According to the Internet and various other sources, things have been going downhill for a while now. Not just individually or for a few people, but for American society as a whole and beyond. It was widely touted that 2016 sucked. That tradition carried on into 2017 (though some were a bit more light-hearted in their censure of another year of continued suckage). And this is just stuff like celebrity deaths and politics and general malaise. It hardly even takes into account mass shootings, terrorist attacks, wars, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, migrant crises, Zika, and the collective anger of millions upon millions of women who decided they were tired of being groped, harassed, raped, and humiliated.
On the whole, studies say the world is actually getting more peaceful. However, the last year or so has seen some declines, particularly in the Middle East and the United States. Part of that does seem to be influencing the trend of perception occurring here, and I don’t see our politics or our people being less divided any time soon.
So as 2018 dawns, what can we look forward to? Well, more of the same, it seems.
The former Team USA gymnastics doctor is being confronted in court by many of the 98 children he subjected to abuse and molestation for decades (on a related note, how brave are those women standing up and telling him what a piece of shit he is? I am in awe).
California seems hell-bent on sliding into the ocean a month after it set itself on fire. Props for being self-aware, I guess?
People who have lived in the U.S. for decades are being deported to countries they don’t know or remember. And somehow, this is surprising many of the people who voted for the people who promised to do it.
Oh, and in case we were missing the celebrity death portion, Cranberries’ lead singer Dolores O’Riordan passed away suddenly on January 15th, crushing a whole generation of fans from the 90s and beyond. Seriously, I am–to borrow a phrase that might be more English than Irish–absolutely gutted. I came of age listening to their music and adoring her unique, beautiful voice. The sudden death of a talent like hers leaves a hole in the hearts of more than those who knew her. Through her music, we all knew her.
Even more poignant is the fact that Dolores battled mental illness for years after suffering sexual abuse in childhood. This so closely mirrors what happened to a very close, very dear family member of mine that hearing about it has stirred up an echo of the pain my family has gone through–and continues to go through–since we learned about it in late 2016.
The last year and some change has produced a series of complicated ups and downs, seemingly more of the latter than the former. Every week and sometimes every day brings a new drama or misfortune into our lives. It’s been hellish to watch it all unfold and know there is little we can do to help. Those of you who suffer from mental illness or see it in the lives of friends and family will no doubt understand. Few things are more devastating than watching someone’s mind turn against them. It’s difficult to understand how terrible and insidious such a thing can be until you suffer from or witness it firsthand. Now, though, I feel like my eyes have been opened. So many people struggle with depression, anxiety, bipolar, BPD, and a host of other disorders. The facts are sobering, and we should all be concerned.
1 in 5 American adults have a mental health condition, more than the population of New York and Florida combined.
While many people have access to mental health services thanks to expanded insurance pools and Medicaid (which our government is even now hoping to dismantle), 56% of Americans do not receive treatment for mental health issues.
Maine, the state with the best record, still has a 41.4% rate of adults without treatment.
This is a silent epidemic. Too many people suffer under the stigma of mental illness. Too many do not have access to or the means to pay for treatment. My own family member is lucky. They are at least employed and insured, but even then there are medications that are simply unaffordable to the average person. It’s sobering to realize so many of our fellow citizens don’t have any options at all, and in a country as wealthy as ours, that is absolutely unacceptable.
So here’s hoping 2018 sees a continued rise in awareness, particularly when it comes to issues that affect so many of us. I hope Dolores has found peace and rest, and I hope that with treatment and care, the millions afflicted with mental illness can do the same right here on earth.
Katia Cole 