What do you think of our mental health system?

Question

Do the states, do enough for the mental health bills that are trying to be passed or is it easier for it to be sweep under the rug..remember you vote counts

Answer 1

Disagree with the first response. The mental health system and drug corporations are not the same thing. They do business with each other, but they are distinct.

The mental health system is currently fragmented. It relies too heavily on drugs, which was maybe what the first reply was trying to say. The reason it relies so heavily on drugs is that psychiatrists stand to make a lot more money by simply prescribing something rather than taking the time to help people help themselves.

The mental health system does not educate its clinical therapists enough anymore. Seems like anybody can make it into and through a Master's of Social Work program and become a therapist regardless of whether they really have the skills. Therapy is underappreciated, which therefore means it's less covered by insurance policies than it should be, which means there isn't as much incentive to teach or learn how to REALLY be a good therapist, which leads the world to underappreciate it... and so the cycle goes...

The mental health system does not do a good job at tying together the factors that could be underlying people's dysfunction. For example, the profession relies too heavily on the DSM-IV for guidance, and uses the medical approach at helping people, which just simply does not speak to people's struggles. People need exercise, exposure to nature, healthy diets, and training in so many aspects of life.

Instead, the field of mental health looks at mental illness the way a PCP looks at an ear infection. It simplifies people's struggles and therefore offers way too narrow of a range of solutions or strategies TO HELP PEOPLE BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THEIR ILLNESSES ON THEIR OWN.

Answer 2

Just going to speak simply here...

I don't think the majority of mental health professionals rely on meds anymore. Yeah, there's many who do--but not the majority. More and more are looking into alternative treatments and rely more heavily on psychotherapy. I agree with what someone else said that if you're not comfortable with someone then move on! You should never stick around with a counselor or Psychiatrist if you're unhappy with him. Granted, if you're not in your "right" mind, then you're probably not in the best shape to decide if your doctor is right for you. If that's the case, then perhaps someone else should be attending your appointments with you. Yes, our mental health system still needs work, but we've come a LONG way from the 60's and 70's.

Answer 3

I think you have to be selective with whom you choose to trust with your mental health. Which is a trick, because most of the time you are in a bad state when you go to one and your selectivity is somewhat off. Never the less, if you don't feel comfortable with someone, look elsewhere.

Also, I believe you need to find someone to talk to first...as psychologist. Work with them to decide if you need psychiatry or not. Psychiatrists will push meds and are not there to help you work things out. Some people need that. Others can do it with cognitive therapy.

I studied psychology in college before pursuing a different path. I found that Dr. David Burns, wrote a couple of good books that I highly recommend from the time in my studies. Good luck to you!

Answer 4

It's a multi-billion dollar drug industry. In 2002, drug companies made $12 billion in profits from antidepressants alone.

The bottom line is that the drug industry preys upon the public by giving them disinformation about the true causes of depression, and then hooking them on potentially dangerous drugs that are known to increase their risk of violent behavior, including suicides and killing the people around them

Answer 5

crap