It would be interesting to count the number of responses articles in these pages get from posters - it would be even more interesting to group them into types of responses ( pro, con, nuetral and lets not forget my favorite, rabid) - there ar other dissections that might be also of use.

What I find interesting is the lack of interest in some topics like this one. Wave a hijab in some ones face, or decry laws in response to terrorism, trivialise the threat of terrorism or the illusion of terrorism or throw up the issue of intelligent design, or IR changes - and you get an avalanche of responses.

We are pre occupied with the unlikely, the undemonstratable and the un legislated. We dont care about the Mentally Ill so we do not respond in any great numbers to these articles.

But show us the facts about a national scandal responsible for more deaths than has been the odd random bomber - and the over whelming resposne is ho hum.

It is our scorn for those mentally ill that is the problem - politicians are creatures of the community they serve; historically and contemporarily we just dont like the mentally ill; that is why we ignore their plight even when it stares s right between the eyes.

Our politicain prefer to chase the sexy issues of terorrists and the like; and spend exorbitant amounts of money on protecting us from the unlikely - while spneding didilee squat on a problem that will touch every single one of us more often and with effects as deveastating as the acts of a few extremists - but I suspect a large number of us like it that way.

I do not believe for a moment much will be done for the mentally ill- like so many things we almost tend to need them as it is only by comparison with those who are suffering that we feel alright ourselves.

The way we treat the mentally ill is, of course, completely insane. As a society we are becoming more self righteous, more anxious and more angry. Compassion, reason and tolerance are fading fast and generally stigmatised as "elite" or "leftist" or "do-goodism". How can a society that is mentally ill itself be expected to deal sanely with the mentally ill?
We are all currently labouring under an anxiety neurosis, whipped along by our current government, because government's thrive in atmospheres of fear, just like abusive and controlling parents.

Rob

Thank you for your article. You raise many relevant, necessary and interesting points.

Even so, I was astounded that you suggest that perpetrators of rape should not be incarcerated on the grounds that these evil people might get depressed whilst they are imprisoned. So you have time for them, whilst I suffer chronic PTSD because of the bashing and rape by two strangers?

Thanks to the previous two posters
Cheers
Kay

Dear Kalweb
Please dont interpret the idea that violence or agression on the part of men to women also leads to poor health in men, as in any way excusing the actions of violent men.

A recent study released in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showed that the more men oppressed women the higher are men’s mortality rates. In other words being nice, or at least not being nasty or violent, is in men’s enlightened self interest.

Give me a ride on your time-machine Moodie. I want to be somewhere where I too can see them "really debating the issues". I want to see, "parliamentarians turned puce with passion in their speeches, the part where, 'they didn’t hurl insults at each other - just to put each other down'.

I want the introduction of a 'progressive tax system and a sustainable social-economic development policy', yesterday! (i.e., See the potentially innovative policy frameworks evolving on employment civic community policies - pre-1977, (before this last wave of economic recessions.)

Sing me the songs of a parallel world where "Discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, body shape, age and social class is consistently" stomped out!

Where, vibrancy and productivity, cross-cultural harmony and where contact with community members enhances different ethnic, racial and cultural groups who work, learn and play together in mutually respectful and equal ways. (see www.miacat.com)

I hope that one day we, in this local regional society will work out 'the big picture (equality, productivity, respect) as well as ensuring individuals have better skills and an understanding of how to cope' with strain and stress and, to promote our own self-determination!

I even hope that we get to work out sooner than later, (by intuition and then by verifiable, replicable suggestible studies) that treating each other well, has a lot more than being "good sense from a perspective of well-being through "mental and physical health, safety and productivity" across all sectors, for all peoples, in our greater world society.

Give me a ride on your time-machine Moodie, a world where our vision is based on invaluable foresight.

See; I told you know one cares. Several days in and all the articles on the features have drawn a mere handful of responses.

If you could find a way to blame Islamists for mental illness then - maybe - you might incite some interest

THe mental health of asylum seekers only gets a run because there are so many people incensed that they are even here. And even then the reposne of the government is half hearted and tokenistic - a dominant theme in response to their plight goes something like - well they were't invited so they deserve what they get.

Other posters ( well at least one ) feels no sympathy or responsibiltiy for the depressed who might "top" themselves due do their weak will and lack of spine.

Even within the helping professions there is a contempt - too often I have seen health professionals scorn the mentally ill because the expression of their illness departs from the normal subjective signs of pain/nausea/physical discomfort - no one ignores the cardiac patient with a sense of impending doom, severe chest pain and shortness of breath - but they sure do ignore or feel unable to cope with some ones illnes if it is expressed by way of self harm, responding to delusions or hallucinations, gives rise to personal abuse or rowdy conduct;

Even those engaged in the business will see clients only on their terms - establish empty and meaningless contracts - and ignore those who fall outside of their self defined target group.

This is an uncaring community, self centred and pre possesed; the mentally ill dont stand a chance.

Sneekeepete, People do care, but not enough of them. And certainly not enough in government.
I have noticed that not a lot of interest has been shown in things like genetics on this topic. I think it is because all sides of politics really at heart believe that it is just about character or drug usage. Just go and visit the public "psych" ward and you will see what I mean. Nurses and staff running around at a million miles an hour surrounded by sedated-folk clearly in great mental pain and anguish.

Talk to patients and most have been traumatised in some way yes - but why are they in here and not others? What are the factors that see these people in such pain? Why do some have more resilience to trauma than others? We know the answers to these questions but the government just keeps shoving the mentally ill away -out of site out of mind.
I recall the first time I went into the ward. A patient, "Mick" came over to me and looked me in the eyes and said: "You think I'm sh*t. Don't ya'?". In the background a lady was screaming at her non-present husband and another lady was having a conversation with the angel Gabriel. And, of course, the staff were tearing around at a million miles an hour.
Of course, little credence is given to the mentally ill who overcome and operate in society whilst dealing with their mental illness. You won't hear from them (the mentally ill) because they would find themselves also dealing with the stigma and the idiot response of the perfect people - the people with "character" who are "together".
My answer to Mick: "I don't even know you, what makes you say that?". A plane flew over head at that moment and he starting telling me about all the various types of Boeing planes and their various attributes. Society's answer to Mick? Government's funding for the care of the mentally ill suggest that Mick knows the score.

rancitas

What an interesting and insightful post. Mick reminds me of many people who I have nursed.

I have responded to you on another thread. I won't repeat the same stuff here - even though it is equally applicable.

As a mental health nurse of long standing who has PTSD and panic attacks as a result of stranger gang rape, and have had completed suicide in my family, I have pretty good insight. I can see things from both sides of the fence. When I reported my family member's suicidal lethality (10/10), I was regarded by a certain community mental health team as being over-involved. I gave them 6 months warning. She died by her own hand - car gassing.

And as Sneekie said (I think it was him/her) if this was a Muslim/Islam issue there would probably be heaps of responses to the article.

Perhaps someone could write about nursing or doctoring in the mental health system when Islam/Muslims are involved? My colleagues used to almost tear their hair out because of all of the privileges given to Muslim people that were not given to non-Muslim people. I cannot speak on the issue because I did not have Muslim clients in the community mental health setting.

I love working with people who have mental health problems (and their families). It is my privilege. It could be me one day! Or it could be any of the posters to this forum.

Take care
Kay

In response to Kalweb.

I had nursed Muslim - men and women - on and off years and I dont recall offering them any extra treatment - except that some women preferred a female doctor - but it was never insisted upon to the point of impracticality - but some anglo women requested the same deal; if we could do so we did.

I was a midwife for a while and delivered a bunch of muslim women - only once did a young muslim girl - in very early labour request a female midwife - so as I as I was a bloke ( and still am for that matter ) I stepped aside for one of my female colleagues; easy.

sneeke

Good clarification. Thanks.

Now, now... sneakey's posts have absolutely no relevance to the topic...mental health? Should be deleted 'eh sneakey!

Come to think of it, the deterioration of mental health among Australians has nothing to do with "discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, ethnicity" as Moodie suggests, but everything to do with the isolation and alienation many individuals feel in a 'progressive' modern society.

Fast paced technology replaces human interaction. A lack of human interaction makes people more succeptible to depression and hence a deterioration in mental health.

In fact, there is a higher incidence of depression among people from broken families than the socialist claptrap Moodie pushes.

It becomes clear throughout the article that Moodie is really just pushing his agenda, you know, his multicultural love affair.

The real causes of depression are: lack of job security, increased availability of drugs in the community, lack of a sense of belonging (brought on by the repulsive multiculti Moodie admires) and family breakdown. Moodie is really hitting and missing the core issues surrounding mental health.

The article is ruined by his attempt to push an ideological agenda ie: political correctness

Thanks, davo, I stand corrected. I had always believed the various doctors who told me I could thank my parents' genes for my own manic depression, but I bow to your greater wisdom. Sneekepeete's original post omitted at least one category - offensive drivel, born of ignorance.

Davo,

This is my first post, and I'd just like to waste it by saying that you don't know what you're talking about. Yes, there are situations like those you'd discussed, but when some guy gets dragged into hospital, drugged out in an effort to put him out of his anguish, and has probably been searching himself for a way out of his pshycosis, who are you to say then that it isn't physical, inescapable, that the genetic problems don't exist? That genetics aren't the cause for his inability to just overcome 'life's circumstances'? (Hey, he probably wishes it were that himself!) You don't know what it's like until you're a sufferer, friend, family, finally relative of the person who suffers from these horrible conditions. I watched this person go through various unstoppable mood-swings, manic to seriously flat and depressed for no good reason. I remember only a few years ago when we were still in school. She was outside the classroom with the rest, sitting down, leaning against the wall with an expression of pure dettachment on her face. She looked so miserable, everyone asked her 'what's wrong', all she could answer was 'I'm fine.' Why? Because the truth is she didn't know. There was nothing then in her life to cause such anguish, but hey, that's just how manic-depressive Bipolar is. Soon after that she started going through a long, horrible time of trauma you'll probably never get to have. Think I'm making it up? Well I sought an answer from her, just for you. She confirms it, that she knew of no reason as to why she felt so depressed. She didn't cause it, but it happened. It was genetic. She has other family members who are just like her. So who are you, ye who stands with his eyes closed saying that the light is blue, to make these accusations about what you've never known. People should drop these types of opinions. No matter if you've direct contact with the mentally ill or not, it will always ripple across our world and society, hurtfully effecting others.

Oh, and Moodie rocks!