perspective

[4woody]

Are These Unprecedented Times?

While this coronavirus may appear unprecedented, deadly infections were once common in the United States. In a recent essay in The Wall Street Journal, entitled “When Epidemics Wreaked Havoc in America,” Professor David Oshinsky details how infectious diseases devastated the human community prior to 1960. Every summer, polio maimed and killed thousands of children until it was eradicated through the vaccine work of Jonas Salk. Measles, mumps, typhus, cholera, smallpox and yellow fever took a significant toll on the lives of Americans (and others) prior to the miraculous work of science (conquered by vaccines and later penicillin). In 1860, 20 percent of the children born in New York City would not live to their first birthday.

Today, we are not emotionally prepared for an infectious disease epidemic because, unlike my father’s generation, we have never been forced to endure such hardship. We live as if science has conquered all disease, but we have discovered that the world of microbes is far more complex. Having lost our control, we often live in angst.

Dr, Robin Baker George Fox University President

[lillyofthevalley37]

Not only that people are encouraged to be weak

we are practically begged to go and get help for our mental health - in UK anyway

They want us to be weak not strong

Easier to control

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

I’m puzzled by your response . Being encouraged to find help for mental health sounds like asking you to take steps to get strong.

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to 4woody]

Yes I suppose it does if you don't see the underlying reason

Are uou from US ?

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

How do you identify an underlying reason when asked to address your mental health? Yes, I’m in the US

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to 4woody]

Well you obvs don't have the same thing going on as we have in UK

I mean things are different in US as you don't have NHS a free health service so if they did encourage you all to go and get any minor mental health problem some attention who is going to pay for it

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

My insurance pays for it.

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

what do you consider as a minor mental health problem?

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to 4woody]

I don't want to get into an augment with you

You don't get what I mean which is fine

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

I’m sorry. I don’t want to upset you. You are right, I don’t understand. My questions are an effort to understand. Will you help me do that?

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to 4woody]

Sure 4Woody the thing is it's different in US to UK?

I will do my best x

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

so, you have national health care. right? we don’t. I have insurance and pay a monthly premium for that. In turn the insurance pays my dr. bill. I asked my dr. about anxiety meds a few years ago. i was evaluated and prescribed meds. the anxiety got worse. i asked about seeing a therapist and was given a referral to a nearby clinic. therapy has been helpful. a therapist recommended a psychiatric service dog. i have been using her for a few months. she helps. now adjusting meds. this has been a years long process. how would my last few years be different if i lived in the UK?

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to 4woody]

I kind of meant the culture is different here - if you lived in UK you would no doubt be prescribed SSRI antidepressants but you would have a very long wait for talking therapy and I have never known anyone to get a dog but what a great idea I have a cocker spaniel called Charlie and I adore him , as I said the culture is different and they do seem to slap lots of mental illnesses on people I bumped into someone yeterday and he was telling me his daughter was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder and non aggressive psychopathy there may have been more I don't believe that borderline personally disorder is an actual illness , I think they slap these multi labels on young people wily nily and encourage them to think themselves as mentally ill

Obvs there is no arguing with bipolar disorder , schizophrenia and depression but they seem to come up with new ones all the time narcissistic is the latest

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

thanks for clearing that up. and yeah, my dog is great. so you’re thinking that they slap someone with a mental illness and then write them off?

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to 4woody]

They dish out these diagnosis es yes I m not saying they write them off

nessassarily but why do they do it ?

I think they want them to be weak not strong - easier to control

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

Okay. I guess I’m back to a question I asked before. And if you don’t want to answer it that’s fine. Just say so. And again, I don’t want to upset you, really. Has something happened with you that has caused you to believe the purpose is to make people feel weaker? Or easier to manipulated? Or maybe I could ask, “Do you feel weaker and/or manipulated?

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to 4woody]

I will get back to you Woody just have to make the evening meal

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

okay

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to 4woody]

Hi Woody first of all I must explain I am Christian (although I found out my Dad was Jewish after he died and I am proud of that heritage ) so as a Christian I can't help but see that the powers that be are trying to phase out Christianity

So yes culturally I do feel manipulated to give up Jesus and take up mindfulness and yoga instead , I belong to a generation that was brought up singing Christian hymns every morning in school assembly my kids have no idea of these hymns that mark my Christian childhood .

I guess I see stuff that others don't regarding phasing out Christianity

I do feel that young people are encouraged to identify as mentally ill and this will make their employment chances weaker despite campaigns uo stop stigmatising mental illnesses

Hope this explains my stance ?

PM me anytime

[4woody in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

Yes, this explains a lot. Ive met many individuals with similars backgrounds to yours, which I can also identify with. I have been fortunate to have found a teacher who has helped me and many others traverse what looks and feels like a huge shift away from God. I have accepted my mental and emotional limitations and can do little about the expectations or judgements of others. I know I need help sometimes when others don’t. I hope the efforts toward de-stigmatizing continues to the point where it is as reasonable to address mental health as it is to address physical health. Especially since the two are so dependent on each other.

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to 4woody]

I understand that you have suffered from depression in the last year or so and I know from personal experience how horrible that is

but the culture that young people are growing up in seems to encourage mental illness

Genuine depression is a great cause of concern and throwing SSRI drugs at depression is not enough and I agree it should be viewed as on a par with a physical illness

I get where you are coming from