Ignorance Isn't Bliss!

We live in a society where people don't want to logically and comprehensively examine the facts related to anything they consider to be taboo like addiction and homelessness.  I was speaking to this guy earlier today who said that drunks and addicts like living the way they do or they'd change.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  Millions of Americans are clinically depressed due to early childhood trauma and turning to drugs and alcohol as an escape mechanism.  It doesn't take a genius to understand that trauma and untreated depression (chemical imbalance) can lead to drug abuse and alcoholism as well as to homelessness.  Saying that addicts and alcoholics would be able to overcome their condition if they just wanted to is like saying that the millions of Americans who are obese could lose the weight if they really wanted to.  Mental illness (better described as chemical imbalance) is something we don't want to discuss because as a society we tend to ignore what we find to be unpleasant.  When the body doesn't have the proper amount of vitamins, nutrients, and serotonin motor and cognitive skills are adversely affected.  Many people mistakenly believe that mental illness is contagious and that if we don't discuss it it will just go away.  I would think that as a society we would want to apply the scientific method to mental health, addiction, and homelessness.  Are we our brother's keeper?  Of course we are!  Our view of helping others is a direct reflection on how we view ourselves.  We live in an interdependent society that is only as strong as its weakness link.  A society that doesn't help its weakest members needs to take responsibility for negative conditions that aren't addressed instead of blaming others.