Mental Health

I risk going off topic today. I often speak about goal setting or small business, but statistics tell us mental illness affects one in five families, so this affects business, it affects goal setting, it affects life. First question, why are we so frightened of people with a mental illness? I have some thoughts, first, it makes good TV. The deranged killer, the crippling delusions, the lack of affect or compassion, on the spectrum not very representative, but it can fill the theatre. Secondly, we only see this community during an “episode” possibility the worst two or three weeks of their life, but not their life. And lastly, I think it interferes with what we think normal is. We often want things the same, and depending on the illness, same just isn’t possible. So what can we do? I think the biggest breakthrough would be to stop all or nothing thinking. If he or she has trouble getting or keeping a job, let’s find them a welfare apartment, and a disability cheque, and maybe, just maybe there might be enough for a case of beer at the end of the month. We seem to forget that ten months a year, they were good sculptors, painters, carpenters, etc. Are there people who’s illness has so crippled them that a rooming house and a welfare cheque is as good as it is going to get? Sadly, yes, but we should not have this be the default.   Till we chat again, W]]>