Mental Issues

'Sickness will surely take the mind, where minds don't usually go.' The Who, The Amazing Journey, from Tommy
Today will start a series of posts on a topic that will make most folks uncomfortable. Good. We are going to talk disabilities.
In the wake of countless mass shootings and other acts of depravity, President Trump has, quite rightly, attempted to bring attention to the issue of mental illness.
There does seem to be a lot more people with such problems these days. Why?
First, electronics. We all love our gadgets, TV, computers, smart phones, etc., but  people five little thought to how such things affect the mind. Constant, and some people cannot put these toys down, exposure to all the blips of noise and flickering pixels triggers a reaction in the brain. A trance like state ensues. If that brain is then exposed to unsettling imagery, that imagery sticks. Let's admit  it, todays entertainment industry is largely violent and sexually both perverse and graphic, images. Also, there are many symbols displayed that trigger certain weird responses of occult significance. Don't believe me? Read Carl Jung, Or, just read the Bible. It says the same thing poetically. People seem to respond to all this in 3 ways. They grow depressed. They grow manic. or they develop ennui. All 3 responses are unacceptable and dangerous. Monitor both the frequency of use and the content of what you watch, and parents must be strict io this issue.
Then, we must turn to drugs, both illegal and legal. As I have written, I did my share of drugs many years ago. At least we were reasonably sure what we were taking. Now, with all the dangerous synthetics. if you touch anything illegal, you are insane.
Legal drugs are medical and psychiatric. Medically, you di what you have to. Psychiatric drugs are useful. In fact, they are a blessing for many. If a doctor prescribes them after a complete medical and psychiatric evaluation and monitors their effects, fine. If you say you feel sad and they hand you a bunch of happy pills, be very careful. If they work, great, but they can have horrible effects. They are even mire dangerous for children. The brain is nit fully formed until you are in your early 20s and filling it with powerful psychotropic drugs should be a last resort.
Then, we have trauma. Abuse breaks the mind, shatters reality and far too many kids and adults suffer horrible abuse, In addition, soldiers returning from our seemingly never ending series of wars, are returned to society with little in the way of support, something Trump is appalled by.
.A more subtle problem is those with mental difficulties, the mentally slow the dyslexic, etc. These folks are very capable of functioning in our society, but all too often just shoved aside in schools and not encouraged to learn. When pushed aside and ignored, humans may curl up in a shell, ir they may react violently. All it takes to stop such cycles is a bit of kindness and patience.
What can you do? Easy/ Just be kind and patient. This may sound simple and it is. At the same time, ve firm. Don't play into the delusions of those suffering. And, of the greatest importance, do not take any abuse. If they grow abusive, call authorities. If they must be institutionalized, do not abandon them. They are still human beings. Are you? Next, physical disabilities.