This is my first blog and I
want this to be valuable. I am not ready to share my identity yet and I don’t
think it makes me a scared or a coward but I think it doesn’t matter if there
is a name attached to this blog or not because what matter is that those
reading it truly understand the message of this blog. Mental health has been in
the news for sometime which could be good or bad. The idea is that the more we
speak about it, the more normal and accepted it could become. Conversations
related to mental health should be welcomed because our society has so much to
learn still. However, what I have recently noticed is that the more mental
health is brought up, the more certain individuals wrongly believe themselves
to be an expert.
Our
universal health-care system is a point of pride for Canadians. But the reality
is, we don’t have a universal health-care system, but a universal medical
system that doesn’t guarantee access to some of the most basic mental health
services and supports. Mental health services are among the most underfunded
and undervalued services in our health-care system. Many people with complex or chronic
mental health problems do not receive the full scope of care they need and end
up cycling through the acute care system. The reasons are many: limited
services, lack of knowledge of available services, inaccurate diagnosis,
stigma, lack of awareness etc. Our health care system is not only underfunded
for medical services but is also much further behind in mental health
promotion.
What we
need is a more integrated continuum of care provided through community mental
health services which can meet the needs of as many people with mental health
problems as possible by including early intervention and prevention, enhanced
treatment for those who need it, and longer-term follow-up and supervision for
those with severe and persistent illness. The term longer term follow up is
crucial because though it is common sense, it does not exist. I can say this
from a professional perspective. What most programs provide are 1.5 hour-long
consultations after which recommendations are provided for the family doctor to
take over. How does that make any sense? What we need to understand is that
mental health is a specialty and though family doctors may have knowledge and
expertise in this field of medicine, the first couple years of illness are
crucial and the individual requires a program that can support different
aspects of their recovery that is not only medication based.
When we don’t
serve our society in a way we should, we are sending a message that those with
mental health cannot be supported or treated. Sorry you have this illness but
you will have to wait certain number of months until you are treated or you
will have to travel 30-40 minutes to see a specialist. Why isn’t psychiatry as important
as family doctors? It is just as important as physical health so why isn’t the
government focusing on it? Do they not look at the hospital expenses that are
specifically related to mental health?
What I
would like to advocate for is not just about increasing funding for mental
health services, but also improving coordination, treatment, research and
access and making better choices. Its not only about the lengthy wait times,
its about the lack of services across the city-and I would like to take this
one step further and say expert services. So this initiative is to provide
further awareness to the public and hopefully to those making the big decisions
who may or may have not dealt with a mental health crisis in their life.
Ignorance is no longer bliss.
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