Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/04/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I find it amazing that the majority of people still think schizophrenia means "multiple personalities". The majority of homeless folks are the formerly institutionalized schizophrenics, as noted earlier. Modern drugs work well, but only if you take them.... Phil On Apr 8, 2009, at 9:36 AM, Steve Barbour wrote: > > On Apr 8, 2009, at 7:29 AM, Lawrence Zeitlin wrote: > >> >> On Apr 8, 2009, at 3:52 AM, Gene wrote: >> >>> I'm not sure why you consider the US opinion of the homeless as >>> being ignorant. ?It is certainly the last thing I think of and the >>> same goes for most people I know. ? I also do not see it as a >>> mental health issue, but more of a economic issue. >> >> I'd like to support Chris on this matter, as least as regards many >> of New York's homeless. Fifty years ago most of New York's >> obviously mentally ill were institutionalized for treatment at >> considerable expense to the state. With the concurrent advent of >> psychologically theraputic drugs (tranqulizers, anti depressants, >> anti psychotics) and New York City's financial crisis (You remember >> the headlines. "President Ford to NY 'Drop Dead' ") the city closed >> most of the institutions, opting to treat the ambulatory mentally >> ill on an outpatient basis. It was assumed that visits to >> neighborhood clinics plus drug therapy would suffice. But the the >> patients were mentally ill. They often forgot to visit the clinics >> and take their medications. Within a year or two most were on the >> streets, unable to find work, living on doorsteps, sleeping over >> warm air subway grates. Admittedly there are many people homeless >> because of economic conditions but a substantial number of the >> homeless in New York are there because of decisions made in the >> mental health system a generation ago. > > absolutely true, the term that was used optimistically back then for > de-institutionalizing all of these unfortnate people ... > > > was mainstreaming, > > > Steve > > > > > >> Safety nets and homeless shelters have been put in place but still >> many people chose to live out their life on the streets. > >> Larry Z >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information