Eradication & Cultivation

The title probably caught your eye thinking this would be a great story about Cannabis!! Haha. This is actually a perspective on the eradication of outdated ideas about mental illness, addiction & homelessness and the effort we must put forth to cultivate change. There is no doubt everyone would like to see people off the street, no one wants to be witness to dirty street people urinating in the bushes and sleeping on our sidewalks. I have always had compassion for people who are homeless and suffering but I had no knowledge of Mental Illness, zip, nada, nothing, prior to my son becoming ill. In my view much like the perspective of so many of us was that these people were addicted, and it was their own dam fault. No knowledge on my part just blame and disdain, it's true, that's your own lot in life due to your poor choices, I believed that, however, Mental Illness is not a choice, it is a no-fault brain illness just like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Autism and a myriad of other neurological brain illness's! Addiction is the secondary component and a Mental Illness in its own right, so it is imperative they are treated simultaneously. I admit prior to my indoctrination of our inadequate approach to these matters seeing a street person being erratic and yelling crazy things scared me and I stayed as far away as I could, understandably so. After all I have encountered the only fear, I have is from the inept system we must rely on to ask for help. I still keep a safe distance, but I am not afraid I am curious and in awe of the phenomenon of it all. Receiving an unsolicited crash course in psychosis changes a person, maybe that's a good thing I am not sure yet. 

Any goal to accomplish something grand you need a mind-set, the right mind-set, but minds can be difficult to change, they stay stuck in what they perceive safe. Which is typically doing what you have always done in the same way, those nice comfortable routine conditions that we impose upon others and adhere to. That is fine for say something like washing the dishes or making your bed and going to work every day. Our conditioned responses that we repeatedly unwittingly pass along hold no value other than that being what we are accustomed too, our comfort zone and it is so easy! These no-brainer statements cause harm and interfere with our ability to act in any meaningful way. 

So many families in Mendocino County are afflicted by Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia and addiction. I speak with many individuals and families that have no idea where to turn and are deathly afraid of calling law enforcement. It should not be that way, there should be no fear in calling upon Law Enforcement whose core value is to "Serve and Protect" all the residents of our community, even those who are viewed unworthy degenerate addicts. One little action of intervention could completely change a person's downward spiral of mania and psychosis. One simple change in thought and perception, could literally make the difference of so many people suffering the realities of these issues.

If we could think and act instead of reiterating stupid phrases that do not help any of us that would be incredibly beneficial. Here are a few of the most infuriating ones we are subject to. 

1. HIPPA.

2. They are an adult.

3. We cannot confirm nor deny.

4. We are not Mental Health Workers.

5. We cannot come to your aid unless a crime is being committed.

6. Call the police.

7. Call the Crisis Line.

8. There is no money.

9. Sounds like they are on meth.

The list can go on, but you get the idea, and I am so truly sorry if you have experienced such blatant disregard in the midst of a Crisis when you needed help the most. 

Excuses carried forth for so long now that it has become the system. False ideals and beliefs to deflect action and responsibility. How will we move away from these staunchly held convictions that we keep re-iterating as if they are true? How? Well, how about we start with not saying them!