AMERICA, THE HOME OF THE SICK

(Google Images, 2015) http://pgionfriddo.blogspot.com/2010/12/mental-illness-epidemic.html

   

          In my profession I meet a lot of people. Often I leave the latest exchange I had with some with a lasting impression or final statement lingering in my mind. I rethink the encounter and realize that something is wrong with that person. Then I realized that just about every person I have met in the last few years is dysfunctional in some way. They are on medications, have depression, ADD, ADHD, Bi-Polar, or are struggling with some form of mental illness that for the large part goes untreated.  That is a good thing in a way because who wants to live on pills? Ask any truly mentally ill person about their meds.  Most hate them.   

     We have come to make excuses within our culture for one another by merely stating a reason for their behavior.  I often hear,"they are a Vet, They are a Vietnam Vet, They are Bi-polar, Schizophrenic, have ADD, PTSD and so on. I feel my head nodding on the other end of the telephone to the descriptions.  I too am indoctrinated.  
     Once I was having a conversation with my former Pastor and upon parting he ended our conversation by saying,"aren't we all a bit dysfunctional?"  I have thought about that statement for years, at that time I was too young to understand what he meant. 
I was not a Counselor yet. And, I thought at the time: everyone I knew was normal.     I laugh now at how stupid I was.  
Of course he was right. However, it has gone way beyond dysfunction in my opinion. Take it or leave it.  
     Everyone I know these days is on some sort of mediation.  I read the labels and sometimes the inserts and my heart goes cold at the statement under "risks," taking this medication can result in death."  The commercials the drug companies run on TV quickly run through the health hazards as if death is an acceptable consequence compared  to unhappy negative feelings, acid reflux, loss of sexual desire, and going pee too often.  

Now I am not saying yeah or nay.  I am just saying that when death is a side effect of a drug I am not taking it! 

After reading the Alternet article byBelén Fernández http://www.alternet.org/howamerica-breeds-mental-illness-birth-until-death
I am convinced more than ever I am a part of a culture of mental illness, real or imagined.  
     Its been years since I have had someone normal in my life.  Ha, Ha, that's basically because I am a Behavioral Health Professional and specialize in dealing with people who have mental health issues.  
But seriously, I do not even have a friend that is dealing with a full deck.  
     They at some point become obsessed with some irrational fear or behavior, alter their lives to accommodate someone they sense is aligning themselves to hurt them in some way.   Innocent victims are usually coworkers, neighbors and people within their communities.  I had one of my dear friends go on and on about a younger co-worker that  is thoughtfully planning to take her job away from her, I  had to just say after an hour long rendition of perceive ideas about this poor girl."she's just young and doesn't know any better."
     Yet, here are times you cannot explain away premonitions, I had a supervisor watch me and say strange things to me for almost 6 months before I was let go because of his perceptions. When I was let go, he could not even state one thing I had done wrong.  This cloistered business manager who I saw talking to himself back in a corner shop. 
     I knew it was coming because I felt he was not a stable individual. I observed he was letting his delusions rob him of  the reality of the situation.  When I was finally called into the office and they said,"Its not working out, I  had to laugh."   However, in retrospect it is sad, that truly dysfunctional people can be in charge of an organization and make decisions that effect the lives of others. 
         I feel assured in this dynamic as recently my own mother experienced the same thing.  Her Supervisor, whom she sensed was dysfunctional  called her in and let her go, for nothing.   I tried to comfort her by sharing the same above experience with her.  That you can do your best and work hard for these people and hit all the nines and they conspire with their imaginary thoughts, develop some sort of paranoia, suspect you of something, or simply misread you.  In the solid world of sanity we can see many factors at work, insecurity, jealousy, gossip, competition,  and of course our winner, winner chicken dinner: Mental illness at work. 
          Who in their right mind fires someone who can make them a million dollars that they do not even have to train?  Not Me!  Their is an old saying that fits this scenario that many of you will remember, "He cut his nose off to spite his own face! 
         I got fired, I think, because I suggested for the sake of safety, and a possible lawsuit, a rack be moved (that was placed too far out into the room) that was causing people to trip. Upon calling it to the supervisors attention she said,"oh, its always been the way, its fine." I watched another individual trip even as she was turning to leave our discussion!  
       I lost my job that day. Incorrect perceptions, mental illness, insecurity, paranoia, who knows?  Or maybe it is something simple :a lack of management skills, conflict of interest, relationship problems that were not left at home, poor diet, lack of exercise, lack of coping skills, improper personality balance, lack of integrity, inexperience, delusions  or medications that could at any moment cause death!