Reflections

Reflections:

Mental Illness, Drugs and Alcohol

            After going through both of these chapters, I became aware of a dual issue.  Sometimes, not always, people with a mental illness will use drugs or alcohol to self-medicate (often without being aware that they are doing so).  I can see how this might seem like a good option.  Many people do not have medical coverage, and without it they are unable to seek out the treatment that they need.  Doctor visits and the cost of medication are beyond what many Americans can afford.  Some prescriptions can cost hundreds of dollars a month!  There are far too little options for hundreds of thousands of uninsured people.  I certainly do not think that anyone who has a drug or alcohol addiction has a mental illness, but there certainly is a correlation in some cases.      

            When an individual does have a drug or alcohol problem, the main solution seems to be punishment.  When someone gets caught with any substance they go to jail, or prison.  I am not saying the law is bad, I fully agree with the laws that are in place.  I do however believe that there needs to be something more.  I fully believe that treatment programs should be more available to those who need it.  But unfortunately tax payers have no interest in helping to pay for someone who is in prison to get help.  I think that if one were to weigh the costs of treatment and counseling vs. the costs of court, etc., that in the long run the cost for treatment would be worthwhile.  I know that the reality is that not everyone can be ‘helped’, but I do believe that there are many who do want the help. 

            Regardless of whether a person has a mental illness, or an addiction, there is always a stigma.  What would people do if it were their mother, sister, grandmother, or son who had a mental illness or an addiction?  Sometimes it makes a difference, and sometimes it does not.  When there is no support available to a person, then who do they turn to?  Thankfully there are support groups, but not all communities have this luxury.  Then where do they turn?