Since
it is Christmas and since gift giving is “top of mind” (regardless of your
religion – this is a time of year that gift giving is celebrated – OK, not the
retail kind, the REAL kind), I thought about what gift I as a mental health
professional would like to receive. And guess what – a number came to mind.
First, I would like to see a Canada and the
global society be a place in which people living with mental illness had
exactly the same rights, equalities and access to care as people with illnesses
that are not disorders of the brain have. When we can speak of diabetes and
colitis and arthritis and schizophrenia all in the same breath and with the
same considered and supportive perspective then we will have gone a long way to
decreasing stigma and barriers to mental health care.
Second, I would like to see us beginning to
talk about finding a cure for various mental illnesses, much as we speak about
finding a cure for breast cancer or finding a cure for prostate cancer. We have
finally developed and are rapidly developing our understanding of the brain and
its functions – in health and in disease. And we are getting closer to
understanding the social and environmental impacts that effect brain function
and how those may contribute to the development or perpetuation of mental
disorders. So its time we set our sights on a cure for schizophrenia, a cure
for major depressive disorder, a cure for bipolar disorder and so on. We may
not find a cure in the next five or ten years, but by gosh the search will take
us a long way forward.
Third, I would like to see our mental health
community supported and enhanced by coming together of various components
instead of those components pulling us apart. Sometimes I think that if we
spent one half of the time and effort that we seem to put into supporting pet
ideologies or convincing others of our “truths” in common purpose, we would be
so much further ahead. One foundation that we really need to build our
community on is scientific literacy. We need to use science to advance our
cause. We need to use the best scientific methods and the knowledge that they
bring to us to inform our directions. We need to embrace the science and not
rail against it. Building on this foundation we can work together to ensure
that all the interests and different voices of individuals and groups are
expressed, heard and included. A house has many rooms, but if its foundation is
not strong it will collapse, regardless of how pretty it may look.
So those are my three Christmas gift wishes.
The best of this gift reminding season to you and yours. Regardless of your
religious beliefs or other defining features. Be well.
--Stan