9 AUGUST 2024I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT OVER TIME, THERE WILL BE IMPROVEMENT THAT WOULD TOUCH OUR SOCIETY AT SO MANY LEVELS IT WOULD BE EXTRAORDINARY, NOT TO MENTION THE REDUCTION IN COSTS RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT SPAN FROM MILD DEPRESSION TO MORE EXTREME FORMS OF MENTAL ILLNESSwith yourself and the world around you (DBT). It seems to me that these are all skills that would allow any individual to maintain a better degree of emotional stability and resilience, not to mention better decision-making and a potential host of other positive benefits.The other program that has fascinated me, is the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) twelve step program. Having attended a number of AA meetings, I was initially, and continue to be fascinated at the level of self-introspection and self-discovery that many of these individuals demonstrate. In attending one of my first meetings, I was constantly contrasting that with what I experience so often in the workplace and other life settings. In those settings it is more often a litany of blame, excuses, and victimhood. Religious overtones aside, I must imagine that taking an intentional approach to this type of self-assessment would be a good thing for all of us to do on a regular basis. So, my approach to better mental health for all? Create a curriculum based on CBT/DBT and the 12-step program, which begins in kindergarten and continues through the end of every undergraduate program. Educate and teach children as they grow up, how to effectively cope with what the realities of life will bring into their lives. All schools, across America, no exceptions. I would like to believe that over time, there will be improvement that would touch our society at so many levels it would be extraordinary, not to mention the reduction in costs related to mental health issues that span from mild depression to more extreme forms of mental illness. It is obvious that the current approach is not working. Efforts are variable in terms of success, billions of dollars spent every year related to mental health, and the problem is only getting worse. While we continue to make incredible strides in the treatment of more severe mental health issues with interventions such as intranasal ketamine, deep brain stimulation, and collaborations with the neurosciences, we are missing the opportunity to create a significantly larger volume of emotionally stable and resilient human beings through a more initiative-taking approach. What do we have to lose?
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