quizzer-142-176; krissy

1 - In this section, Vincent talks about how one patient at St. Luke's mentioned using Meth to calm himself down, and that Ritalin wouldn't work anymore. Do you think that we over-medicate children with hyperactivity problems, potentially pushing them towards drug abuse?

I believe that, in America, we do tend to over-medicate our children, but I don't think that medicating them pushes them to drug abuse. That, in my opinion, would be caused by the parents casually overdosing them in an attempt to calm them. That daily overdose would eventually make the drug less effective.

2 - Do you think that a lenient (trusting, personable) doctor is advantageous to a mental facility?

Yes, I think that if a doctor is kinder to his patients, the patients are more likely to respond to treatments. Most people in those situations haven't been given much trust, and to have a person finally give them that back, I believe they'd be more willing to accept what treatments the facility has to offer.

3 - What do you think are the best conditions for someone to undergo "mental healing"? Which of these qualities does St. Luke's possess. Which ones does it not possess?

I think that privacy and structure are essential for healing in the mental capacity. Also, kindness and a sort of freedom (not total freedom, since they are potential dangers to themselves and others). St. Lukes has all of these qualities, except for structure. It seems that the patients are allowed a lot of time to themselves, which isn't productive for them at all.

4 - "Happiness is my right as an American. Not it's pursuit, but it's persistance..." What do you think Vincent meant by that statement, and how does it pertain to her being in a mental facility?

I think that, by that statement, Vincent meant that American's aren't taking control over their own happiness. They expect others to take care of it and ensure their happiness for them. This pertains to mental health in general in the fact that the facilities exist then, only to try and appease the selfishness of Americans and their demand for happiness. They're always going to want someone else to fix their problems for them, and they aren't seemingly taking responsibility for their mental health.