Recently there’s been a great deal of criticism regarding the amount of funding for mental illness.
The province spends $1.3 billion a year on mental health. It is my experience, having been a psychiatric patient in B.C. for nearly 40 years, that the money is simply not being well spent, and in many cases wasted.
In general, treatment seems to be quite ineffective. There is much hand-holding of individuals who may simply be suffering from personal unhappiness, lack of work or ordinary personality problems. Then people with acute needs and severe illness often get neglected or fall through the cracks.
The prevalent use of pharmaceuticals for all mental illnesses seems short-sighted, with many problems regarding side effects. Drugs are also very expensive.
Combining mental and physical treatment could contribute to a more efficient and effective system. Surely, there is much that could be revised, and possible financial gains made.
Lynne Odeh
Victoria