Hey man, slow down and think.

I agree there are many that need it.

You can thank Reagan for defunding mental health at a national level. It's never been put back in by any administration.
LINK

 

Actually JFK did away with the asylums.

 

The defunding of public mental hospitals (typically run by the state) happened under Reagan. JFK moved the needle away from some of the bad parts of what these institutions had looked like, but they started going away altogether in the 80’s. My mother worked for the Pennsylvania system starting in the early 80s and retired in 2003. In that time her facility went from about 10 buildings with over 3000 patients down to one building with about 100.

 

Actually saying this guy or that is not that simple for instance Carter also did his share: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2690151/

The closure started in the 50's for the most part it seems and continued on through the 20th century (found one that closed in 2008 even). Again the 50's version was barbaric but complete elimination was not the solution. For instance I had a good family friend who later in life had a complete breakdown. Thankfully with meds he became functional again. Never violent so no threat to others however on occasion his meds would get out of adjustment and he would lose it again. For instance they found him once when a sheriff called from a few hundred miles away. Seems the local cops were sharp enough to realize he needed help and then tracked him down so they could contact his wife. All that to illustrate had it not been for the great help his wife provided to help when his meds got out of adjustment he could not have functioned in society for long. So for someone like him without family some kind of supervision would enhance their life.

 

The asylums were slowly closed from the 1960's into the late 1970's. In budget cuts in the early 1980's they decided that the meds were good enough to not need asylums any more, and federally, funding was withdrawn. It appears to have been primarily a money saving measure, although the end of brutal treatment in asylums was welcomed by many.
Unfortunately, the promised community health care system was never really established or funded to the level needed, and many formerly institutionalized people became homeless. Today, that legacy of insufficient mental health services/access to treatment continues to feed the ranks of the homeless.

 

Needs a bump for you parents.

Things are opening up again for kids and we may have school in person again and sports may happen. The kids may get out and interact again in person.

But shit may go sideways again and prepare for the worse. If it does, talk to your kids, you friend's kids and you kid's parents.

Mental illness and depression is not a stigma. You are not weak, a bad person or a failure. There is light at the end of that long, dark tunnel.

 

Well put Dave.

 

Thank you.

 

A bump because it needs a bump.

That "happy, normal kid" that's adjusting slowly or just okay to opening of the world in the next few weeks might just be not adjusting and dealing.

Ask the questions and suggest they get help if they need help. There is no shame in them (or you if you need it) reaching out.

and for you with a few dollars that you haven't given to the air fence fund . . . https://morgansmessage.org/

There is no shame in asking for help!

 

Dave. You are well known around here as a jackass, and a a hard headed evil little man.

But, good on you for hammering this message home. My kids have managed through this BS well, and having a wife in the mental health field has helped us keep conversation open. But too many don't know how to start, or what questions to ask. Look for help. Take that step.

 

I still have the shotgun of my friend.
He wanted to kill his ex, the man she was cheating with and then himself.

Luckily he talked to me beforehand. He self checked into a psychward for a few weeks
That was 6 years ago.
He doesn't want it back.

I'll take the suspension.

Just listen to the damn song and the into at the begining. Could you imagine being his mother and this is how he tells you he feels?

 

I really think kids have it tough in this day and age. When most of us grew up there was always the bullys/ clicks/ cool kids/ not cool kids, ect. When school was out and weekends came it was all done. Now with social media it's a 24/7 365 thing for kids to deal with. The good and the bad.

My niece who grew up a sweet girl in a good household in Spain most of her life but now in Nashville who is 12 recently started cutting herself, dressing in black(goth), quitting art and music, and saying life sucks. It's scary, just wish I could shake her saying it's not that bad, it will get better!!!

I feel bad for my bro because there is no manual on how to handle situations like these. He's doing the therapy route but I think if you tell a kid they have a mental problem and issues, they believe they are fucked in the head and when you a kid/ teen you don't see the big picture of life.

When I was 17 my girlfriend of 6 months dumped me. My world was over and depressed. Never had the balls to off myself. But would hop on my Gsxr 600 and blast up and down 1-95 with the thing pinned outrunning the cops pushing the limits of recklessness, not caring of the outcome. Now being older I look back and laugh because it was a little high school crush and thank God I'm still on this earth and have had so many cool experiences and relationships since then.

I truly feel for the people who can't make it past that point to see that there is always light at the end of every tunnel.

 

I'd talk to your brother or sister about getting her to a shrink it could really help her later in life

 

Shes going now, I only get to see her maybe once a year, just sucks because she was always a sweet happy kid everytime I've seen her. Not sure what's clicked for the drastic change on the outlook of life.

 

Probably something no one knows about, which is why I said what I said. Sadly my gf deals with stuff stemming from a situation when she was 4 that no one but her knew about until she was 21 and in therapy. It could be just normal teenage stuff but cutting is a serious outlet.
I hope she starts feeling better soon.

 

Thanks to DaveK for keeping this present. I will assume that people who are struggling or have kids/family/friends that are struggling will be reading this whole thread looking for advice and answers. I would like anybody to make note that my number has changed. If anybody wants to talk to somebody, I am available. 715-440-1513. While I am not a suicide or crisis hotline, I have some experience in talking to many people that are in need of somebody to listen.

 

I have been battling anxiety/depression for over 15 years. I've been low enough to want to put a bullet in brain pan. I used to believe growing up that people who committed suicide were cowards, experiencing depression to the point where death seemed a better solution for living with how I felt changed that. You cannot wish depression away or make it stop through willpower. I used to be ashamed at how I felt, and the weight of putting up a facade that I was fine just made things worse. I've realized through therapy that talking about things does help as it makes you realize you are not alone in your struggles. Those who struggle along side you want to help as it also has the great benefit of helping themselves.

If you are struggling, talk to someone, anyone. If you are low to the point you want to end it tell someone, anyone. Call Kenessex, call/text me 321-626-5367, call 911 I don't care, just please tell someone. I am an open book when it comes to this, if you have questions, ask away.

 

I hate and love this thread at the same time. Hate that it has to exist, love that guys are cool enough to share their experience and offer support. I’ve been fortunate enough that I haven’t had to experience depression myself, but I have had professional relationships and friends that have. If anyone needs to talk, vent, whatever, I’ll take a call too. PM me though, I’m not a brave as some of you cats putting your phone number right out there lol.

 

Some times it takes a hard headed little jackass to shine a light into the darkness and offer a helping hand.

I used to tell my brother from another mother that "My friends look out for me like family" and told him that about every time when we spoke and I meant it. I didn't know what he was going through until it was too late and it shook me to the core (and still does) when he passed at his own hands.

I have made friends from this stupid backwater BBS that are closer to me then family. I have (apparently) made people who hate me. If I can help either or a friend of either or a friend of a friend of either, I'm cool with that.

 

Lost a good friend tonight. Less than 2 days home from a 60 day inpatient treatment center. Had to go to his condo, call the sheriffs, and do the ‘wellness check’ only to find what we all expected. Then cal his mom. It’s like he was determined to fail. I don’t have the words. I’m so mad at him right now and that just feels wrong too. I dont know what else to say. RIP Sam. Fireman. Marine. Friend.