We Are All A Little Crazy

May is mental health awareness month, and as a psychology major, mental health and mental illness is a normal thing for me to hear and for me to talk about. But for many others, it isn't. It makes people feel uncomfortable or awkward, and they get the image of a crazy person. This image can vary, but typically, they think of a person who is hearing voices or seeing things.

The stigma that is associated with mental health is saddening. This stigma, comes from ignorance and fear. The judgement passed on people with a mental illness, is in a sense, a mental illness itself. Those who pass judgement are coping with the fear they have, which, in itself, is a defense mechanism. Society needs to learn to look at mental health the same way it looks at other forms of medicine. Your brain can get sick, just like your stomach or your heart. By sick, I don't mean cancer, I mean depression and anxiety. The chemical imbalances are an illness, just as cardiovascular disease or acid re-flux are illnesses.

Mental illness is one of the leading causes of disability in today's world. Depression, the largest mental illness, is the 3rd leading cause of disability. With all the people diagnosed with a mental health problem, filing for assistance due to their disability, you would think that they are being helped. But the sad truth is that most aren't.

Most people don't understand what depression really is. In a talk by comedian Ruby Wax, she describes people's reaction to depression perfectly. She says that when she was institutionalized for depression, people would tell her to "perk up." Jokingly, she says "Because I didn't think of that already." But that is the truth. Those not educated in psychology don't understand that depression is more than just feeling sad. Telling yourself to feel happy or to smile or to move on, is not going to work. True depression is hopelessness. It's not seeing that things can get better. It's a frame of mine that is hard to shake. People who are genuinely depressed, need mental health care.

Vikram Patel is a mental health advocate, and a psychologist who has created a model to help those with mental illness.  In Europe alone, 50% of those with mental illness do not receive the care they need, and once you look at developing countries, the number increases to a staggering 90%. That's 90% of people who are not being treated. That, to me, is insane.

Patel spoke at a TED conference in June of 2012 in Scotland. Here, he described in more detail what I mentioned above. He went on to describe a model of care that involves task shifting. This trains general community members to be able to do specific medical tasks, such as delivering babies or diagnosing particular illnesses. So why not mental health care too?

This would allow those in developing countries that do not have access to psychiatrists, to receive some form of metal health care. Through this model, you can train community members in specific types of psychotherapy, such as cognitive or psychosocial therapies. In his research, Patel found that this community treatment has a high success rate with depression and anxiety. Empowering community members to take control of their lives and the lives of their family and friends is a great thing. Seeing people as people and not as their diagnosis of schizophrenia or depressed, is where it starts, and where it goes, is endless.

While we focus on money and war and water and oil, mental health falls away. I'm not saying those things aren't important, I know they are, but as someone who has been on both sides of the mental health system, I can tell you, first hand, the importance of care. So what do we do? How do we help? I don't have those answers, but I can tell you that I am going to use my degree that I will be getting in 9 short days to figure it out.

Sanitation

Poop. Its taboo, something no one wants to talk about. In today's world, it something we all know happens, everyone does it, yes guys, even us women. But the issue no one wants to talk about in public.

I watched a Ted Talk by Rose George, a specialist in sanitation. In her video, she discussed the lack of sewer systems. 2.5 billion people worldwide do not have an adequate toilet. That's 40% of the world's population. You may think, what's the big deal? But there are 50 communicable diseases that can be transmitted through poop alone. So these people without sanitation systems are at a higher risk to contracting these diseases.

Diarrhea is just one of the problems associated with inadequate sewer systems. 4,000 children die around the world each day from the problems due to diarrhea. Diarrhea is the 2nd leading killer of children, more than HIV/AIDS, TB, and measles combined.

But we can fix this. This a problem we can stop from getting worse and from continuing. History shows us that a flushable toilet can improve mortality rates. In the mid 19th century, Victorian engineers installed sewer systems and mortality rates dropped drastically. The expense is minimal when compared to the $260 billion lost on lack of sanitation.

In class we have spent a lot of time talking about fuel and renewable resources and replacements once we run out of oil. At a prison in Rwanda, 75% of the energy needed to cook, is coming from the inmate's own waste. When the fecal matter is in a tank, it acts as it would in the stomach, and produced natural gas, which can in turn be used for energy. This easily renewable resource is practically inexhaustible, and free at production.

A large part of combating the lack of sanitation is awareness. In America, we are used to the idea of toilets and sewer systems, so going without is crazy to us. But when pooping in the streets is what you know, a toilet is a crazy idea. Its been seen in developing countries when government installs toilets, they go back some time later and find that they aren't being used. People do not realize the problem with pooping in the streets, so they continue to do so even when alternatives are available.

As we have all seen through our own class projects, raising awareness is one of the biggest solutions across the board when combating global problems. Particularly with this topic, one that we see as dirty, no one wants to talk about it. But awareness is a powerful thing. Public awareness leads to political awareness. Awareness leads to discussion. Discussion leads to action. Action leads to improved standards of living.

What are your thoughts? Yes, this is subject we hide, but to make change, we have to talk about the things no one else wants to.

Products of America

            Living in America, you might think the majority of the products that you purchase would be made in the United States, but the last presidential election indicated a different conclusion. Many of the speeches and debates centered around imported goods, especially those from China, and the effect on the economy.           

            In investigating the context on a national level, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in their FRBSF Economic Letter provides stats of the following data: Chinese goods account for 2.7% of U.S. PCE [Personal consumption expenditures], about one-quarter of the 11.5% foreign share. Of the 2.7% of U.S. consumer purchases going to goods labeled “Made in China,” only 1.2% actually represents China-produced content. If we take into account imported intermediate goods, about 13.9% of U.S. consumer spending is attributable to imports, including 1.9% imported from China. (Hale and Hobijn) 

The 2.7% figure is a surprising since the consumer encounters so many items from foreign countries, principally China, in the discount stores. Looking at the numbers of how many products are produced in China compared to America, the U.S.A looks pretty good. It would appear that the manufacturing goods of China really do not dramatically impact America, like we might expect. Before looking more into this, I suspected that the results from sampling small ticket items in a discounted store would show very different results. 

            Living in a small college town only gives you a few stores to choose from when shopping for essentials. There are a handful of major stores to shop at, like Wal-Mart, Big Lots, H.E.B., and Dollar Tree, just to name a few. I need a few things for a family gathering, so I went to Big Lots. It is a discount store, but compared to Walmart, the access is much easier and parking is convenient.

                        My expectations were proved correct by the fact that there were so few American items and so many from other countries. In relation to the small number of American-made products, I noticed that the store arrangement gave much more attention to imported goods.  For example, immediately on your left when entering the store there is a large area of imported pottery, imported art, and imported furniture often from the overflow of stores like Pier One, whose items are almost always from other counties. 

            I predicted when going into the store that items that were made in America were going to be a little higher in price and harder to find.  I also was assuming that most of the items in Big Lots were going to be made by a foreign country. However, I was hoping that I would find a few more American-made products than I did. Big Lots does carry a few bigger ticket items such as furniture, but I did not check those items because I would expect a store featuring furniture and appliances, (such as Sears), to have some USA assembly component on most of the items (similar to what I found with the pillows in Big Lots). 

            Actually, the United States of America makes or grows a variety of items that other countries cannot, will not, or cannot ship. The New York Times reported that about thirty years ago, the United States produced eighty percent of our country’s produce, now it is down to around sixty-five percent, according to the Manufacturers Alliance/ MAPI, an industry trade group.  The stamp Made in U.S.A. is most likely to be printed on heavy equipment such as circuits that go inside other products, toys, clothes, aircraft, missiles, and even space-related equipment. The Times continued 

                      The United States sold more than $200 billion worth of aircraft, missiles and 

                 space-related equipment in 2007, and $80 billion worth of  autos and auto parts. Deere,

                 best known for its bright green and yellow tractors, sold $16.5 billion worth of 

                 farming equipment last year, much of  it to the rest of the world.

                     Then there are energy products like gas turbines for power plants made by General 

                 Electric, computer chips from Intel and fighter jets from Lockheed Martin. Household 

                 names like GE, General Motors, International Business Machines, Boeing and 

                 Hewlett-Packard are among the largest manufacturers by revenue. (The New York Times)

Despite the fact that the United States seems to make more large equipment, the U.S.A still supplies much of the processed foods that our country consumes. We also make a good portion of products used for personal hygiene; for example, soap and shampoo, as well as cleaning supplies and prescription drugs (The New YorkTimes).            

                                                                                                                                                          

            While my purchase indicates that Big Lots carries many more foreign products than American-made, the overall picture presented by Hale and Hobijn does not present a threatening trade balance. This may be due to sectors other than retailing, such as raw materials, autos, or services.  With many bulk or large ticket items being produced within our borders, they appear to balance out the inexpensive products that are being made in China and other foreign countries. However, the job market for unskilled labor or low-tech products could definitely be impacted in the current sluggish economy.      

Cyber Attack

Recently in the news a Dutch man was arrested for the cyber crime of DDoS attack that took down the internet in Spain. This attack not only affected Spain but also America and Britain.  The mans name is Sven Olaf Kamphuis and you can read more about the arrest here. 

I find this article particular interesting especially since our recent class discussion about cyber security. Unfortunately this relates to me in a particularly negative way. While I have not personally had my computer hacked, I have however had my credit card information stolen from me. About two years ago I was unable to make purchases on a card until I confirmed recent activity on my account. To my dismay, there were purchases that I had not made and money was missing. Luckily, the amount taken was very small and the issue was resolved very quickly. However, because it was a cyber crime, the person who stole my card number was not apprehended. To me this is very scary because I am very careful about my online purchases. In fact, I rarely buy anything off the internet nor leave my information vulnerable. 

The reason why I bring up my experience and the fact that the man was arrested by Spanish government, is because of the pressing issue of cyber security. While I am not for censuring the internet and the information that can be accessed by people. I do believe more security needs to be in place to prevent hackers from destroying the internet or more personally threatening, the stealing of personal information.  I have no clue what exactly can be done, but I am not sure the government should monitor everyone. 

Has anyone else had information stolen from them and thinks our personal information should be kept safer?

I SAY NO!!!

A few weeks ago we discussed in class the need for drilling for natural gas and a new technology called fracking. Fracking is the propagation of fractures in a rock layer by a pressurized fluid. Some of the chemicals they use can contaminate water by leakage, and can be harmful to the environment.

I know this has already been blogged about, but last week I went home and learned something very disturbing. Oil companies plan on “dumping” said chemicals and diesel chemicals in to holding pits only 5 miles from my home in either direction. Whats even more disturbing is the fact that the chemicals will be stored in a cliché pit that will have no liner. The reason they will have no liner is because the diesel chemicals will eat away at the liner.

I have talked with several biology professors at schreiner and several governmental groups like the Railroad Commissions to find out exactly how this could impact the environment. The railroad commissioners assure me that the town hall meetings we have been having is gain understanding and express our concerns to prevent the company from obtaining the permits. Furthermore, they assure me that if the company obtains the permits (which it probably will) the EPA will have many requirements for them to uphold.  Having had discussions with my professors, they tell me that it depends on which chemicals they will be dumping if it will be harmful or not, and they believe that the caliche pits will not only not be good chemical holders, but they will also not be good filters for any leakage. 

What I have yet to mention is that these pits will be sitting over an aquifer and if this aquifer gets contaminated, it can contaminate all the way to the gulf of mexico (about 50 miles) affecting hundreds and thousands of homes. I don’t know about the everyones opinion on this, but I am very against this. It can harm the environment, decrease property values, and hurt our agricultural community. 

Please give your feedback. 

U.S Poverty

          In class we have talked about all kinds of issues from environmental situations to technology wars. When thinking about how many countries cannot keep up with technology because of cost, it made me think about how many of those countries are also  in poverty. Not only did it make me think of just the third world countries, it even make me think about all of the Americans in “my own back yard” who are living in poverty right now.    

            In 2010, more than 46.2 million Americans lived in poverty (ABC News). With that number cited there, you might be asking yourself what is exactly does living in poverty mean? According to Yahoo News, The Census Bureau in 2011, defined poverty as "any individual living on an income of  less than $11,139, or any family of four living on less than $22,314. But that measure, developed over 40 years ago, is inexact at best. It doesn't include non-cash benefits-things such as food and housing subsidies—that can play a key role in supporting families. Nor does the Census definition take into account the large differences in the cost of living in different part of the country, or expenses such as child-care" (Yahoo News). The U.S is not the only country being affected by poverty rates, everyone around the world is.

            Poverty in the U.S. does not look as bad when compared to third world countries, like those on the African continent. The U.S. has many safety nets for those in poverty. The U.S. tries and hides the facts to everyone around the world including those in the United States that many U.S. citizens do live in poverty. I believe that we try to hide it because we are trying to live up to the expectations of the U.S. being a strong country, and we do not want to show weakness. Although the U.S. tries to hide it, the government also has many different ways of helping families out that are in need. For example, the U.S. sets up subsidized housing, welfare programs such as food stamps, Medicaid, and WICS for single mothers and infants.

            The children of America are very important to the government, and it also provides multiple ways to make sure that every child that attends school does not go hungry while learning. The government does not want to punish the children for their parent’s economic status, so students whose

parents do not make a large income can receive free breakfast and lunches. This program (The National School Lunch Program) helps many children in public, nonprofit private schooling and residential child care across the nation. This program keeps some kids from starving. A number of children only get those two meals a day from school because their family cannot afford to buy food.          

            One question you might be asking yourself, is race an issue in the total number in poverty? I did find the percentages of people on welfare by race, as of 2012. The list included Blacks first at 39.8%, then Whites at 38.8%, then Hispanic at 15.7%, other ethic groups at 3.3%, and Asian at 2.4% (Statistic Brain). 

            Living in poverty can also be a mental state. It is up to the families as to how they are going to live, and not every family is up to working hard and getting off welfare. Welfare to some is just an entitlement replacing achievement. A major factor that I think that helps explain most poverty in the United States is that lack personal motivation. For example, some kids who live with their families have too much family support when it comes to money, so when they have to go out in the real world, they end up failing. Other things to consider are the dropout rates, the availability of care programs that we have to offer, and the economic class system. It all goes back to lack of motivation, without motivation to do anything, you just get stuck in poverty and rely on the government for a handout. Poverty in the United States will never be eradicated but “stuck in poverty” has more to do with mental state than monetary state.  

Spreading of Technology

I will be discussing the programs that give computers to third world countries.  It seems like a great idea and there are a lot of positives but what are some negatives?

A negative could be that it exposes the children to different types of cultures and the older population might not be ok with that.  Also, if the government of the nation does not like what is being looked at on the computer that too can cause friction between the population and the government.

What are your thoughts on these type of programs? Are they all good?