Disclaimer: I know in my efforts to tell the truth as I see it I can be a bit too direct, sometimes offensive, and normally I am pretty apologetic for it. Today’s blog is an exception due to recent events, and I hope that if this challenges you in anyway you will call me out on it immediately and/or show me how I might be able to improve the way I express myself. Believe me when I say I’m open to correction.

First of all, apologies are in order. Due to recent health issues, both mental and physical, I have not been able to keep up with You’re Not Finished, advocacy, and even my paying day job. I’ve also become just short of a hermit due to my overwhelming desire to not be a burden on anyone I love or admire, all while keeping the appearance when I am in front of my peers that everything is fine… or at least it will be, and that I can handle whatever is being thrown at me.

At any rate, in the last 4 months I have been to 5 different doctors for 3 different reasons. All of those doctor visits resulted in the prescription of various drugs. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not 100% against medication. The thing is, however, it should not be the “go to” solution for every single problem. All 5 doctors… all 5 of them prescribed different medications. Some for the same problem. All without looking to prior medical history. To drive the point home further, all they did was ask me how much pain I was in and touch the problem area in question a little bit. Each appointment lasted anywhere from 5-20 minutes. To their credit, they did ask me if I was allergic to anything. For the record, I am but apparently that allergy does not hinder the pill pushing er… I mean the long process of carefully prescribing the correct medication. THANK THE MERCIFUL LORD (sarcasm emphasized).

What this implies, to me, is that certain doctors would rather not conduct any research on what kind of treatment is good for any given patient. Contrary to popular belief, everyone is different, so what works for one may not work for the other. Doctors are paid, and paid well might I add, to know that and put that concept into practice… at least I thought so. I mean, one can only hope that they are in the business of curing ailments/illness, not creating repeat patients. Or of creating solutions, not more problems. Right? We do have the option of refusing to take medications but in a nation of quick fixes, it is rare that you will find someone who will say no to prescribed meds; especially when they are handed out so easily. This could, essentially, put a cocktail of potentially dangerous, harmful, and/or addictive drugs in the hands of someone who has a mental illness or is dealing with the spirit of depression/suicide/anxiety and lead to a suicide attempt. Amazing.

Then there is another problem I have, which is the ease that comes with buying a weapon online. With the recent suicide of Matthew Warren* and the information that he was able to buy the gun that he used on the internet with such ease, it prompted me to do a bit of research. I wanted to see if it was just as easy for me to buy a gun (even though I’m not allowed to do so because of my suicide attempts until 2016). Not to my surprise there was a PLETHORA (potential understatement of the year) of information on how to buy a gun online, in my state, and websites where I could do it if I wanted to in spite of my restriction. The fact that there is easy access to guns could lead and has lead to suicide attempts. Yet people refuse to acknowledge this! Amazing.

So what is the solution? Putting people with mental health disorders in some kind of protective bubble would be stigmatizing them and blaming THEM for the fact that there are some professionals who are making it easier for them to kill themselves. So let’s establish limits on prescriptions and gun control. Then we could lose the freedom we have to own guns and pop pills. I mean, let’s face it… some people prefer that method of treatment.

The truth is, I really just want to provoke some thought from the people who make the world we have to live in. We can make it better by acknowledging sickness, living by moral standards, promoting service, and exhibiting self-control. To create the change we would like to see in the world. We are all works in progress and there is hope for everyone to make a change for the better. I can only imagine how good we would look if we all took the focus off of ourselves and took each step… one at a time.. to make this world a better place.

Be the change, survivors. Peace and blessings to you all.

*Thoughts, prayers, and condolences to Rick Warren and his family for the loss of their loved one.