Someone close to me is psychotic. Truly ill. Someone who has never been psychotic. Not a client at the place of which I work. I am used to be around psychotic people, day in and day out at work. This is a person in "real life," not work. This person is consumed by conspiracy theories, terrified that people aren't who they claim to be--even persons [he/she] knows and loves. The person lives life believing [he/she] is being followed, that [he/she] has information that "they" want, that the police aren't really the police....
This has led to me being frustrated--on a personal level--with "The System." I am frustrated beyond compare.
This person, although clearly psychotic, does not meet the criteria of "The System" to be involuntarily hospitalized. The police can see the person is clearly mentally ill. The crisis worker knows the person needs intense help. The family knows something is very, very wrong. The family system is in shambles. I know that this person is in need of emergency help that cannot be gained any other way but via hospitalization. Yet, there is nothing we can do because [he/she] does not meet criteria for involuntary hospitalization or even for police transport for emergency assessment.
I understand why the laws are "strict." After all, we don't want it be easy for everyone to be hospitalized at whim. We want this to be an "emergency" need, not a simple "throw 'em in the loony bin." As a professional in the field, I am very glad that the laws are strict. As a non-professional, the system feels like it is fighting against our efforts and is frustrating to the nth degree. After spending extended time with this person, I know I am exhausted--I cannot imagine what the family feels like after facing this for weeks.
"Fighting" the system is bad enough; swimming upstream in stigma adds fuel to this very ugly fire. The family has never experienced someone with mental illness. Despite progress in educating people about mental illness, it's glaringly obvious that we need to do a whole lot more. This weekend, a loved one stated to me, "[he/she] needs to snap out of it!" The ones who have not seen [him/her] in person do not grasp the severity of the situation and completely down play it, asserting that the person is acting out or too sensitive--the person is just putting on a fine performance or unable to handle a little stress. "[He/she] needs to get over it!" There is no judgment here from me. In the community, I am never surprised by the stigma. It's pervasive. There is much understanding about mental illness. I have heard how people are weak, faking it, could stop it if they tried harder, that people can snap out of it. I've seen families scream at loved ones, demanding they "knock it off." When giving presentations, there are always those who do not believe in mental illness except in cases they hear about in the news--you know, the psycho mass-murders with schizophrenia. THAT'S mental illness. No, I do not judge the family.... but, I thought they would have been more educated on the subject. Why I thought this, I do not know. I was mistaken. The time of crisis is not the time to educate anyone; I bite my tongue and can speak another day.
Today, I will take the day off of work and once again try and get this person help. I do not know if I will "succeed," whatever that means. I know there will be much anger and frustration and desperation from the family involved. I know I will see crying and pleading and yelling and begging. I am certain that this will not be pleasant in any capacity. Today, I will navigate the system as best possible. I know the words I need to say. I know the paperwork I need to sign. I will work with the system.
Today, I know stigma will not be busted. It is what it is. There are more important things to do in the immediate. Stigma will be busted another day.
I wrote this blog with the hope that even ONE of you will bust stigma today. That you will stand up for someone with mental illness. That you will believe someone with mental illness. That you will do your best to employ a non-judgmental stance. That you will not automatically think those with depression or anxiety or PTSD can just snap out of it. I wrote it with hope that an educated reader will educate just one other person about mental illness. That others can recognize medication is not a sign of weakness. That mental illness doesn't mean you are dangerous or flawed or dumb or weak or faking it or not trying. I wrote it because that one person with mental illness will feel just a wee bit less of a failure when you talk to them like a human being, not like a to-be-feared "psycho."
Fight the stigma, not the person. The person is already fighting a battle. They need your help to fight the stigma, as that is a battle of which they cannot partake. Be the difference. Be the difference.
**********************************************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment