I have mental health issues. I'm not ashamed of it. I'm not embarrassed by it. It's not something I've ever felt the need to hide.
It's something you just learn to deal with and manage because it's never going away.
But that doesn't mean that I do not still need help when it comes to mental health.
I can't begin to count the number of times I've had a conversation with friends or family and it has been mentioned that therapy or medication is not an option due to the lack of healthcare and funds.
My mental health should not be determined by how much money I make.
I have been working two jobs consistently for a few years. I am a full-time college student who will be (hopefully) graduating within the next year. I have rent, utilities, WiFi, car insurance and a phone bill due every month. I pay for gas just about every other day. I buy groceries and food when I am able.
I cannot afford to pay out of pocket every time I need to go to therapy.
I know I am not the only person with mental health problems to have this issue – which is exactly THE issue.
Whenever I look up healthcare in my state to see if I can find something I can afford, I just get mad. I get mad that I would have to pay thousands of dollars for deductibles. I get mad that I would have to pay upwards of $100 and $200 per month, just to be able to see a therapist maybe.
I get mad that, without healthcare, I can't go to fairly priced doctor's office without having to pay a good chunk for the copay and THEN for the actual appointment. I get mad that there are men, women and children who cannot afford to live.
The healthcare system is not something easily understood, and I don't understand most of it – I had to ask my mother what a deductible was because I knew it had to be something important for it to cost so much.
However, something that should be easily understood is that we have to kick it in gear and do better. It's so sad to me when I think about how there are people out there that literally cannot afford to get sick.
I live in Alabama, and according to usnews.com, my state ranks number 46 on the list of "best healthcare" in the United States, with Hawaii being number one and Mississippi being number 50. While this is mostly a state-by-state issue, it shouldn't be an issue at all.
Living with mental illness is not something that goes away forever by taking a pill consistently. There are those who need more treatment, whether it be staying at a facility, taking medication or going to therapy. There are so many different ways that mental illnesses can be treated, but they are just outrageously expensive.
For a country full of people who believe our gun issue is "caused by mental illness," we sure don't pay much attention to the mental health of our citizens when we need to the most.
If mental health, and wellness in general, was such an issue to our elected officials, they'd be trying to find better ways for EVERY person in this country to afford the treatment they need.
It shouldn't be about the name of Obamacare, and it shouldn't be about Trump trying to show that he's going to redo what Obama did. This isn't a political game or tactic. There are people out there going to extreme measures because they cannot afford to get help or to fight the demons they face every day.
Our mental health is not a political tactic, and it shouldn't be used as one.
