Some of you may think I’m jumping to conclusions, but really, do we need an “arms race” in our schools?

The recent suggestion from the NRA to have armed guards in our schools as an answer to increasing gun violence is beyond ridiculous.  “Fight fire with fire” seems to be their mantra.  Well, I have a better one.  “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” – Gandhi.

It makes about as much sense as the law in Arizona that allows people to carry firearms in bars!  Great, “let’s get all liquored up” and and start playing with guns!  Ugh!  Am I the only one that doesn’t understand this mentality?  Don’t get me wrong, I totally support the second amendment, except when it comes to ballistic missiles, 30 round magazines, and other weapons of mass destruction. I understand wanting to protect yourself, but really?  What has happened to common sense? What about fences and security gates like most of the high schools have?

Devastating shootings like the one that occurred in Newtown last month or the one that occurred here on January 8th two years ago need to stop.  There has to be an answer other than putting more guns out there.  As a mental health advocate, I want more education in schools, community groups, businesses, and organizations about the realities of mental illness.  Everyone aggrees that a person who literally mowes down innocents with a high capacity gun needs to have his “head examined.”

Let the conversation start here……One in four families are effected by mental illness.  Treatment success rates for depression go as high as 90%.  One in eight teens experience depression, yet only 20% of them seek treatment. Even treatment success rates for schizophrenia are very high! Should people with a mental illness diagnosis be restricted from gun use?  Not necessarily, but let’s talk about it!

These are the topics of discussion we should be having.  Answers may not come as quickly as the “solution” from the NRA, but increasing arms in our schools is preposterous. The last thing our babies need is an increase in violence and an “eye for an eye” mentality.

     Who knew a dramatic musical could cause so much emotion in an audience member? Not me, and I have to say I was quite surprised by it.  I found myself experiencing everything from sadness and grief to laughter and joy.  This play pulled at my heart strings like no other live performance I have ever seen.

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to participate in a panel that fielded questions and discussed the challenges of mental illness.  During the hour, struggles faced by a person living with mental illness  as well as the difficulties a care giver confronts while trying to support a person with a diagnosis were addressed.  Unlike many of the panel discussions I have participated in where we have spoken mostly to people currently involved in the mental health community, this group was much more diverse and consequently less informed about the illnesses, treatments, stigma and recovery.  It was a fascinating discussion and hopefully enlightening to those in attendance.

Afterwards, I was able to watch the Broadway Musical now playing at the Arizona Theater Company, “Next to Normal.”  The play exquisitely tells the story of a family’s struggle with mental illness.  In this case, the Mother is struggling with Bipolar Disorder and the rest of the family is  doing the best they can to cope with the unpredictable scenarios that are faced on a daily basis.  When Mom is feeling hypo-manic everything is great.  But, inevitably either the bottom falls out and Mom becomes horribly depressed or just as awful, Mom becomes manic and repercussions can be just as devastating. The Dad misses the exuberant young woman he first fell in love with. The teenage daughter feels un-noticed and at times unloved by an overwhelmed Dad and an ill Mom. As for the son, well……I’ll leave his story out of this blog as I wouldn’t want to spoil it for anyone going to see this play.

Suffice it to say that this dramatic musical tells a complicated, absorbing tale of life in a family with mental illness.  After all, when someone in the family have a serious illness, everyone is effected, no matter if it’s a physical illness or a mental illness.  The narrative, told almost exclusively with song, is compelling and realistic.  Having experienced mental illness in my family, it touched me as if  my best friend was sharing her family life with me.  The author has great insight  and the actors were amazing.

The first steps in changing attitudes about mental illness are awareness  and education. This production does an excellent job in demystifying the reality of mental illness.  One in four families are effected by mental illness and mainstream media, even  Broadway musicals, can have a huge impact on advancing that goal.

I was glad to see the editorial in the Arizona Daily Star this morning;Tucson’s MentalHealth System Needs Shoring Up.

http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_a1372367-3bd9-5f49-8ea7-91fb0d25e4df.html

Local pyschiatric beds are commonly filled, but I wasn’t aware that psychiatric beds in our prison system are also filled.  Hummmmmm, I wonder what’s going on? Is it possible that we’re starting to see the results of continued budget slashes to mental health care in our state?  Or, is it because more people are becoming mentally ill? I think it’s the former.

Let’s look at some statistics.  One in four families are effected by mental illness in a given year and at least 10% of the population lives with a serious mental illness like schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder.  If Tucson’s population is one million, then that’s 100,000 people right here in the Old Pueblo.  Some are being successfully treated and some are not.  Many are in denial about their illnesses and don’t know about the high success rates of treatment – sometimes as high as 90%  do achieve mental health recovery.  But, not without proper treatment that can include medication, therapy and a strong support system.

Last time I checked there weren’t that many psychiatric beds in Tucson.  Even with the new psychiatric crisis hospital opening soon there won’t be new beds as it will only replace the currently existing beds at UPH.  Without more funding I don’t see any growth for new tratment facilites, but unfortuanately I do see growth in the prison facilities.  It seems like that’s one of the few areas of growth in our state.  Some legislators in Phoenix have stated that it’s time for families and loved ones to “step up” and take care of those struggling with menta illness. I wish it were that simple.

But, I’m glad to see that the Arizona Daily Star is initiating this dialogue.  Hopefully some inovative solutions will come about…….and they won’t cost anything!