Mental Health as a Scapegoat

I am often amazed at the number of times people are declared "mentally ill" by individuals that are unqualified to make a mental health assessment. It is often used as a scapegoat to discredit individuals while empowering those that declare such an assessment. As far as I'm aware, a declaration of "mentally ill" can only be made by a psychiatrist, psychologist or designated mental health professional.

A neighbour had often proclaimed someone, "mentally ill", whenever their behaviour did not appear normal. I had reminded this individual to refrain from making such a declaration as it sets an unfounded environment of judgement, social shunning and exclusion based on false psychiatric assessment. Unfortunately, gossip and the use of power to create the image of an individual as, "mentally ill", contributes to an environment of ostracism and stigma that is irreparable and leads to increased marginalization and social exclusion.

Quite commonly, mental illness is utilized in bullying behaviours to discredit the target of bullying that is experiencing psychological trauma from the bullying. Bullying, or social terrorism, is carried out in such a manner that it creates an environment of persecution of the target through manipulation and disempowerment. This often leads to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Accute Anxiety Disorder as a result of bullying and stalking. Mob bullying starts without warning, is unstoppable once it gets going and, for the target, they don't know when it is finished as it is completely in the hands of the bullies. The reputation of the Targeted Individual is black-marked, not only within the group or immediate area, but with external organizations that may be able to assit the target. When bullying is identified, those carrying out the bullying react very much like Bart Simpson, "I didn't do it!" and a secondary bullying run occurs which may include legal and hard-core harm. What is interesting is the constant use of power to discredit, demoralize and dehumanize the Targeted Individual. It merely demonstrates a lack of humanity.

An individual disadvantaged by way of financial, health, social status, education, etc is predispositioned to bullying and the use of mental health as a scapegoat. In the area I live in, there is a high proportion of HIV positive individuals. I often am stunned with the frequency by which those that are challenged with their health are discredited by HIV negative individuals in a position of power over these individuals. It really should be the opposite and often makes me wonder why HIV positive individuals aren't working in these positions, for only these individuals really understand the daily challenges of life with this condition. Stress really can be the end of an HIV positive individual. It isn't a concern for a healthy person and nor do they care about the negative impact on an immunocompromised individual. For an HIV positive individual, mental health is very much a concern to ensure stress is kept to a minimum. Being labelled "mentally ill" just creates a preconceived label of predjudism that establishes an environment of stress and harm.

My Mental Scapegoat

Vancouver Parking Lot

Vancouver - a place I've called home for most of my life. It has changed significantly in my life and I wouldn't say for the better. The traffic has gotten so bad, it made the top of the TomTom list of worst traffic in North America, tied with Los Angeles. The citizens decided that Vancouver was not going to have a highway through to the centre of the city in the 1970's. Instead, vehicles across the city sit at traffic lights wasting gas and polluting the air. Trucks still need to deliver product. Cars still need to drive into and out of the city. Travel within the city can take up to twice as long as it should, but that doesn't matter to those who feel everyone should walk, use transit or a bike. I like my vehicle and find it helps with getting groceries, travel, camping, visiting friends and family, doing things that are not on transit lines and, besides, I have a bad back and can't ride a bike and have trouble with getting on and off a bus. Forcing everyone to use these forms of transportation is discriminatory.

With the advent of the new Port Mann bridge, I can only see a serious gridlock of traffic in Vancouver. Talking about Port Mann bridge, I wonder why they didn't use the old bridge for trucks only. Actually, a truck only lane all the way from Langley to Vancouver would have been smart. If money and economics are the name of the game, time=money and faster transportation of goods makes good economic sense for the province. A friend of mine, who used to work for the Washington DOT and designed roads and highways, often laughed at Vancouver roads. Anyone driving in from Seattle along the 99 gets dumped into messy traffic as it turns into Oak Street. All-of-a-sudden, you're driving on a 6 lane road past residential homes and numerous lights and side-roads. Following Granville is no better. The signage is pitiful, if nonexistent. I've often seen it as unwelcoming and confusing, particularly to visitors. Watching the development of Vancouver's roads and highways is like watching a slow moving traffic accident happen.

The City of Vancouver is busy building a greenway and bike lanes on Comox Street with a budget of $5.46 Million. While I hear the machinery outside, I read about the hundreds of people turned away at shelters during the below-freezing weather. I see Gregor Robertson, the mayor, has his priorities in place. Biking before people. Sorta like his focus on turning front lawns into wheat fields instead of addressing the potential for a Stanley Cup riot which ended up costing $5 million. While some take so much concern over whether they are eating organic or not, others try to find a place to sleep and something to eat, just to survive. The socio-economic positions get further and further apart. The most livable city? Not for everyone.