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I’ve long said that the EXTERNAL factors in mental health are played down as it does not suit the system
to acknowledge them. I would even go as far as saying that if everyone
was taken off psychiatric medication in the west – America included – we
would end up having a revolution.
All of these in the last year or two, except childhood abuse.
* Doing a job last summer in which I worked hard, but they failed to pay
me more than I was spending doing it, and didn’t pay me anything for
some work.
* Having three people from the gas company demanding entry to my home
last year. I had to throw two of them out of my home because they had no
IDs, and fob off the third. I was in bed – in my underwear when they
called.
* No hot water or heating at home from October until two weeks ago.
* Abusive and legally threatening letters from a debt collection agency –
despite having paid promptly each month. Still getting them.
* In January, being harassed by two policemen for sitting in my car. I
suffer from S.A.D. and need the sunlight. They could state no reason for
the questions or any laws that I was breaking. At the end they started
making things up like I spat at them, or squared up to them (I didn’t)
but they let me go.
* A note from the police asking to visit me about an “enquiry”- whatever
that means.
* Physical and verbal abuse at school as a child. (Bones broken, thrown
down stairs etc)
* A taxi driving neighbor who blocked my drive, and threatened to
“batter” me when I asked him to move it politely. I had to complain to
his company.
* Having to fight the insurance company for six months after some
policeman took down a plate wrong. I had to remember where I was four
months previous, and disprove the allegation. Despite three lawyers’ letters, and then acceptance of my innocence, it came up again when I renewed my insurance.
* Having to get rid of my home telephone after they charged me 70+ dollars per month – and getting 7/8 marketing calls per day on it.
* Sleep deprivation due to heavy maintenance at night on railroad.
etc etc
Yes, it could be worse, but I see people around about me who are
literally being driven insane by the society we live in.
I wonder sometimes if religion is the answer, let alone medication. The
church has helped me, but is it enough?
I agree that in many cases there are outside influences that affect one’s mental status. I also recognize that for some people medication is very effective. I don’t necessarily agree the two are totally related. When meds are working fro someone I don’t believe they should stop taking them without consulting with their doctor, no matter what the outside circumstances. In some cases depression can be situational, and if the situation changes the depression may go away (for instance a job loss). This is an interesting topic to me. I took a class this summer called The Social Context of Mental Health. It addressed this kind of thing, of structural elements that contribute to mental health problems, as well as the perhaps rarer systems that promote mental health. There is still a stigma for governments and societies to acknowledge this, but I think things are starting to change somewhat. When we see trends that those with more severe mental health problems tend to be low income, or minority or things like that, it should be red flags to us that these are systemic problems that need to be addressed in a larger context than just one individual. I find it interesting that the only external aspect of my mental health the establishment will acknowledge is lack of sunlight. I think we do live in a sick society. I am thankful I experience violence/muggings etc and certain crime rarely, but it is interesting that many of the things that bother me involve either the government or big business acting legally.
I think the following definitely factor in mental health for most people:
* Economy, poverty, unemployment, bad work culture
* Harassment – work (a friend was bullied for his Mormonism during the Romney campaign), sexual etc.
* Gender, appearance, background etc and others’ reactions to it.
* Problems within our church and others.
* Architecture, town planning, living conditions
* A feeling of helplessness, personal, political, social, spiritual
* Diet
I know this sounds funny to some, but the Word of Wisdom is good for me in dealing with some of these things. I used to “drown my sorrows” regularly – but that only added to them.
journeygirl wrote:When we see trends that those
with more severe mental health problems tend to be low income, or
minority or things like that, it should be red flags to us that these
are systemic problems that need to be addressed in a larger context than
just one individual.
Definitely! It’s almost an unspoken thing.
I don’t deny physiological/genetic factors – no way – but we add to
them. We’ve promoted talking cures, and chemical cures, but rarely dealt
with social cures.
I could add –
* Anorexia/bulimia – I suspect these are mostly driven by external
factors. Media, advertising, bullying etc
* Drug/substance abuse – massive external/cultural factors.
* Homosexuals. Enough said.
* Indigenous groups who have massive problems practically everywhere.
Not to mention African Americans etc.
* Illness due to crime.
* Workplaces themselves which are designed badly.
Is religion the cure? Partly. It can bring out the good sometimes. And
make us feel better.
We only need to look here and elsewhere to see religion can be both part
of the problem and part of the solution.
But IMHO – our church’s most tangible benefit is a community after most
communities have broken down.
I think Jesus himself was all too aware of societal problems and even
mental health, in his time and that he tried to get his contemporaries
to create a better society and attitude to one another. He went to society’s outcasts – the poor, the sick, women, and even dealt with racism (e.g. Romans and Samaritans)
That’s a good point about how a church can help (or hurt). I don’t know if very many governments will be able to figure out or agree on how to be effective in fixing the structures that aren’t working, but if at least there were smaller local programs, like a church, that could help make a difference. I’m sure some churches do this better than others. I think the LDS church is good with helping economically, but maybe not as good with helping people who feel hopeless or unsupported in a trial, or even building up self-confidence.
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