Whatever happened to Belleview?

 

Whatever happened to Belleview?

Remember the song “They’re coming to take me away” by Napoleon XIV recorded in 1966? Most of us laughed and sang along. For those who don’t remember or never heard this song, click on the link below to check it out.

They're Coming to Take Me Away - YouTube

I am no expert on mental health but I do know that mental illness is no laughing matter, in fact it’s quite serious. While this song was popular about a man losing his dog and slipping into madness, we aren’t laughing now. Whatever happened to institutions that I euphemistically call “Belleview?” Belleview, that shining white hospital building on a hill that offered beautiful views to ease the mind of the mentally insane, excuse me, mentally challenged – that’s better. That place where the nursing staff dressed in white and all the doctors wore white lab coats. That place where those who needed psychiatric treatment could seek help for things from ineffective coping skills to full-on manic episodes and illnesses. For further reading about what happened to our institutional mental hospitals and the impact this has had on our society, please click on the links below.

Deinstitutionalization of Mental Hospitals

Ethics of deinstitutionalization of mental hospitals

Did closing mental hospitals contribute to homelessness

I recall working a summer job in an institution such as this before I went on to college. To get to my department, I had to walk through a seemingly ancient part of the hospital corridor through a dungeon-like network of caves used long ago for patient care. Like a horror movie, this corridor was left as a reminder of the archaic practices of healing the sick that occurred way back when. It was a dreadful walk that aroused my curiosity and imagination about the kind of care the patients must have received. Times have changed, thank God, but attention to care is sorely lacking. 

Today we are left to try and understand the silliness of “cancel culture,” the senseless random acts of mass shootings, conspiracy theories that get people thought up, the rise in cult organizations, the craziness of our political systems, the meltdowns within our homes from lack of social interactions, and on it goes. I’ve even heard from those of our younger generation who say that the issue of mental health is the most important issue they face today. Today’s uncertain future and the need for normalcy have had an effect on everyone. The stressors of living today are enormous. After having said all that, is there a reason to wonder why this is? Yes!

So, where are we headed? You ask?

Mental illness is not something that leaves when you enter a door at work, at a theatre, shopping mall, or grocery store. No. It follows you around like a bad smell. We are very possibly surrounded by sociopaths, psychopaths, narcissistic and borderline personality disordered people without knowing it. Sure we all have an occasion of neurotic episodes that quickly pass with a Valium pill, but what I’m referring to are those extremely ill psychotic events that cry out for help.

There are so many in need of mental assistance the likes of which cannot be solved through lectures from a British Prince and his wayward wife. Severe illnesses cannot be addressed through self-help books, Wikipedia, or online YouTube influencers. In fact, some of our institutions of higher learning are teaching students ideologies that many would call borderline insane. Critical thinking has gone out of the proverbial window. So where do our students turn when indoctrination takes hold and parents seek intervention or the lack thereof? Many of our young are suffering silently from what I call ‘soft mental issues’ and don’t know where to turn. This is a sad commentary on our inability to solve so many of the societal atrocities which we are witnessing. 

As a comedian once asked, “Whatever happened to crazy?”

Why can’t we find a way to bring Belleview back? When will we recognize that atrocities are not caused by influences in music or video games but by an act of insanity that has long gone undiagnosed? Satellite mental health facilities are excellent but sorely inadequate when it comes to long-term care. Are our current hospital systems enough? Do they have the concentrated expertise to treat and isolate those in severe need of treatment? I wonder. It used to be that one could be picked up on the street by a mere phone call from a concerned bystander and taken to a mental institution for evaluation. It used to be that a parent or sibling could contact medical authorities at a mental institution and arrange to have a family member taken for mental evaluation and treatment. Now we leave it to police, prisons, and social workers to take care of suspected individuals, often long after a crime has been committed or when it's too late. 

Let's get back to 'soft' mental issues for a minute. What about those? There is an insurgence of suicide, loneliness, runaways, drug use, homelessness*, domestic dysfunctions, etc. Most, if not all of these issues, are addressed through a plethora of governmental programs. But these ineffectual programs only exacerbate the problem because they serve as a panacea designed to keep those in need dependent on the very programs they say are there to help. These well-meaning programs are not designed to cure the sick, but to help them live with the problem.

On the flip side of this coin, is the shame of reaching out for help.

There is no shame in seeking mental help or the need for therapy. Like an addiction to drugs or alcohol, the step in acknowledging that help is needed for a mental problem is a huge one. It takes courage to seek help. How daunting it must be to determine if what you think and/or feel is a borderline mental issue. I can only imagine the stigma one must feel when faced with the possibility of seeking help. How others will label or think of them if discovered that they've sought help. The feeling of shame can be overwhelming but consider the alternative. Being bullied at work or school, financial struggles, hateful social network comments, peer pressure, dysfunctional family dynamics, drug abuse, etc. can lead to feelings of losing control or wanting to act in ways that may be detrimental to the self or others. 

So what to do?

I think we have a responsibility to address the needs of those who seek to remain productive members of society, be it through effective eldercare, disability care, shelter, social interaction, or mental health. To be mentally healthy is to address so many issues that eat away at our quality of life and purpose. How we see the world and ourselves in it is paramount to overall wellness. Mental health therapists are often expensive options that most insurances don’t cover. Consider a retirement-age person on Medicaid or Medicare; the options are few. Many of these problems cannot be solved by average citizens, oh no. As illustrated in the links above, our government is culpable in the demise of our robust mental health institutions and should step in to resolve the myriad of issues this has brought. 

In the meantime, how can we help? 

Engagement is a necessary tool. In these days of isolation and exclusion, reaching out seems more foreign than ever. But necessary! We are social animals and need interaction to feed our souls and usefulness. Without it, we can easily feel lost and alone. Loneliness can lead to all kinds of mischief and detriment to our well-being and mental health. Until we can once again physically touch and feel others we miss, know, and love - we have to utilize other measures. In this day and age, technology can be our friend. Zoom calls abound, but how many of us use this tool to reach out to our loved ones to say, “Hi, how are you?” Very few, I would guess. It’s important. A phone call is good, but sometimes a call is not good enough, although necessary in its own way. Face-to-face communication through Skype, Zoom, Duo, and Google Meets, can resolve so many questions about another person's welfare that a voice through the phone cannot. You’re able to see that person, judge the countenance, eyes, appearance, smile, etc. Anything that gives a barometer of how life is affecting them in this time of isolation shutdowns is important. Vice versa can be said for those in need. Reach out. If family and/or friends are not available, there are clergy, and helpline personnel who can provide directions to seek help, if need be. 

Don’t suffer alone.

The madness in our streets, shopping malls, and other areas where crime is rampant have to stop. Of course, there are many reasons that lead someone to commit a crime, but that is not the focus of this post. The focus is on the severe mental illness that has gone undiagnosed, which can lead to crime. However, homelessness due to mental illness, helplessness, loneliness, and suicide can be readily remedied. I think the first step to solve this is to recognize, seriously recognize, that an institution of mental health is very much missed and needed today. 

This is a depressing post, and I apologize in advance, but something needed to be said about the decline in our social values. I cannot say that it is all due to mental health issues; I can’t. I am only one person on the inside looking out. And what I see and hear is alarming.

~ DaMarie

 

Photo courtesy of Tim Mossholder

*Disclaimer:  This post pertains to those suffering from mental conditions or substance abuses that has led to homelessness. It does not pertain to those without shelter due to circumstances beyond their control. Many homeless are without shelter due to financial difficulties or other unfortunate circumstances, which can include entire families.