The Problem with Mental Health?!

Today I seen a story on the news about a pilot who crashed his plan and they were discussing how his mental health issues should have been shared with his employer because they believe it played a part ... Do you think they should have?  I know our privacy is important, but when others lives are in your hands mental health issues should be weighed carefully, in my opinion!!

There is a REAL problem with mental health in this Country and I think a lot of the PROBLEM fall on the hands of the professionals!!!

A few years ago a family member of mine had some mix up with her meds and tried to kill herself.  Naturally, because of this she was placed in a facility for observation and put on all types of medication that she probably did not need!!!  I tried explaining to the doctors at the ER and the facility the events that led up to the event and how I believed they were the cause; yet, none seemed to listen!!

She was really stressed out because she was in a rehab facility after crushing her femur and wanted to go home... she hadn't been eating correctly and had not slept but an hour or two in about 3 or 4 days; yet, she was still taking all of her medications (she takes a ton).  With no sleep and hardly any food and hyped up on all that medication, I believe her body wasn't reacting right and caused the whole thing... 3 1/2 years later, finally a doctor agreed with me and took her off of the medication she was put on after the horrible event!! Thankfully!!

Since all of this took place (about 3 1/2 years ago) I have watched how her appointments and monitoring went, since I am pretty much in charge of all of her medical needs; and I have to say I was DISAPPOINTED and realized where a lot of the problems exist with the mental health issues that this Country faces today!!

Over the past 3 1/2 years she has been seen twice a year.. if that!! Her first appointment at her new doctor after being released lasted maybe 20 minutes.  However, since then she is lucky if her appointments are 10 minutes.. most of the time she is in and out in 5!!  Shocking, right?!  Especially with what they are charging her insurance for her to be seen.. which is supposed to be for a 15 minute visit (still not enough time to truly evaluate someone, in my opinion)!!

When I called this past month to get an appointment because they has cancelled hers before the first of the year and never called to reschedule, I asked the lady why the appointments were so short and if it was possible to have a longer visit and reevaluate her medications I was told she was only being seen for "medication management".  Really!!??  Honestly, I was in shock!!  I wondered how they would just rewrite a script month after month and have no kind of therapy/counseling to be sure the medication was working correctly & there were no issues!!  I assumed that there had to be therapy/counseling involved, but I was wrong!!

So I ask you... How hard would it be for someone who is truly unstable to fool the professional into believing everything is totally fine with them in 5 minutes!?  (OR) To play a part to get medication they really don't need?!  Not hard at all, I don't think!!  Anyone could seem which-ever way they choose for that amount of time!!!  If this is how every office works, just writing prescriptions and not evaluating the patient I can see why there is so many individuals who aren't receiving the proper care or medications, and why so many are flipping their lid!! (Just Saying)

These places are milking charging  insurance companies for a huge amount of money and the patients aren't getting the same amount of quality care, in my opinion!!

I think something needs to be done to fix the problems with mental health!!  What do you think?