Recently, an important questions being asked more and more: are we capable of embracing the complexities that come with mental health? As many a practicing therapist can tell you, this is a trying time in regards to this critical aspect of our overall wellbeing.
Mental health matters in relation to justice. When someone commits a crime and disrupts the fabric of our society, our legal system is in place to enforce the consequence. Many of these cases are open and shut – we’re content enough to lock violators behind bars without every really exploring why crime happens.
The logic that overpopulating our prisons with offenders will diminish crime is inherently flawed; the only way to stunt its growth is to address it at the root, requiring us to understand its motivations. Understanding such motivations requires us to pull back the curtain on mental health and truly absorb the findings.
America has exhibited a tendency at times to put the issue of mental health on the shelf, refusing to probe its complexities on account of factors like time and money. Our elected officials seldom look to change laws regarding mental health unless spurred by a national tragedy. Why does it take the tragic actions of someone mentally unstable to draw about change? This complacency only further stigmatizes those who suffer from a mental condition.
The criminal justice system will readily defend those who suffer from a mental illness accused of a crime, but perhaps these crimes wouldn’t occur without better prevention in place. Mental health is one issue that won’t be going away anytime soon – how many high-profile incidents need to occur before we provide better solutions to those addled by mental health?
It’s time for America to wake up and accept the challenge. We can do better – the question is will we?
