" then that's their business. Forced commitment is sometimes necessary though. erfahren.info/real-clients
her reply ...
Laura C
Scott H., when the untreated illness causes tragedy and incarceration instead of treatment, then to turn the other way is unloving. I wish more people would care about treating the illness before it boils to a point where violence erupts, a life is lost and a living death sentence of prison for life is the result.
my reply to her ...
There was already violence, Laura C., the mentally ill person was victimized themselves at some point but was never acknowledged, can't you understand that part? Oh, let me guess — now I'm projecting or whatever — the truth being is that I have personally spent more time interacting with people categorized as "mentally ill" than you have. You think my father, who was once state delegate for Ben Carson, would admit to suggesting to me once that I should take care of my problems by going away permanently? Do you think he'd ever admit to any physical abuse he's committed against me? My old friends would ridicule me for the way I was treated but yet, I know my dad didn't have it easy too, but that is between us.
The idea of parents either being stereotypical abusive people or not is what is prevalent in you activism from what I can see. I was groin-grinded by an orderly when I was taken in once — I had escaped earlier so he wanted to retaliate. He thrust himself up against my leg as he was pushing me to the floor and he then had reason to four-point me over Christmas 1993. They were nice to me then though. People I know would've taken opportunity to start pinching me (or whatever) to prove that they could get away with it.
This is where she explains that there are "two types of mental illness"
Laura C
Scott H., you’re referencing situational traumatic mental illness as opposed to biological mental illness as is the case described in this article.
my reply to her ...
How is the difference determined, Laura C.? By an examination by a psychiatrist and that would include a psychiatrist like Dr Thomas Burchard, a child psychiatrist who, in his personal life, played sugar-dad to Kelsey Turner, who in turn had a lover her age but the doctor was oblivious to that.
There is absolutely no definitive scientifically established test to determine "mental illness" like there is for biological conditions like diabetes, etc., but then it's all "oh, but there doesn't have to be because like in this case the parents are wonderful people, not the kind of people who'd abuse their child, or allow anyone else to abuse their child, or not admit that anything ever bad happened to a child...", etc. Now I know the point will be all "oh, well there are the fakers and whiner people w/ victim complex because we've all been through our own difficulties, and all that". There's another aspect though. If a person who is "ill" begins to improve, on medications, then a family can be all about how the person now "can go on to have a normal life" (which means what?). Oh, I must be projecting now, well go back and explain how Dr Thomas Burchard would've been in position to be judge of a child to evaluate "mental illness"
(She stopped arguing with me)
