Depression can be terminal

I was made very upset while ago when there was a news story about the reduction in inpatient care in this country, and how this has resulted in the police getting very busy at times dealing with the mentally ill. They implied that people who were suicidal were wasting police and ambulance staff time, when they should be dealing with "real problems".

I don't hear people saying that about those with terminal cancer being a burden, or those who have car crashes. Depression can be terminal too, and it can be just as hard to live with as cancer is, and it is a very real problem. It may not look as obvious to others, but people with it need help just as anyone with any serious health issue does.

When people call for help, it is because they need it.

Sorry, just had to vent a bit.

You have a bright mind and you're thinking on the right path.

I am a mental health advocate. I write for a mental health journal, and I usually write about the stigmatization of mental illness in a modern culture. The problem, as I have come to learn, is that society views us as not ill, but rather a burden. Which is ridiculous as we ARE ill and, for those of us who have the privilege, ARE treated by DOCTORS. Mental illness is an illness of the mind. The mind is what runs are bodies. What people, ignorant people, tend to forget is that the mind runs are bodies. When we are mentally ill; it reeks havoc onto our bodies. When we are depressed, we don't sleep right. We don't eat right. Our breathing is even different. Mental illness causes physical issues as well.

Us mentally ill people; we are warriors. We have to fight against those who tell us (stupidly) that it is all in our heads. We have to fight against these horrid stigmas that pollute all the GOOD that is happening within mental health advocacy. We are warriors because we are brave. We face this every day, and we keep living. And that is more than a lot of people can handle. Ever.

In this society; being mentally ill is an "excuse". And we all need to start proving them wrong. You wouldn't deny a diabetic their insulin, would you? So why deny the mentally ill emergency care when needed?

As for the police BS (not you, them) I worked on a suicide hotline. Rarely did we call the police, but rather hospitals for their ambulances and their excellent psychiatric care. Believe nothing they say as it is usually a lie. We matter like the rest of those who are chronically and terminally ill. Sadly, there are no marches for us, no commercials for our advocacy, and no fund raisers in major supermarkets. We need to work together to break the stigma. And I do believe we can.

It irks me to no end how people treat those of us who have mental illnessEs! We're just faking it or lazy or whatever.

Thanks for that.
Here, the police are called sometimes as first responders to people feeling suicidal, and they do receive some training in how to deal with those feeling suicidal. In fact there is a police webpage that says to call them if you know someone is feeling suicidal who you cannot help. Perhaps they have this role because NZ police are still seen by many as helpful officials rather than punitive enforcers, and for the most part they fit that image. They also have a webpage with information on missing persons and suicide
Because the system and funding for dealing with the mentally ill is stretched thinly, many who need inpatient care, such as those needing to be monitored 24 hours such as a suicide watch, simply cannot be accommodated, so they do get seen by police when things get to desperate state, and there is no one else available. There is a older article about this problem here.

My upset was not at the police in general, but at those in the police or in the media who do not see mental illness as a real issue, as shown by the journalist who wrote this article, and the police officer quoted in it. Thankfully, this is not everyone.
Interestingly, a lot of responses to that article expressed the same concerns as I had.

Teenidle: because of your background, you may be interested in this story about how a forum moderator in the USA got the police in NZ to contact someone in NZ who was feeling suicidal.

Teen Idle. In the States it's shameful to have a mental disability. It can prevent you from having a job and make it hard to find a place to live. It's necessary to keep it secret because you a judged guilty without a jury. It can be costly to fight it. How do you do it? Is there an organization that helps you? Even education can be difficult because some young people can over react when they have these conditions described to them. Unless you are an overachiever you just don't count.
It's unfair and unsafe. People with mental conditions are fighting on so many fronts. There is the genetics issue, toxins and allergies, and abuse of all kinds. It's just beyond the imagination of anyone who has not had first hand experience.
I applaud your crusade. How can I get involved? I'm retired so they can't get me.

I would never call the police for depression or suicidal thoughts. I live in a small community and it would be devastating for anyone to find out. I wish the stigma weren't there, but unfortunately it is.

This idea that the depressed and suicidal are a burden sickens me. I am trying to find ways to raise money for mental health awareness, research and treatment. I want people to see this as a real chronic illness that those who cope with it are doing so under great stress and deserve credit.

I think perhaps that the police mean that their time is wasted trying to deal with mental illness because they are not qualified to do so, just a thought, Dionysius.

I agree with Dionysus. Though mental disorders are a legitimate problem, I think that comparing it to cancer makes recovery look less hopeful.

Recovery isn't achievable for everyone, though. I do not believe I will ever achieve "recovered" status.

Many cancers are recoverable. It has a reputation worse than it deserves.

It's so frustrating how society has made people with depression feel ashamed because of it and that they're a nuisance. I went about a year and a half before I could tell anyone about my depression. I started with journaling and in the beginning, even that was incredibly difficult. I felt so much like I would be a burden to anyone I told and sometimes I still do. I've become better with saying truthfully how I am to my close friends, but sometimes I backtrack and lie. I hate feeling like a burden, like everyone would be much better off if I keep my mouth shut, even though it'll mean my suffering.

Hello Hawkspur, I agree with you 100%. It nearly ended my life a few months ago. Thankfully it didnt. There is so many people suffering from depression but yet it is so stigmatised. Someday I hope things are different, thats why suicide in Ireland is very high. It feeds on isolation. Of course there are other factors. Best wishes to you.