988: Mental Healthcare in Iowa is a reader-supported publication. Paid subscriptions are greatly appreciated and help keep this column going! In late January, the Treatment and Advocacy Center (TAC) released an annual report, “Prevention Over Punishment: Finding the Right Balance of Civil and Forensic State Psychiatric Hospital Beds
The decision for me to go public with my chronic and severe mental health on Facebook and Substack is precisely for reasons such as this. I refuse to hide, even though going public has come with consequences.
I’ve lost friends, and my family has disavowed me, Because of my illnesses. they’ve chosen anger, embarrassment, and an unwillingness to acknowledge and educate themselves about mental illness, and understanding and acceptance of me. I’ve published numerous articles, but received little attention from my peers.
I experienced the public mental health system at its best, when I was at County Road Home, in Linn County, for 18 months. I credit the programming and leadership there for saving my life. Without that intervention I cannot bear to think about how my life would have changed with my severe psychosis, and other severe potential symptoms. Police had come to my home to remove me from my home after weeks of my inability to go outside to see family, or run errands. I was terrorized by things I was experiencing.
The solid coursework at County Home Road helped me find answers to some of the trauma I experienced in recent years. I had no idea that there were parts of my personality that reacted from earlier life hood trauma. I left with solid coursework to constantly revisit and I discharged to a ABBE Center Transitional Living Program for the next 18 months, which still exists.
Right now I’m bouncing between assisted living and back to independent living in an apartment. My biggest fear is being alone with the return of psychosis and not knowing where I can go. Can I go to the hospital? Or will I be able to get an emergency bed? Or will I remain fearful in my apartment, hiding in a closet?
So many people I’ve known over the years with mental health problems died early. Way too early. I wonder about my future.
Watching the dismemberment of the State Mental Health System is a personal pain for me. It hurts me as if someone stabbed me. It’s the State of Iowa aborting me from existence, without any care, thought, responsibility for me as an ill person.
The decision for me to go public with my chronic and severe mental health on Facebook and Substack is precisely for reasons such as this. I refuse to hide, even though going public has come with consequences.
I’ve lost friends, and my family has disavowed me, Because of my illnesses. they’ve chosen anger, embarrassment, and an unwillingness to acknowledge and educate themselves about mental illness, and understanding and acceptance of me. I’ve published numerous articles, but received little attention from my peers.
I experienced the public mental health system at its best, when I was at County Road Home, in Linn County, for 18 months. I credit the programming and leadership there for saving my life. Without that intervention I cannot bear to think about how my life would have changed with my severe psychosis, and other severe potential symptoms. Police had come to my home to remove me from my home after weeks of my inability to go outside to see family, or run errands. I was terrorized by things I was experiencing.
The solid coursework at County Home Road helped me find answers to some of the trauma I experienced in recent years. I had no idea that there were parts of my personality that reacted from earlier life hood trauma. I left with solid coursework to constantly revisit and I discharged to a ABBE Center Transitional Living Program for the next 18 months, which still exists.
Right now I’m bouncing between assisted living and back to independent living in an apartment. My biggest fear is being alone with the return of psychosis and not knowing where I can go. Can I go to the hospital? Or will I be able to get an emergency bed? Or will I remain fearful in my apartment, hiding in a closet?
So many people I’ve known over the years with mental health problems died early. Way too early. I wonder about my future.
Watching the dismemberment of the State Mental Health System is a personal pain for me. It hurts me as if someone stabbed me. It’s the State of Iowa aborting me from existence, without any care, thought, responsibility for me as an ill person.