In my ever so humble opinion, based on nothing but my thoughts, there are two types of people. Those who seek help and those that don’t.
The first type of person is independent and sure of their own ability to either google cure a disease or defect or diagnose themselves. They don’t need assistance from professionals in overcoming things because “diet and exercise” are all it takes, man. They definitely don’t need to have a diagnosis because “according to Google” they have determined what is going on.
When confronted with the possibility of seeking treatment from a psychologist or other therapist, they would not dare. They are stronger than that. Sure, maybe they have had some issues with relationships, working on that fourth marriage, but it’s not because of them. It definitely had to do with the other person.
Life would have been so much better if it hadn’t been for [this person] or [that person]. Jobs have been lost because the bosses didn’t recognize their brilliance or appreciate them.
Sure, they have had things happen to them that, to their surprise, others think might be traumatic, but look at them, they just carry on. Why can’t others? Keep calm and carry on, people! Stop your whining. Back in their day, people didn’t go to therapy! They just did life. Why can’t you? The bigger problem is that people visit psychologists.
These people are the fabric of our society, stoically going forth without complaint. Why is everyone else not like them?
Then there are the other type. Those that reflect on interpersonal failures or want to end things like anxiety or depression. They seek counseling, take the drugs, try to do better. They participate in therapy, actively working to repair any damage they may have done and look forward to better outcomes. They become advocates for those who suffer with the same issues and recommend therapies to others, because it helped them, right?
The second group has a larger compassion meter for those who are suffering and actively trying to overcome something. The second group has a larger compassion meter for those who are suffering and despite actively trying to overcome something, can’t. The second group has compassion.
Sorry, not sorry, to say that. The first group lacks compassion.
If you can view the Lyndsay Clancy trial, and believe that she is a homicidal maniac, then you are in the first group. Go on and diet and exercise yourself and not confront your interpersonal issues. But please don’t tell the rest of us that Lyndsay Clancy is the only one to blame, and don’t tell us that she wanted to kill her children or herself. She did her research. She took the drugs. She went to the experts AND she was meticulous with her diet and exercise. So, she’s just like YOU!
I need to say this again, in another way, for those that are baffled by support of Lyndsay Clancy. Childbirth is done by women, for now. Women who have experience with childbirth know how traumatic it is on them emotionally and physically. Women who have given birth, feared postpartum issues with an obsession that can only be likened to bracketology or the NCAA tournament for the men who are having an issue with following my logic here. Women who have given birth also anticipate that their children will either give birth, or have a spouse that does. Women fear those children or spouses will have postpartum issues. Women who have watched or followed the Lyndsay Clancy trial now fear that what happened to her, could happen to them. Women fear that the maltreatment she received could happen to their child.
If you had a broken arm, would you go to the emergency room? If you felt like your brain was out of whack, would you go to a psychologist or psychiatrist?
It’s the same.
If when you went to the emergency room with your broken arm, the doctor didn’t reset your arm and cast it, she sent you home because it wasn’t broken enough, would you accept that? If you felt suicidal and you weren’t getting any better on medication, would you accept that and carry on?
It’s the same thing.
Many failures in the current system are coming to light during this trial and the biggest is how much trial and error is involved in prescribing psychotropic medications. I get psychiatry and emergency medicine are different, but maybe we need to do more to make them the same.
I imagine that broken arms resulted in death or disfigurement before the method of resetting and casting them became available. Usage of imaging, via XRays, helped with breaks that weren’t catastrophic in appearance. Advances in imaging, like MRI’s and CT scans, could show if tissues were involved.
Shouldn’t there be more than 17 or 20 minute telehealth visits and drugs called in for people that are reporting suicidal ideation or lack of enjoyment in life? Would you be okay with telehealth with the broken arm?
Keep calm and carry on, people.
I don’t know what the answer is, but I know this is not it.
We can do better.
If a medical professional can’t navigate the mental health system in a progressive state that offers so much in services, what hope does it hold for someone without that knowledge? If a person of means can’t get the correct help what happens to those without?
We have to do better.
Don't be afraid to engage... 
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