Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Talking Over Mental Health

 I saw this today....PEW study from 3 years ago.

Question went to men and women....if your doctor came up and suggested that you had a mental health condition.  

Around conservative guys....age 18 to 29....around 15-percent of guys said 'yes'.

Around the group at age 50 to 64...it came down to like 8-percent.  

Female conservatives?  They maxed out around age 30 to 49....around 20-percent.

Liberals?  Well....double.  Why?  No one really knows. 

Throughout my Air Force years....18 to 40....no one ever asked mental health questions.  Somewhere around 53, I went to a regular doctor and the nurse asked three questions related to mental health.  I asked why and she just responded it was a regular thing they did in this clinic.

Last year, I ended up at a Air Force clinic....this time the airman nurse must have asked eight questions that went to mental health.  It kinda felt like some Baptist revival episode.....if you wanted to admit you were mentally impaired (I responded no).  Then she rephrased the question.....'no' again.  Then she rephrased another way.  'No' again.  

I then asked....I just came here for blood pressure medication.  Why the questions?

She responded....it's on their 'to-do' list now.

I've contemplated the idea of admitting I was four-star 'Alabama-crazy'....meaning I keep four hunting dogs in the backseat of my Rambler, or I sip whiskey out of a paper-cup all day, or that I've memorized 1,200 lines of scripture from the Old Testament.  But I'm not sure if the nurse would take me crazy or just suggest I was 'faking' it.

If I did admit such....should I admit I'm liberal, moderate, or conservative?  Or should I bring up my revolutionary feelings?

Part of me wants to believe that mental health clinics are getting low on patients, and that this is an attempt to draw new business for the side business.  

Toward August of this year, I'm supposed to show up for my yearly check and the new prescription business.  I would imagine the mental health thing will come up again.  I probably should stick to the 'no' business.  

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