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Government is a disaster in the U.S. But let's refrain from saying the Democrats are horrible, the Republicans are horrible--or refer to any particular politician. The net result is the same: The basic needs of people with mental disabilities are not being met, and really, it is worse than that. 

This essay marks the beginning, I hope, of a new phase for my writings in the Berkeley Daily Planet. I'd like to offer an essay once per calendar month, and to do something better, stronger, and more interesting. I'm going to shy away from an active stance in politics; I will address what government seems to be doing wrong, but my essays will not be partisan, for or against Donald Trump, or for or against Governor Newsom--or any other politician. 

The U.S. is the richest most powerful most technologically advanced, and supposedly best nation on our Earth. Why, then, are mentally disabled people being dumped on the streets to die under horrible conditions? 

I am fifty-nine years old and have begun to think about the end. It is not so much that I'm about to die; no one can predict the future. Yet it has occurred to me that when I pass away, I really want to do this under comfortable, caring circumstances. Many people with psychiatric diseases don't obtain that bit of mercy, and they die horribly, and their deaths are often preventable. 

You can't always reasonably blame a mentally ill person for his or her lack of housing or other rough life circumstances. That's what mainstream people do, citing "You've made the wrong choices." Yet this is a gross distortion, and the public needs to understand that. A mental illness can sometimes bring a cognitive deficit, and this makes everything a lot harder, including good choices about our life paths.  

I need to add here that people with mental illness aren't necessarily homeless or incarcerated. Many of us live independently and can handle the responsibilities of adulthood. The stereotype promoted by government is to call us, not in so many words, subhuman. The mass media is in collusion with government in this lie. It is often convenient for many Americans to blame the victims. 

Americans need to fork over the cash, and this cash must be used properly: Mentally ill people need a place to live. The government must not create fat salaries and high paying careers for those who work in the caregiving industry. The appropriated funds need to go toward a place for us to live. 

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Mental illnesses cause tragic lives. The tragedy could be a wreckage in one's life circumstances, quality of life, and lifespan. Or it could be milder, but it could still be a situation of missing the boat. Most mentally ill people don't own a house, don't raise children--some offspring may be produced but taken away, and don't have stellar careers. We don't live within the jet set, our lives aren't blessed with wealth, with great sex lives, or with oodles of friendships. 

I'm very fortunate in being able to work at two different respected professions. I haven't made much money at either. In the 1980's I was an electronic technician. Beginning in the 2000's, I've been a published writer. It is not what you would call "stellar" because in terms of income at least, I haven't received much. But for someone with my limitations, it is probably the best that people should expect. The careers haven't brought me an incredible social life, and they have not taught me anything about how to be social.  

Mental illnesses can bring about all manner of dire circumstances. If your mind is running on something other than reality, your actions will follow accordingly, and you might make huge missteps and/or mistakes. Having your faculties matters, especially that of being able to reason. 

Mental illness doesn't automatically bring incompetence. But it can, especially if the patient has refused treatment. Then follows a worsening and progression of the condition, leading to a devastating relapse. 

But not all relapses are caused by "noncompliance"! 

In many cases, environmental factors are the culprit, or the loss of a family member, or life circumstances that are simply too hard. In some instances, the illness may just get worse, due to biological changes in the brain. And sometimes, the prescriber makes an error. To say that relapses are always caused by noncompliance; it is simply untrue. 

I've been dealing with firestorms of thoughts and emotions in the last two to three months. There is no exact explanation for it. My life circumstances are more stressful than they were, and many changes have either taken place, or they are on the horizon. A lot is required of me. The "firestorms" as I call them, only do more to interfere with taking actions that I need to take, to better my conditions. 

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The government must act. Different politicians have different ideas of what should be done. I would say we need to begin with housing. Everyone needs a place to call home. Housing is equally as important as treatment. You can't provide just one and not the other and then expect a good outcome. Giving medication to an incarcerated mentally ill person is not a solution. Bringing medication to someone who sleeps under a tree is not a solution. 

Here in Martinez, we have Psych Emergency at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center. I was in deep despair recently and I phoned them. The staff member who spoke to me warned me that conditions there are very rough, and if I could get through the rest of the weekend and speak to a counselor on Monday, I might be better off. I followed that very kindly given advice. 

What's going on with that? Why, after all this public attention to the plight of mentally ill people, are we back to the Dark Ages? 

I would have to argue of an ulterior agenda. Social architects would like to maintain the subjugation, and the poor prospects of mentally ill people. Probably if we are given resources to make our lives better, we might present more of a challenge to the mainstream. The middle-class people don't want to live alongside the mentally ill people. They want us to remain out of the gpicture. And I fear, that's the reality. Hate.