In the wake of the tragedy that took the lives of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, a blogger from across the country was arguably the first to break through the noise and galvanize a debate around mental health.
Liza Long’s blog post about raising a mentally ill child, “I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother,” talks about her experiences raising her 13-year-old son, whom she describes as a gifted but unpredictable child who has threatened to kill her and himself.
As she put it, “I love my son. But he terrifies me."
Her blog post quickly went viral, got picked up by the The Huffington Post and others, earned a million likes on Facebook, and led to Long's appearance on CNN to talk about the way mental illness is stigmatized in America.
“I am sharing this story because I am Adam Lanza’s mother,” Long wrote. “I am Dylan Klebold’s and Eric Harris’s mother. I am James Holmes’s mother. I am Jared Loughner’s mother. I am Seung-Hui Cho’s mother. And these boys—and their mothers—need help.”
The Facts About Mental Health
The issue is enormous: An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older suffer from mental disorders in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
That’s one in four people in the country, or about 57.7 million people. And more than 90 percent of people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder.
But many of us don’t know how to talk about these figures, or where to find the solution. The Newtown tragedy sparked a national conversation about gun control and legislative action--President Obama is already pushing for new laws to prevent gun violence. But Americans are just beginning their conversations with one another about mental health.
What do you think we should do? We know many of our young people are angry, depressed, anxious. Can we help each other as parents, teachers, neighbors?
We need new ideas. What are yours?
What I have wittnessed is awful, THE PEOPLE in charge of special education , have a budget, sure' But Far too often 'too OFTEN there is a nasty force I call A Power Struggle ..and they Play GOD" I know I lived it with family,and fought for the right help. Even my child hood, none of those making choices would HELP ME! REFUSED to see my BLACK EYES and fat lips,I endured... AT 11me & my14yr'sister,were Abandoned,by mom left with out a clue, as to why or where she went with our family. We came home from school and all was gone. MOM the furniture, George and Judy, all gone! and we,heard zero for 6 months. Later as a adolescent I tried to run away, because I was getting beat. BUT I HAD no Adult to step up and get me to SAFTEY, NO Police officer that would Listen to me, then 2 foster homes later (one that was very very bad) so again At 16 I ran away from the bad enviorment.Got a apartment.
AND is why I am so adamant about PEOPLE in POWER I canot Tolerate being Bulied, and people that are in charge that are Liars ..WHEN THEY ABUSE THEIR position and LIE"or avoid facts'Knowing they are wrong,and Have the back up of the rest of the LIARS.....(the pp in charge) it is a awful scenario, so when ASK" did not hang the Butterfly... as promised in the contract' I STILL SEEK a VALAD Aknowlegment from the TOWNS leader and WANT MY $ and admit I DID NOT STEAL! I continually FIGHT for THE TRUTh and Will not LIE down,I was raised by a Alcholic and My dad Has mental Illness .. I see How easy it would be to ignore or not deal,and IS WHY I DEAL! And How the DYSFUNCTIONAL LEADERS of ART groups and TOWNS, adminstatrion, GETS AWAY with being such awful communities, That are not to be trusted..and why there is so much STRIFE with in that ORGAINIZATION... IT IS AWFUL! I am a adult now, and I can speak up' to THOSE people THAT ARE screwing with peoples days' art things and property... Concernes and parking! and so on
IT is NEVER and I SAY NEVER a good thing to have GOVERNMENT tell anyone what or how to do anything' It is Family and Friends THAT need to be Honest,and step up' My father in the end, was single,after a botched surgery, THEY stone walled his kids,and TIED HIM DOWN DAILY" they tourted him and me' for 6 months... untill death he did not sit stand,dring eat.and HE had awfull bed sores and Infection... They took advantage of the fact that HE had mental Illness,and Then Abused their power to hid their mistakes that made him hemmorage' needing a ventalator' and allowed a , dysfunctional PARINOID sibbling of days who was old and was on the volinteir commitee ,and despite NJ law saying children are 1st in like when no advanced directive THEY allowed her,to be the POA" and She was embarressed of mental illness' as she herself is not 100%' as some of her other sibblings as well. SO I could not get a second opinion and get dad COMFORT CARE... IT IS THE dysfunctional Familyies that NEED intervention by the functional families,cause Government can not take care of OUR OWN LIKE WE CAN! UNDERSTAND! NO ONE" special needs needs to LISTEN TO MOTHERS" when they approach and daughters and sisters' PLEASE understand' it can be hell.... trying to, MAKE sence of LIES and Abuse of POWER! Please if you have a spot' chance to make a chnge' PLEASE DO THE RIGHT Moral Thing! peace
I agree 100000% With the facilities closed and a right to self' or what ever it is called, It is a mad Thought that They allow The mentally Ill to be free cause they want to be,and Most are Homeless " Unable to care for themselves or contribute to any thing other than survival. WHEN the reason is the dam bloddy Law suits and the INABILITY to care for care own' MY father refused to conform,and so he was homeless,despite having 40K+ and a pension and so forth. HE Is dead 6 years now... I had been his sort of guardian BEfore I moved to Arizona, when my son was a toddler, I took him to appointments,fed him cleaned his apartment(before he encountered 2 prostitutes that stole his cc's and more) It is HARD" and when There able to choose,and no one MUST HEAR WHAT FAMILY SAYS" that is the KEY.."how often have I heard They are a adult now" It has not been a easy road with my father my brother and now my own child... I SAY" to those in charge" STOP PLAyING GAMES!" with LOVED ONES" using the HIPAA as a tool to hid behind,and orentation to self' is not real.. OUT CLOSEST LOVED ONES KNOW US best... LISTEN and stop B-sing and abusing your positions! OPEN THE facilities and TRAIN THE WORKERS! both my children now missionary in UK and in college,and THEIR health care is very self help and they do Listen and they do share the truth! with people. HERE IN AMERICA the Hospitals are self Governing IT IS BAD and risk management TRUMPS UALITY AND SAFTEY,and FAMILY! AND CARE! dangit!
what diagnosis are you referanceing?
IT IS THE lobbyists and the Pharmaceuticals THAT play with the sick,and a large portion could be helped if we could get some one TO hear what the facts are,and LISTEN and not be GRANDIOSE, if you cant take care of yourself, Then your parent/adult Child if you are single ..and if willing should be able to have some INPUT! THIS is how I feel ,THEY ARE SICK so they NEED US TO RALLY for GOOD HELP not crappy Orientation to self,and so forth IT IS THE secular progressive mind set' new age..thinking that ' in reality It is the facility and or Physician or therapist or case worker who is deciding what that person is THINKING "orientating to self about! ARE THEY OR anyone trully a MIND READER? no but FAMILY KNOWS MOST LIKELY BEST and more than anyone...even if they were a bad role model when Push comes to shove" what do you think?