John-Paul Ford Rojas recently wrote in The Daily Mail: “Britain is suffering its longest sick note epidemic for 25 years as 2.7MILLION people claim they are too ill to work and holding back the country’s economic growth in the process” Please read: “People claim they are too ill to work” Meaning: “They are lying and work-shy.” “Holding the economy back:” Meaning:” The current disastrous state of the economy is the fault of all those liars and work-shy individuals.” All following the popular theories. Take Mel Stride, for instance, who declared: “Mental health culture has gone too far.” And “Normal anxiety life is being labelled as an illness.”

For 13 years, under a Conservative government. People suffering from mental illnesses have been subjected to increasing abuse and mistreatment in the forms of Work Capability Assessments, the creation of Universal Credit, with a long process to get first payments, penalising individuals for minor errors, placing them into distressing living and emotional conditions; some losing their lives waiting for support and care, others dying by suicide, pushed to their limits.

UN warns UK government ‘demonises’ disabled people with ‘onerous’ benefits system: “Rosemary Kayess, the chair of UNCRPD, said: “We see a reform agenda that is framed in a political narrative that demonises disabled people, including proposals to cut disability benefits to reward working people by cutting taxes, which tells disabled people they are undeserving citizens.” Later, She adds: “Reforms within social welfare benefits are premised on a notion that disabled people are undeserving and skiving off and defrauding the system. This has resulted in hate speech and hostility towards disabled people.” Indeed, hate speech and hostility towards disabled people have never been higher.

The constant dehumanization of disabled people has been brought a few times now to the UN, but no concrete actions have been put in place for change. As the General election approached, it was clear the Labour and Conservative parties were planning further attacks on their most vulnerable citizens – anyone who was sick, living in poverty, and unemployed. Liz Kendall, Labour’s Shadow Work Secretary, declared on the 4th of March 2024: ” Under the Labour party, if you can work, there will be no options of a life on benefits.” The Standard read as follows: “Labour has promised tougher measures on handing out benefits payments as it sets out plans to reduce the number of young people out of work, education or training.”  If their promise is to support young people to get easier access to work or apprenticeships, that is great, but “Labour has promised tougher measures on handling out benefits” feels like more unnecessary punishment and pressure instead of making sure these young vulnerable adults have a safe and supportive system in place while they work things out and heal. There are plans for DWP to have access to benefits claimant’s bank accounts just to make sure they aren’t lying and committing fraud.

The standards of living in the UK have seriously plummeted, with “The Cost of Living Crisis” and ever-increasing food, bills, mortgage/ rent, etc. Even those who work can’t afford a decent lifestyle. Working doesn’t pay enough anymore. Getting into University puts young adults in debt for most of their lives and no longer guarantees a good job/ life. There is a constant fear of becoming homeless and of losing everything, which all creates stress, anxiety, depression and trauma for parents and their children. Stressed and unhappy parents make stressed and unhappy children. People are struggling to survive: how can they be fully present for their children? These situations create Attachment Trauma. Small and big kids are not getting what they need more than anything: loving, caring and available parents. These little ones will grow up with difficulties such as ADHD, depression, anxiety., and more. They will be labelled as difficult, attention-seeking, and childish.

Adult survivors of child abuse (whether mental, emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse.) have already been through hell, trying to manage a life of total despair. If some get out of the abusive parental home/ or care setting in one piece, they will have more difficulties than others in building their adult life. Some will fit well into society – workaholism and being forever busy are also trauma responses, which are celebrated, but still, these individuals are left alone to carry their pain. Society doesn’t mind nor care if you are struggling as long as you can play the rat race game, even to the detriment of your health and happiness.

For those whose trauma manifests as depression, anxiety and lethargy, having great difficulties even going out in the world, feeling frozen in fear and in sadness, with no one to turn to, and for those dealing with inflammatory illnesses, with chronic pain as well as mental illness, who really can’t “actively participate in the economy”, they are doomed to suffer even more. They are dealing with having to beg for the emotional and financial support they need and deserve. They are more likely to be dismissed by GPs or so-called mental health experts. They are constantly bullied in the news, in the papers and in politicians’ speeches. They are hunted down and pushed to death by DWP – IT IS BULLYING AND PERSECUTION.

Suicide rate rise in England “very concerning, says charity.” Nic Paton wrote, on  8 Apr 2024, for Occupational Health Plus. “In all, 5,579 suicides were registered in England in 2023. In response, the mental health charity Mind has called the figures “very concerning”. Jen Walters, Mind executive director of social change, said: “Even one suicide is one too many. The causes of suicide are many, complex, and vary from one person to another.” She added: “What we do know is we are still feeling the seismic effects from the pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis is continuing to have a devastating impact on society. We must do much more to reverse this.”

 You can read about my own experience of suffering from mental illness as a result of severe child abuse, which was labelled as BPD, and how it has affected my work life on the page – About Sylvie. Suffice to say the messages we are receiving through the media – social, newspapers and News – as well as from politicians: “You are lazy. You are not wanted here. Everything is your fault, and you deserve your “lifestyle”. You are useless to us. You are just pretending to be ill, so you don’t have to work.” resonates strongly with the words I grew up hearing, from my biggest bully: my own mother. It is triggering, cruel and abusive.

Take gentle care of yourselves – it isn’t easy to live in such a cruel society.

Sylvie

You can read:

 – The Office of National Statistics’ latest release, Suicides in England and Wales Statistical bulletins

– On Winter Turns into Spring: The impact our environment has on our mental health.

– I tell my story in The Blossoming Lotus

Guest Post Disclaimer: Any and all information shared in this guest blog post is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in this blog post, nor any content on CPTSDfoundation.org, is a supplement for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers. Thoughts, ideas, or opinions expressed by the writer of this guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of CPTSD Foundation. For more information, see our Privacy Policy and Full Disclaimer.

Sylvie Rouhani

Writer – Blogger – Poet – Mental Health and Child Abuse Activist

Deputy Editor and Journalist for Taxpayers Against Poverty

Author of The Blossoming Lotus”

https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/blossoming-lotus

New Website: Breaking The Cycles

https://breakingthecycles.co.uk/

breakingthecycles.co.uk

Prozac
Zoloft
Lamictal
Topamax
Saphris
Seroquel
Abilify
Zyprexa
Risperdal
Geodon
Restoril
Rozerem
Lunesta
Neurontin
Buspirone
Prazin
Trazadone
Wellbutrin
Cymbalta
Sonata
Effexor
Lithium

When none of these medications worked to cure my relentless anxiety, depression, and fleeting states of mood disorientation, the psychiatrist recommended electroshock therapy for me at age 19. Luckily, another psychiatrist stepped in to review my case and finally noted that the ongoing trauma I had endured during my lifetime was the reason why the treatments were not working. As that psychiatrist had stated to me, “Medications cannot cure trauma. We understand now.”

With the current state of the mental healthcare system in The United States, practitioners continue to be ruled by third-party for-profit insurance companies and the regulations they set for standards of care

With the current state of the mental healthcare system in The United States, practitioners continue to be ruled by third-party for-profit insurance companies and the regulations they set for standards of care. Reckless and motivated by a push to “save money,” cutting costs often costs lives. This healthcare model of immediately diagnosing and pushing medications forces patients to not only lose hope in ever “feeling better” but also creates a stigma that something must be fundamentally wrong with them for medications not to be working effectively. The pattern of this type of treatment establishes the attempt to seek out help and is re-traumatizing, stigmatizing, and dangerous for the patient.

Whether it be an inpatient program, an outpatient program, a therapist, a psychiatrist, or a case manager, all need to bill their hours to an insurance company. These insurance companies regulate what medications are prescribed and what treatment can be given based on the individual’s insurance. The reasoning behind billings to insurance companies is to get reimbursements for their hours – this is how therapists, psychiatrists, and organizations get paid.

I worked for a mental health organization funded by the State of Michigan, which had a grant position paid by insurance companies to “reduce the cost” of homeless and chronically ill patients on Medicaid (even State-funded programs have private insurance companies intertwined in them). This program not only dehumanized individuals to a monetary standing, but it also caused many to be forced to have procedures and treatments done when they did not have a solid foundation of shelter, food, and support needed to be able to benefit from treatment properly. The clients of mine here were sedated on a multitude of medications, none helping the root cause of their situations or inner turmoil. Here, I was playing a direct role, seemingly parallel to the exact harm that the therapists and psychiatrists had done to me. Here, I gained a haunting and gruesome consciousness that there was nothing I could do to truly provide adequate care with the current state of the mental healthcare system.

Money Dominates American Healthcare

The current state of mental healthcare in The United States is not separated from the physical healthcare system. It is a system run solely on the financial gain of large organizations instead of a person-centered approach. As trauma-informed as any practitioner can be, the underlying force they respond to is currently insurance companies. This both stalls healing and is a primary source of overmedication and misdiagnoses.

The rush to diagnose an individual can be seen on many levels. One of the primary diagnoses that are recognized and validated by insurance companies for mental health practitioners is “Bipolar Disorder(s), Mood Disorder, Unspecified.” A multitude of overlapping diagnoses can appear with Bipolar Disorder, Mood Disorders, and Complex PTSD, including, but not limited to:

Mood instability
Aggressive Behavior
Insomnia
Periods of high-energy
Periods of low-energy
Depression
Anxiety
Unstable inter-relational patterns

This practice leads directly to misdiagnosis, overmedication, and a lost sense of identity if the individual is relying on the healthcare provider to make progress in their healing journey

While it is true that CPTSD often overlaps with other mental health co-occurring disorders and morbidities, the push for “bipolar disorder” to be diagnosed instead of a trauma disorder can directly correlate to the insurance companies having a specific mandate on what medications can be provided for this disorder, based on what insurance the individual has. According to this healthcare model, there is now a “Care Plan” for the practitioner, money for the insurance companies, and reimbursement for the provider. On the other hand, if one is to be diagnosed with a trauma disorder, they may continue to be seen by the practitioner (depending on whether the insurance approves the visits). Still, there is currently no pharmaceutical medication that can be used to “treat” trauma. This means that a misdiagnosis not only guarantees more money for the insurance companies but also more money for the pharmaceutical companies and a higher reimbursement rate for providers.

This practice leads directly to misdiagnosis, overmedication, and a lost sense of identity if the individual is relying on the healthcare provider to make progress in their healing journey. Medications used to treat Bipolar Disorder, such as antipsychotics and mood stabilizers, can create long-term chaos within the human body as they affect not only one’s neurological pathways but one’s internal organs as well, shortening one’s life span by up to 20 years, creating an array of side effects, and never fully resolving the issues at hand due to the trauma that has been ignored, and instead replace with medication.

It can be challenging to advocate for oneself during periods of intense vulnerability, such as asking for help. However, it is essential to note that if a therapist is immediately diagnosing and advocating for medication on the first or second visit, this therapist may not be suitable for creating a person-centered, trauma-focused approach to care. During this period of healthcare in the United States being ruled by for-profit companies, we must educate one another on the dangers of misdiagnosis and overmedication.

The Hope for Change

Taking action to separate insurance companies from state and federal-funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare may only be possible if there is a collaborative motion to restrict insurance participation in influencing medical decisions for providers

I had the benefit of a Physician Assistant helping me to get off of medications. She gave me a bracelet that read “freed up” and was soon fired afterward. It took many attempts to find practitioners who were there to hold space for me, to give comfort and care instead of giving me a diagnosis immediately to medicate me. When I was a child, I was told that I would never be able to live off of drugs and that I wouldn’t be able to function. Here I am years later, having not only lived alone off of drugs but have thrived off of medications, traveling to study abroad for two and a half years. 

Taking action to separate insurance companies from state and federal-funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare may only be possible if there is a collaborative motion to restrict insurance participation in influencing medical decisions for providers. A reallocation of taxpayer money can do this to serve social services further. In the meantime, we must advocate for ourselves to be treated with dignity in healing from trauma, seeking out safe social connections, allowing ourselves to express ourselves, to feel safe taking time for ourselves to heal in an environment such as The United States where work-life balance is not yet a reality, and practicing the art of mindfulness. These actions include but are not limited to acknowledging when one is being misdiagnosed, not allowing providers to over-medicate us, and taking note of when a provider is working for monetary gain instead of the betterment of your health.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Emily Larson

Emily is a Certified Peer Support Specialist, Recovery Mentor, and Community Healthcare Worker. Her studies in The United States and Switzerland focused on Alcohol and Addiction Counseling, Social Services, Literature, and Psychology. Emily has been an advocate for mental health awareness and education for over a decade as a patient and professional of the mental health system in The United States. Having grown up with a deep passion for the written word, Emily has cultivated her writing through years of education, blogging, poetry, and other literary works to create, educate, and share the honor (alongside horrors) of the human experience.

emilylarsonwriter.com