Mental Illness In Kids Finally Getting Media Atten

[Stella Johnson]

I'm watching Good Morning America. They are discussing the guy that committed the VA tech shootings.

Finally the media is talking about finding help for kids with mental illness and recognizing that they aren't just bad kids.... but that they have real problems.

Too bad it took 31 people dying and dozens of others being shot to bring it to light.

Steph

 

[lordhelpme]

i just heard an interview where they are talking about the fact that institutions are gone and who is taking care of all those that used to be hospitalized.

part of me is saying i don't want my difficult child in an institution but the other part of me is screaming that the mainstreamed the majority of those with-mental illness with-o setting up schools, local govts, family members with-the means to address the needs, Know what I mean??

i also heard them talking about how HIPPA was a hinderance in this instance cuz you can't tell family members there is a problem due to privacy issues of an adult.

well i hope this does bring to light some problems with-the current system but my fear is that they are going to knee jerk and kids like ours are going to be feared and 'no tolerance' is going to be taken to an even greater extreme with-our kids suffering for it!

 

[tiredmommy]

An enlightening discussion is all well & good, but action is better. It's truly incumbent upon us to expect more from our elected officials regarding mental health issues. I dread the morning that I log on to discover that one of our own dear difficult children has gone on a {possibly preventable} rampage while a parent has struggled against all aspects of the health care/justice/educational institutions to get their child help. People with mental health issues (& their loved ones) deserve the dignity of receiving adequate care in the face of their illness. There will continue to be massacre after massacre until our society puts value on the treatment of mental health issues.

 

[Sara PA]

I, frankly, am tired of the "getting them help" rhetoric. We around here have been trying to get our kids "help" for years, often paying a whole lot of money only to see our kids get worse. I wish people would stop talking as though there is some magic treatment or magic pill that will fix kids with behavioral issues, like alls we gotta do it take them to a doctor or put them in a hospital and everything will be fine. I'm sick and tired of the "get help" oversimplification of brain disorder problems we euphemistically call "mental illness".

Considering this guy was reportedly taking antidepressants, I'd be much more happy to hear more talk about recognizing adverse reactions to psychotropics and less talk that makes it sounds like all anyone needs is a pill and some counselling.

If it were that easy, how many of us would be here?

 

[totoro]

This story was in the paper this morning... I can not imagine what the parents are going through nor the families of the 3 young men who died.

I guess this young man killed 3 of his former classmates... he was apparently very mentally unstable and could not get help... this is his parents letter to the families and the public.

I agree so much more needs to be done on every level...