The Missing Element in Health Care Reform

As I watch the throngs of people disrupting constructive debate on health care reform, I cannot help but realize that these people are doing the country a favor. They are reminding people nationwide that there is one element missing in the reform proposals currently being considered.

Where is MENTAL health care mentioned? These people are clearly in need of treatment. Their behavior is irrational and developmentally impaired. They have a tenuous grasp of reality. There is a strong aspect of megalomania and other delusional manifestations. These people are behaving like mentally and emotionally challenged pre-schoolers. They only want to vent their opinions and prevent the opinion of others.

I'm sure that students of psychology will some day view the tapes of these people at town meetings as part of a deviant behavior class study. They will target one or two specific people in the crowd, analyze the person's body language, spoken language, and behavior toward those who do not share their delusions. Sort of like Jane Goodall studying video tapes of apes in the wild.

Perhaps the punch and refreshments served at the town meetings could be laced with lithium, Sam-E, or ludes. Just enough to take the edge off. To compensate for skipped meds and skipped counseling sessions.

If these people are not off their medications and playing hooky from therapy, then our next focus will have to be on education reform as well as a program on civil behavior and civic responsibilities for citizens in a democracy.

The rule of thumb in psychology has been that if the individual is not a threat to themselves or the public, they will not be institutionalized. But when you watch these people, you realize that they are a threat to the public. They have effectively denied the application of effective debate in the democratic process. This hurts everyone. those for health care reform as well as those against it.

Now that these people have reminded us of the need to address mental health as a part of the comprehensive health care reform package they can return to their medications, psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists. They can be proud of the service they have done for future mental health patients of America!