Americans on the Edge of Survival - Those with Mental Difficulties

There is a peculiar idea floating around the US these days. Every time we have one of our periodic mass shootings, a fairly frequent event, gun control advocates, including our current President and those running for that office, bewail our need for greater mental  health care. I am not sure they understand, although I think they do, that they are stigmatizing those of us with mental difficulties. This creates a very unnecessary negative reaction to any one suffering any mental trouble.

Not all people who have psychological issues are ranting, drooling maniacs awaiting the chance to open fire on the rest of us. Such people do exist, but they are exceedingly rare. Most mental issues, while serious, are not that extreme and are pretty well treatable. Depression, attention deficit disorders, manic-depression are all controllable. Even the milder instances of schizophrenia are manageable. Just because someone has a mental problem, even one that has required hospitalization, is no reason to panic when they come around. These people need shelter, food, work and, maybe most importantly, patience and understanding, just like we all do. Is that really asking too much?

There are also those with another form of mental difficulty, those who just cannot learn too quickly. The tendency, for far too long has been to shut these folks away. Why? They are as human as you and me, often are pleasant, warm and loving, and, more often than not, capable of functioning in the workplace and in social situations far better that many think they can. Helping these people move into the society we all live in is not that hard; it just requires a little patience and time, and is way more important than most things we waste our time on. Far more rewarding too.

Another type of mental difficulty I will admit to knowing nothing about is autism. I will not pretend to know how to deal with that but, I will say that for some reason, it is growing rapidly more prevalent and it might be a good idea to figure out why. In the meantime, from the little I have heard, these folks can be successfully socialized and as that happens we all need to be kind and patient.

The Government leaders need to stop calling for mental health initiatives only when another nightmarish shooting occurs. That only makes people grow wary around those with mental issues. Instead, as I have said about almost every issue I have discussed in this series, they need to stop wasting our money fighting unwinnable wars and giving tax breaks to the wealthy corporations and devote some of that money to helping those of us who need it. And the rest of us just need to be compassionate and patient when dealing with folks who are really simply having trouble understanding. That is not asking too much.