Child Abuse and Mental Health Survivors Information - Issue #112
Involuntary Treatment - Net good or net bad? It might depend on who you ask.
Thank you for reading the Child Abuse and Mental Health Survivors newsletter. Each week I share new blog posts and other resources that aim to help survivors of childhood abuse and those who are struggling with mental health issues feel less alone as we discuss the issues surrounding our issues. If you’ve tried to follow the resources I share on social media and find that the algorithm has decided for you to not show you the things we post, this is the best way to get caught up each week.
For more information about me and why this newsletter exists visit the website - Child Abuse Survivor.
This week the folks at Mad In America, who I don’t always agree with but always make me think differently about mental health care in the US, wrote an article with a headline that was sure to catch my attention:
The War on Suicide Is Making Things Worse
In it, they argue that people reaching out for help who admit to having thoughts about suicide often are treated as though they are criminals for their own safety, which in turn makes the situation worse. They argue that there is a difference between having thoughts and actually carrying through on those plans, in fact, many people have thoughts of taking their own lives but never make an attempt, and don’t deserve this treatment.
On the other hand, especially as more information comes out about what happened in Maine, I’ve seen many people argue that involuntary commitment is too difficult, that someone who is a danger to themselves and others, who refuses to get treatment, or take medications, etc. should be in a facility that enforces that treatment on them as opposed to hoping their family can protect and take care of them.
Which side is right? Neither? Both? Somewhere in between?
I don’t honestly know. It’s hard to make rules out of anecdotes because for every person who got worse after having their lives turned upside down for their own safety, how many got better? For every person who wasn’t involuntarily committed and wound up hurting themselves and others, how many had the freedom to make their own choices and own their treatment? Are those anecdotes more or less important?
It’s probably much more individualistic than we want to admit, because if it is different for each individual case, how do we decide who needs to be involuntarily treated and who doesn't? It’s a difficult decision made in the midst of a difficult situation, and there may not be a “right” way for everyone.
New from the Blogs
Sharing - I'm NOT going to heal everything
I can't go back to the person I was before the abuse, that person was 6-7 years old. What I can do is become the person I can be comfortable with, and grow into the person I would like to be as an adult. That person doesn't have to be perfect and healed in every way that I can think of, he just needs to be the person capable of building the life I want to have.
988 Hotline Struggling with Growing Pains?
What if the operators on the line do get the necessary training and we make all the improvements we can make as we learn how to do this better, and there is just no system to hand the caller off to? Because I feel like that might be the case for some callers. The call is a door to care, but is the follow-up care available?
Shared from Elsewhere
We talk about them all the time, but what are they really? - Intrusive thoughts: What they are and how to manage them
Helping Loved Ones Understand Your Mental Health Journey
This is an important question, Why would I self care, when there is no self love? The actions that we take to take care of ourselves are done from some level of love for ourselves.
Some interesting reading - My Mental Health Hot Takes
A couple of links related to subjects we’ve been discussing recently:
And, an upcoming date to remember - International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is 11/18/23
From the Archives
The Many Ways We Invalidate Someone’s Story
“You were young, you’ll get over it” (Or you don’t remember it that well)
“Are you sure it was abuse?”
“I can’t imagine (abuser) doing that”
“Why didn’t you just leave?”
“How could you have let that happen?”
How Trauma is Like Living Behind a Wall of Water
What you see is water spouting in a fountain, and some vague things behind it. That is a pretty good description of what the world looks like to a child abuse victim, or someone suffering from depression. You can’t see the world beyond the wall of water. It might as well not be there as far as you are concerned, because you have to deal with the water that is right in your face. So you learn to act accordingly.
Sometimes Self-Care Isn’t About The Self
Our culture tends to define self-care in very individualistic ways. Yes, we need to take time for ourselves, doing things like getting a good night’s sleep, eating well, exercising, even the occasional massage, etc. But, we also have to recognize that we all need support as well. Having even a small group of people who can help support us, and whom we can support similarly, is also an important part of self-care. It connects us to other people, which is good for us, it provides an opportunity to be generous, which is good for us, and it helps the other folks in our group too.
Thanks for reading. If you find this newsletter informative and helpful to you, spread the word. That’s the best way you can say thank you for the effort I put in each week.