SamBee, sorry to have skipped that point. All my posts are done on a tiny phone screen as I go about my day. Yes ... I am that random person in Costco madly tapping away on a phone for 5 minutes on aisle 43.Amateur Parent, I notice you didn't address this ->
By largely ignoring external factors in mental health, we take the onus off society and our rulers to improve our environment and our politico-economic system.
I sincerely think that not only are social and environmental factors causing or triggering a lot of mental health problems, but that by medicating people, we are avoiding a number of issues that should be addressed.
Of course this makes $$$ for certain parties. Which leads us back to Square One... greed and corruption are two of the main contributors to a sick society. God forbid we address greed, we'll get condemned as Commies for saying it's not a good thing.
Why would I think that they would be the same? Different social structures, cultural pressures, nutrition, exercise, and genetics will all influence individuals.Don't think that all the West's "common" mental illnesses are universal across all societies and cultures. Different ones have different ones.Anorexia is virtually unknown in some parts of the world, for example.
I see a sick society as different from a sick individual. But .. A society that does not offer universal health coverage nor an adequate financial safety net for the most vulnerable of its members .. That society structure has failed.... greed and corruption are two of the main contributors to a sick society. God forbid we address greed, we'll get condemned as Commies for saying it's not a good thing.
Our society is set up on the premise of self reliance and resiliency. There is a myth out there. When bad things happen, americans will paint a big S on their chests and as individuals, they will conquer all the obstacles in their own lives. What they cannot do for themselves, a bigger Bad A ** brother will take care of. What family cannot handle, their church or community will handle while singing Kumbaya.
The reality is society helps those best who are most connected within the social structure. Even within the ward, the well connected family who is friends with everyone is better served in times of need. The individual who is already marginalized within the ward is not always treated equally when they have needs. Government systems should be in place to be the safety net for those people who have no other. In this country, those safety nets are often inadequate and difficult to access.
Greed? Corruption? I see them in every society. They are certainly present in ours.