If the author of this article thinks it is then you should here my story and maybe the author would change their tune.

Kenneth

Alexandra Locke
Assistant Producer, The Stream

We cannot even clearly define the meaning of ‘mental health’ because the mindset of the absurd modern civilization disregards serious indications of mental illnesses, besides disregarding the tragic situation of those who live under unbearable life conditions. They can only become mentally ill, since their life is a hell.

This means that the problem is even worse than what it seems to be when you pay attention only to what happens with the financial support that should help the mentally ill, but is spent in a different way.

Despite having a lot to say from our own experience, there is indeed a lack of participation of Latin American psychologists. In the case of my country, institutions and decision-makers lack resources and interest in fostering mental health, let alone supporting professionals for research, publication and intervention; above all, the political origin of this perspective is a delicate subject that touches some nasty wounds. I’m currently in Chile, also prolific on the subject due to nearly two decades of dictatorship. There’s more interest and more resources but in the end, commiting to this approach requires highly critical thinking of the system and of one’s own professional practice, and most importantly, it requires taking sides (even being neutral is taking a side, implicitly). Not an easy task.

I reposted this article in my psych blog with a link back (http://bit.ly/PHGHpU; free translation, since the readers speak spanish). Thanks again for this post!

This is what I find so discouraging about most mental health treatments… Band-Aid individualistic solutions to what is often a societal or environmental problems.

Maybe these “professionals” should be required to spend 6 months living in the conditions of their patients before they’re permitted to treat or study them.