Mental Health Treatment in the US

[Belsnickel]

(02-03-2017, 10:08 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: It's all about the money. It cost money to have institutions to house and care for the mentally ill. There is no profit to be gained from it. Most of those people seem perfectly normal, when properly medicated. However, once released, they are on their own decisions. I have a relative that suffered from Bipolar all of her life, even though it wasn't diagnosed until the mid 1980's. She was fine, as long as she stayed current on her meds. However, left to her own devices, she would often eschew those meds and prefer to feel her "natural" self. Long story short, she slipped into dementia at a relatively early age, and has been locked in an Alzheimer's protective unit since 2004. This lady is currently 69.

This particular person was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, and upon being discharged from the local mental health hospital promptly disregarded her lithium. She was, based upon testimony, much better than when admitted, but not ready to be discharged according to the doctors. She was still in a manic phase in the courtroom, and it was difficult to watch. Even though she insists her sister and her children will help her out, none of them were there today for a case determining her freedom. I fear that she will end up in the same predicament, and she is 57. The same age your relative likely was when she went in.