[specialist]

Based on my recent personal experience, I don't feel that much has improved. Perhaps society is more accepting of the condition, and less likely to stigmatized. But helping a mentally ill person (in the USA) is pretty much not an option. Perhaps I didn't look hard enough.

[k-mcgrady]

>> "But helping a mentally ill person (in the USA) is pretty much not an option."

Could you explain why? Here (the UK) there is quite a lot of free help from the health service and there are a lot of charities I know of which provide counselling. Local GP's are also able to work with people and refer them to specialists if necessary.

[DanBC]

In England:

A person can go to their GP to get treatment, and the GP will either treat (access to short form talking therapies and some medications), or refer on to a community team.

The community team provides access to heavier duty meds; long form talking therapies; ECT; hospitalisation; a variety of different clinicians, etc etc.

Note that treatment can be forced, and against the patient's wishes. Note also that there's the possibility of community treatment orders. These mean that a person living in the community (not in hospital or prison) could also be forced to take medication regularly.

All of this is free at the point of delivery. (With the exception of prescriptions, but there are so many exemptions they're free to most people.)

And let's not forget that people with mental illness are far more likely to be the victims of violent crime, not the perpetrator.

[specialist]

Note also that there's the possibility of community treatment orders.

We don't have that option. And I'm really torn on this one.

And let's not forget that people with mental illness are far more likely to be the victims of violent crime, not the perpetrator.

Absolutely.

[specialist]

Someone close to me has paranoid schizophrenia, undiagnosed.

[Mz]

I think that depends on how you frame the problem. It helps to start with wondering why they do things instead of labeling them "mentally ill" from the get go. But I am sorry to hear of your frustrations.

That is intended to be a helpful observation, not a criticism.

[pyre]

Well, labelling someone as mentally ill is at least a step up from the people the believe stuff like, "I was depressed once, but pulled myself up by the bootstraps, therefore all this depression stuff is a bunch of hogwash!"

[Mz]

Perhaps. Except that much mental illness would be the equivalent of being hit by a car and needing emergency care and possibly months or years of intervention, not getting any of it and then being blamed for their inability to walk. Like they are merely lazy or something.