...a sad commentary on society.

When I was a youngster, there were insane asylums. Mental institutions. Not any more. Or if there are, they are few and far between. Apparently, we believe in keeping the mentally ill in our local communities. In their families. Mixed in with the rest of society. I think that's fine to a degree. But I wish we had more mental institutions. Where the sickest of the mentally ill could go for treatment. Just like the physically ill go into hospitals. Well, there should be mental hospitals for treating mental diseases. And all this should be covered by our health insurance. We don't do enough for the mentally ill. We leave too many of 'em to cope pretty much on their own. Not a good idea. I think there's a stigma attached to mental illness. Sometimes, we like to keep it hush-hush. Like it's a shame. A disgrace. I think I know mentally ill people. And many of 'em don't seek treatment. Or even want to admit that they need help. Because of the shame. And that's the real shame. The feeling of shame. In recent years, I've been dealing with dementia patients. Many diagnosed with Alzheimer's. In so many ways, dementia is a mental illness. But we don't want to call it that. Because of the shame. But Alzheimer patients do strange things. Many of 'em don't even know what they're doing. In a sense, they are insane. With all the symptoms of mental illness. And they don't get the treatment they deserve. Because it's a mental affliction. If they had a physical illness such as cancer or heart disease, they'd probably get superb treatment, and superb understanding. But when they have Alzheimer's, they too often are treated like outcasts. Like weirdos. That's a sad commentary on society. --Jim Broede