I have experienced something very similar to what hesperis has described. And she is right about this... sometimes the solution to the problem comes with taking better care of people and making sure that their physical needs are adequately met.

Having said that, I also wish to say that the situation with regard to the lack of adequate resources for mental health care (at least in the U.S.), is a self perpetuating scenario. This is, in part, because of the attitude held by insurance providers, that drugs can fix everything.

I am currently a student, working on my bachelors degree. My long term goal is to get a masters degree in counseling (if my body holds out that long). One of the classes I am taking this semester is a senior level course in Counseling Psychology.

People, you need to know that we, the mental health professionals of the future, are being taught in the classroom that we should expect to have a difficult time providing adequate mental health care to those who need it, because the insurance companies won't pay for it. Believe me, this is a BIG issue in my Counseling Psychology class. And this situation exists, in part, because of the reliance on medications to solve all problems.

What mental health professionals want the insurance industry to know is that while medications can be effective, to some extent, they don't entirely replace the need for good mental health care.

If you care about whether or not you, or your loved ones will be able to recieve good mental health care in the future, if you need it, you need to make it known to those who can do something about it. You need to let them know that you want both kinds of help available through your insurance provider. (And that includes medicaid and other social services kinds of insurance).

By "those who can do something about it", I mean your elected government officials.

Carol