But mental illness is a deeply uncomfortable subject for people. And Kaczynski, railing against any suggestion he is insane, basically made it clear that he'd rather be executed than face the possibility that he has a problem with his mental health. In this confessional society, we will talk freely about everything from our breast implants to our near-death experiences, but God forbid that anyone find out we once visited a shrink. That people as beloved as Abe Lincoln or as talented as author William Styron have suffered from mental illness, that the vast majority of mentally ill people are not violent, doesn't seem to make the stigma go away. Joel Sunkin, a veteran psychologist in Downey, says the fear of prejudice is one of his patients' most common concerns.
Personal prejudice translates into public prejudice.
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Justice civil rights division likened the mental facilities at the Los Angeles County Jail to something out of medieval times. In California's board and care homes, schizophrenics and elderly people undergoing therapy have, in the past year, had to fight just to keep the meager counseling benefits they receive via Medicare. Two months ago, when researchers from the Rand Corp. and UCLA found that employers could bring mental health coverage into parity with other medical coverage for just a dollar more per worker in premiums a month, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce blew them off with the lame rationale that even a tiny cost is too much. The tragedy of all this, of course, is that study after study shows that mental health care works. Imagine the burdens that would be lifted if we put the health of our hearts and souls and minds on a par with the health of the rest of ourselves.