this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2024
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Local jails are just holding facilities for the mentally ill. We need free and easy access to mental healthcare. We need to educate people on when and how to get it. We need early childhood interventions and we need to educate parents so that they aren't afraid of the stigma of mental illnesses. We need to train regular doctors on how to recognize different illnesses and how to guide patients instead of prescribing anti-depresents for everything or saying someone is too young to have a mental illness.
I think most people would agree with that. Like so many issues though, the will of the people just doesn't seem to have an impact.
I don't think people are aware of the extent of the issue. Even the police, courts, jail guards, and even the people in jail aren't really aware of the underlying problems. People who take illegal drugs are often self medicating. They do things like steal to pay for them. People with violent tendencies often have underlying conditions. People with mental illness often have difficulty with education and obtaining good jobs and lack economic opportunities.