The crime of being ill
Although there has been progress towards treating addiction as an illness and a consequent focus on treatment and drug court, it remains easy for many to react to the acutely negative symptoms of the illness with judgment and blame.
Again this morning I was reading a local newspaper account of the arrest and criminal charges again 4 people. According to the article several facts were established:
The sheriff of the county In which they were arrested is quoted as saying: “Just another sad case of people who’s got kids and not making it(it a) priority to take care of the kids and, to me, I know and don’t and all my deputies don’t care who you are, “he said. “If you don’t take care of your kids and we’re going to make sure that they are taken care of. And if so, we’re going to put you in jail…There is nothing more valuable that our children…”
I am not suggesting the sheriff and the deputies are bad people. They do not make the laws although they can have a role in changing the laws. Obviously, when parents are unable to take care of their children we, as a community, need to lend a helping hand. It does need to be easier to lovingly assume responsibility for the care of children when the health of the parents does not allow them, relatives or, hired help (for those who can afford it) to treat the children as the sacred people they are. The assumption seems to be that the adults have choices and the children do not. Any illness which affects how the brain functions can affect both the physical and/or mental ability for their caretakers to adequately care for themselves and their children. No one chooses to have an illness. Many people have poor diets, get little exercise, have no emotional or spiritual health care practice and, yet, manage to retain custody of their children. Many people with alcohol and other recreational/mind altering drugs and do not get addicted or even dependent on them to function. Many people are born with a built-in switch which says stop drinking or using other mind-altering drugs when one has other responsibility at home, work or in the community. Many people are learn effective, safe coping mechanisms from parents, teachers, and others.
No one decides to have an addictive disorder or other mental illness. One may decide to drink, use other mind-altering drugs, seek repeated escape through sexual encounters, chase money, things or power as a way of attempting to cope honestly believing that they can make a decision to stop and change courses if and when the behavior negatively affects their ability to function. The non-addict can do this with relative ease. The addict brain cannot do this because it is so altered or because they never learned the skills to deal with life on life terms. It is a fact that humans and other animals will take care of themselves the best they know how and/or the best they car with how their brain is functioning. If the ability to make decisions is acutely affected by an illness then others in the community need to be able to step in and provide treatment and whatever assistance is needed, In the case of the 4 children the sheriff and his deputies found, they need to be removed and taken to a hospital. As the sheriff said the children are valuable. What the Sheriff did not say was the 4 adults are also valuable. They need treatment. If any one cannot respond positively to treatment then they may need long term care, and possibly supervised visits with the children. In some cases the children may need to be permanented given to another community member(s) to raise.
It often seems as if as children become adults they are no longer valuable unless they are free of illness which affects their cognitive ability – free of mental illness and other medical condition which affect the brain - the right color, religion, gender, sexual orientation and can enhance the lives who those who already have already have what they need to function.
It is long past time that we use what science has confirmed; many factors affect how the brain functions and how and when someone may need a hand up; not labeled a criminal and treated as a bad, worthless person. We could easily be that ill person.
Written July 27 2019
July 27, 2019
coachpickett.org
Although there has been progress towards treating addiction as an illness and a consequent focus on treatment and drug court, it remains easy for many to react to the acutely negative symptoms of the illness with judgment and blame.
Again this morning I was reading a local newspaper account of the arrest and criminal charges again 4 people. According to the article several facts were established:
- 4 children ages 1 -7 were not being cared for and, in fact, had what appeared to be infected bug bites and showed other signs of mistreatment and neglect.
- There was clear evidence that there was drug abuse – hopefully just by the adults.
- There was clear evidence that the 4 adults arrested were unable to care for the children or themselves.
The sheriff of the county In which they were arrested is quoted as saying: “Just another sad case of people who’s got kids and not making it(it a) priority to take care of the kids and, to me, I know and don’t and all my deputies don’t care who you are, “he said. “If you don’t take care of your kids and we’re going to make sure that they are taken care of. And if so, we’re going to put you in jail…There is nothing more valuable that our children…”
I am not suggesting the sheriff and the deputies are bad people. They do not make the laws although they can have a role in changing the laws. Obviously, when parents are unable to take care of their children we, as a community, need to lend a helping hand. It does need to be easier to lovingly assume responsibility for the care of children when the health of the parents does not allow them, relatives or, hired help (for those who can afford it) to treat the children as the sacred people they are. The assumption seems to be that the adults have choices and the children do not. Any illness which affects how the brain functions can affect both the physical and/or mental ability for their caretakers to adequately care for themselves and their children. No one chooses to have an illness. Many people have poor diets, get little exercise, have no emotional or spiritual health care practice and, yet, manage to retain custody of their children. Many people with alcohol and other recreational/mind altering drugs and do not get addicted or even dependent on them to function. Many people are born with a built-in switch which says stop drinking or using other mind-altering drugs when one has other responsibility at home, work or in the community. Many people are learn effective, safe coping mechanisms from parents, teachers, and others.
No one decides to have an addictive disorder or other mental illness. One may decide to drink, use other mind-altering drugs, seek repeated escape through sexual encounters, chase money, things or power as a way of attempting to cope honestly believing that they can make a decision to stop and change courses if and when the behavior negatively affects their ability to function. The non-addict can do this with relative ease. The addict brain cannot do this because it is so altered or because they never learned the skills to deal with life on life terms. It is a fact that humans and other animals will take care of themselves the best they know how and/or the best they car with how their brain is functioning. If the ability to make decisions is acutely affected by an illness then others in the community need to be able to step in and provide treatment and whatever assistance is needed, In the case of the 4 children the sheriff and his deputies found, they need to be removed and taken to a hospital. As the sheriff said the children are valuable. What the Sheriff did not say was the 4 adults are also valuable. They need treatment. If any one cannot respond positively to treatment then they may need long term care, and possibly supervised visits with the children. In some cases the children may need to be permanented given to another community member(s) to raise.
It often seems as if as children become adults they are no longer valuable unless they are free of illness which affects their cognitive ability – free of mental illness and other medical condition which affect the brain - the right color, religion, gender, sexual orientation and can enhance the lives who those who already have already have what they need to function.
It is long past time that we use what science has confirmed; many factors affect how the brain functions and how and when someone may need a hand up; not labeled a criminal and treated as a bad, worthless person. We could easily be that ill person.
Written July 27 2019
July 27, 2019
coachpickett.org
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