Submitted by guest14 (not verified) on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 7:07pm.
Commonsensenot,
Having mental illness is most definitely neither misconduct nor carelessness. There is a strong genetic component to both mental illness and addiction, and many were raised in environments in which abuse and neglect are rampant. Up to 80% of female and 60% of male substance abusers have a history of being victims of sexual assault and other forms of violence and abuse. Is that misconduct or carelessness? Perhaps...but not necessarily theirs.
Many mentally ill people and people with substance use disorders try to get help every day but are unable to access the care that they need within a system that is very broken. Yes, unless many of these individuals get the help that they desperately need, they will continue in a cycle and system that not only fails them but that fails our entire community...
Commonsensenot, Having
Commonsensenot,
Having mental illness is most definitely neither misconduct nor carelessness. There is a strong genetic component to both mental illness and addiction, and many were raised in environments in which abuse and neglect are rampant. Up to 80% of female and 60% of male substance abusers have a history of being victims of sexual assault and other forms of violence and abuse. Is that misconduct or carelessness? Perhaps...but not necessarily theirs.
Many mentally ill people and people with substance use disorders try to get help every day but are unable to access the care that they need within a system that is very broken. Yes, unless many of these individuals get the help that they desperately need, they will continue in a cycle and system that not only fails them but that fails our entire community...