Letters to the Editor

November 2005

Dear Editor:
I am not surprised at the reaction of people all over the country to the thoughtless editorial by the Waterbury Republican American questioning the wisdom of rebuilding New Orleans. When reading the editorial section of our largest area newspaper, I often wonder what city they are located in, as they rarely have kind words for Waterbury or the people, civil servants and businesses that are working hard to restore it to its earlier grandeur.

Thanks to their editorial, Waterburians and all citizens of Connecticut will be the target of even more vitriol when traveling down south. It was not bad enough that we have been called citizens of the "corruption state," now we will be called citizens form the "couldn't care less" state.

And, no, "saving the editorial for another day" is not an apology and shows their continued insensitivity and close mindedness to the facts put forth in the rebuttals. It is time the members of the editorial staff at the Rep-Am left their ivory towers and took a good look at the real world where the rest of us are living.

Michele Larocque
Wolcott

Dear Editor:
Since the first week of October was Mental Illness Awareness Week I am inclined to address the subject. As recently as one hundred years ago, people who were insane were literally chained to a stake twenty-four hours a day; currently treatment is more humane, but ignorance and apathy about this social problem is rampant. Too many people still think mental illness and mental retardation are the same illness. Prisons, jails, convalescent homes, half-way houses, homeless shelters, and social clubs are filled with people who are diagnosed as mentally ill and/or addicted; many are languishing away their precious lives, those in the prisons and jails often receive no treatment at all. Recovery from these illnesses and addictions has become a popular idea; recovery is fine but one has to overcome denial first. It has taken me decades to realize that I am responsible for who I am! During those decades I was not consciously aware I was living in denial, but with hindsight I now know that I certainly was entertaining serious delusions about myself and life in general. To recover I believe one must "heal thyself;" this divine motivation must come from within oneself. Bill Talbot's recent article in this paper expressed a very positive, hopeful outlook on recovery; he mentioned the values of having gainful employment. I applaud his ideas.

I recognize social progress when the President of the American Psychiatric Association publicly admitted that there is no scientific test available to check for mental illnesses. But on national TV we have Tom Cruise dismissing the fact of postpartum depression-been there, done that. So, do not believe Tom Cruise. And just because there is no hard, cold measure for the different mental illnesses, the aberrant behaviors, sensory hallucinations, religious delusions and personal suffering are very real-been there, done that. My weekly attendance at a Twelve Step Alcoholics Anonymous meeting helped me to take responsibility for myself event though I never have had a problem with excessive alcohol drinking. Therapists and psychiatrists have been and continue to be my "leaning posts" on my life's journey. My daily doses of psyche medicines are a major factor in my ability to function as well as I do. Faith in God continues to be my ace in the hole though. When the local radio talk show refers to people like me and my peers as "looneys", our plight to reduce stigma takes a serious hit. I have been one of the lucky ones; I feel I recovered. I can empathize with my peers who are currently stuck in locked wards, jails, prisons, halfway houses, mental hospitals, shelters, rest homes, group homes and social clubs and their own denial. Their family members are suffering also.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is an excellent resource for support and education on this topic. The telephone number for the state affiliate is 1-800-215-3021.

Antoinette Jalbert
Waterbury

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