When it comes to mental health treatment, we have – maybe – reached the leeching stage. Leeching used to be a recognized treatment for any number of physical problems and I imagine it was comforting in a way – at least the doctor was doing something. But we know today that leeching was not an effective health treatment.
From my experience with Molly, it seems that a lot of mental health diagnosis and treatment is based on what the patient says. “Are you hearing voices?” Molly was asked. “On a scale of 1-10 how do you feel today?” Really? That’s all we’ve got? This was a really smart kid – she knew (and fairly consistently provided) the socially correct answer to those questions, even though I now believe she was tormented by voices and felt somewhere south of -2 most of the time.
Mental illness doesn’t always look or act crazy. Molly was well groomed and a good student; no alcohol or drugs. She tried a cigarette once and I now believe that she thought it might calm the voices in her head. Her most consistent symptoms were hyper sensitivities, mood swings and headaches. Once, she seemed to be in some sort of catatonic state. She was a loner – but our family had wonderful times together. Did we know something was wrong? Yes. Could we pinpoint what it was? No. At one point a doctor suggested that dehydration might be the problem.
Molly was very stubborn and she made an intentional decision to hide the truth of what was really happening in her head. Without a definitive diagnostic tool like a brain scan or a blood text to call her bluff, she gave professionals – and her parents - very little to go on. In her final text to her therapist – moments before she took her life – Molly apologized for lying about just about everything.
We need more information, less shame and significantly more funding for research.
OBVIOUSLY, my primary interest in mental health is teen suicide and how suicidal tendencies might be addressed and treated. But my personal loss is part of a much, MUCH bigger issue.
It is mental illness that gives us Columbine, that gives us Tucson, that leads to Oklahoma City. It is mental illness – and surely not criminal activity – when a mother kills her own children.
Mental health is one of the most significant public health issues of our time. Our mental health professionals need better tools, our society needs to recognize the illnesses for what they are – illnesses, and we need to remove the stigma of mental health concerns so that those who are most intimately impacted will cooperate with their own care.
That’s my screed for today; I’ll attempt a lighter topic tomorrow.
From my experience with Molly, it seems that a lot of mental health diagnosis and treatment is based on what the patient says. “Are you hearing voices?” Molly was asked. “On a scale of 1-10 how do you feel today?” Really? That’s all we’ve got? This was a really smart kid – she knew (and fairly consistently provided) the socially correct answer to those questions, even though I now believe she was tormented by voices and felt somewhere south of -2 most of the time.
Mental illness doesn’t always look or act crazy. Molly was well groomed and a good student; no alcohol or drugs. She tried a cigarette once and I now believe that she thought it might calm the voices in her head. Her most consistent symptoms were hyper sensitivities, mood swings and headaches. Once, she seemed to be in some sort of catatonic state. She was a loner – but our family had wonderful times together. Did we know something was wrong? Yes. Could we pinpoint what it was? No. At one point a doctor suggested that dehydration might be the problem.
Molly was very stubborn and she made an intentional decision to hide the truth of what was really happening in her head. Without a definitive diagnostic tool like a brain scan or a blood text to call her bluff, she gave professionals – and her parents - very little to go on. In her final text to her therapist – moments before she took her life – Molly apologized for lying about just about everything.
We need more information, less shame and significantly more funding for research.
OBVIOUSLY, my primary interest in mental health is teen suicide and how suicidal tendencies might be addressed and treated. But my personal loss is part of a much, MUCH bigger issue.
It is mental illness that gives us Columbine, that gives us Tucson, that leads to Oklahoma City. It is mental illness – and surely not criminal activity – when a mother kills her own children.
Mental health is one of the most significant public health issues of our time. Our mental health professionals need better tools, our society needs to recognize the illnesses for what they are – illnesses, and we need to remove the stigma of mental health concerns so that those who are most intimately impacted will cooperate with their own care.
That’s my screed for today; I’ll attempt a lighter topic tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment