"There but for the grace of God go I." I recite this to myself often as I consider how lucky I am, through circumstance or chance or maybe even due to a higher power or purpose. Then again it could just be pure, dumb luck that I was born into a loving, supportive family. Luck that I was given everything that I need to live a life of comfort. Not everyone is so lucky.
Is it strange that I should be writing about luck? After 20 plus years
battling depression and anxiety, I feel lucky? OK, maybe I am not super pleased
that I have had to walk this path. But I am incredibly grateful that I have the
means with which to equip myself for the battle: family support; access to a team of
health care providers which has included, at various times, a psychiatrist and psychologists; a generous employer
provided benefits package (expensive meds that are at no cost to me);
and a roof over my head & food in my cupboards.
There is no doubt about it - treating mental illness comes at a cost.
If I didn’t have everything that I have described above, I would be on the
streets like so many poor souls. Souls just like me. These are people who have illnesses
that should be treated, can be treated. But, sadly, aren’t. This is the world
that we live in in 2013. Did I mention that I live in Vancouver, Canada? The
same Vancouver that was recently listed as one of the most livable cities in
the world. I think we made it into the top three. Yup, that Vancouver.
Vancouver really is a pretty great city and I adore it – I couldn’t
imagine living anywhere else. I was very proud when our mayor and chief
constable recently announced jointly & publicly that we are facing a
crisis, a crisis of severe, untreated mental illness in Vancouver. Obviously I
am not proud that this is a crisis but I am really pleased that our top leaders
are saying that this is not OK. We can no longer turn a blind eye to what is
happening in our own backyard. Unfortunately, British Columbia’s Health
Minister, Terry Lake, doesn’t agree.
In an op ed piece in the October 17, 2013 Vancouver Sun, Dr. Kerry Jang
writes that Lake’s response was that we have a “problem, not a crisis” and that
“more study to understand the scope of the problem” is needed. So the three
studies already completed weren’t enough? Hmmm.
I am not an expert in mental health issues and the policy changes that
need to happen in government. But I do know that the three studies, along with
the statistic that one in three police calls in Vancouver is mental health
related means one thing – it’s time for action. Let’s take what we have learnt,
think innovatively, and perhaps use some of that money that must be sitting
around for Minister Lake to throw at yet another study and eliminate a crisis.
Let’s do what we can to help those who suffer from addiction & mental
illness.
Tonight on the news there was a story about Vancouver’s missing women
and memorial paving stones to be placed in the downtown East side in their
honour. One of the clips showed the name and birth date of one of the murdered women:
Sarah De Vries - May 12, 1969. That’s my birth date.
I Googled Sarah and her story is a sad one. A sex trade worker, she
suffered from addiction and her life ended tragically at the hand of Robert
Pickton. "There but for the grace of God go I."
So yes, I am damn lucky. And because of that I cannot remain quiet and
do nothing. That would be a life full of gifts wasted. Yes, there is a cost to treating mental illness. But should there be? For what is the cost to society if we don't treat our sickest?
KB xo
Want to help out somehow? There are some easy ways to get involved. First of all, become educated and challenge assumptions and stigma when you hear them. Check out the Canadian Mental Health Association or Partners for Mental Health to learn more or to find out about volunteer opportunities.
Vancouver has two wonderful organizations that help out the mentally ill in Vancouver's downtown east side and can always use donations of money or needed items: the Union Gospel Mission and the Kettle Society
