Mental health and public safety are a concern. We as neighbors, friends and public members need to feel safe and people with mental health may not have resources they feel they can utilize. We need more awareness. Target those who need help, and let them know we do care. We don’t know if those with mental health are suffering from anxiety, financial struggles, hardship or other life events. They need help. Offering more awareness and education within the community can also gain the trust of the mental health person so we can refer them to an agency and education for us to understand and not assume.
I appreciate the writer’s sentiments and I understand what she means, but I would like to point out that the term “mental health” is neutral. It would be more accurate to say “those with mental health problems”, “mental illness”, or “mental health disturbance.” Despite the increase in our society’s willingness to talk about mental health issues, there is still an underlying stigma associated with it where people are hesitant to use certain words. As long as people are squeamish about using accurate terms, we will continue to see general reluctance to invest and engage in psychologically-based interventions, such as, psychotherapy.
Thanks for your letter, Ms. Garcia, but your definition of what mental health sufferers encounter, from anxiety, financial struggles, hardship or other life events, is applicable to everyone. Your described issues are not issues with mental health, but with living life. Instead, we should focus on public safety and ensure that our so-called leaders prioritize law and order, beginning with deporting those who have entered our country illegally. Please read Dirk van Ulden’s letter, also printed today for an example of what these folks are doing. Now there’s a concern everyone should get behind and if not, why not.
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(2) comments
I appreciate the writer’s sentiments and I understand what she means, but I would like to point out that the term “mental health” is neutral. It would be more accurate to say “those with mental health problems”, “mental illness”, or “mental health disturbance.” Despite the increase in our society’s willingness to talk about mental health issues, there is still an underlying stigma associated with it where people are hesitant to use certain words. As long as people are squeamish about using accurate terms, we will continue to see general reluctance to invest and engage in psychologically-based interventions, such as, psychotherapy.
Thanks for your letter, Ms. Garcia, but your definition of what mental health sufferers encounter, from anxiety, financial struggles, hardship or other life events, is applicable to everyone. Your described issues are not issues with mental health, but with living life. Instead, we should focus on public safety and ensure that our so-called leaders prioritize law and order, beginning with deporting those who have entered our country illegally. Please read Dirk van Ulden’s letter, also printed today for an example of what these folks are doing. Now there’s a concern everyone should get behind and if not, why not.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.