Regarding the Monday letter on bipolar disorder, “With help, illness can be overcome”:
Where is the help? You cannot overcome what you cannot afford. It is great to go to a psychiatrist (if you can afford approximately $250 an hour) to get diagnosed, but just because you’re found to have bipolar disorder does not mean that you have the insurance to cover the very expensive medicine to keep your mental illness in check. Someone very close to me was diagnosed five years ago. She is in her early 20s, but without insurance she cannot afford the over $100 a month prescription for just one of her medicines.
In order to get insurance you must get a job that provides insurance because the state does not see bipolar as an illness worthy of prescription coverage. If you know anything about bipolar disorder you know that most people afflicted with this illness suffer depression, anxiety, abuse alcohol and/or drugs and have a great deal of problem staying focused long enough to get a job, let alone keep it, without the help of medication.
Nothing is done because this is a “mental illness” and we don’t treat mental illness like we treat physical illness. The majority of people believe that it’s all a crock anyway (the person really isn’t bipolar, it’s just an excuse for his/her choices).
As long as people continue to be naive instead of researching facts on mental illness and providing the help needed like we do with other disabilities, we as a country will continue to reap the consequences of the actions of those who suffer from it.
I agree that when the correct medication is taken, the difference is amazing, but being aware really doesn’t mean anything if you’re unable to do anything about it.
Julie Barbeau
Lynnwood
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