A Dangerous Son

I had an opportunity to watch this documentary on treatment of, or lack there of, for mental illness in this country.  The reason it caught my eye is due to the number of mass shootings that are occurring and the tie to mental illness in 99% of the cases.  We always focus on the guns and never delve into the person's mental illness.  This show will give you and indepth look at the "other side" of the coin!

One in 10 American children suffer from serious emotional disturbance and more than 17 million have experienced a psychiatric disorder. A Dangerous Son focuses on three families in crisis, each struggling with a child’s severe mental illness while desperately seeking treatment in the face of limited resources and support, exposing cracks in a system that fails too many families, with potentially devastating consequences for the child or for others.

A Dangerous Son highlights the cycle of counselor visits, medications, hospitalizations and encounters with law enforcement common to many children and families grappling with psychiatric disorders. The guilt and isolation parents feel can be overwhelming, as is the constant worry that their child may harm himself or herself, or others. And while treatment can greatly improve the outcome, appropriate care is often a luxury available only to those who can afford it, or who happen to live in states with free or affordable treatment.

Highlighting the importance of encouraging dialogue and the importance of providing care to those in need, mental-health experts and advocates interviewed in the documentary include: Dr. Thomas Insel, former director of the National Institute of Mental Health; Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree; Virginia state senator Creigh Deeds, whose 24-year-old son Gus stabbed him before killing himself; and Liza Long, author of the essay “I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother,” who speaks about her own struggles dealing with her son’s mental health crises.

It was very frustrating to watch realizing this countries mental health system is ridiculously stupid, inadequate and inapt in managing psychiatric care for our children and adults.  It's absolutely deplorable. It lacks ability in ways you just can imagine. Leaving thousands of people stranded without the needed help they could obtain to improve these children's behavior and keeping them from ending up causing the destruction of innocent lives in our schools and on the streets.

The effect that it has on the families both parents, siblings and other family members is absolutely horrendous. Families have to focus 99% of their time on the troubled children leaving the other children feeling abandoned and lost.  

It needs to be noted here that this show is very hard to watch, particularly the explosive nature of some of these kids in scenes.  I guarantee you will be appalled at watching their behavior - its gut wrenching!.  However the program did an amazing job of bringing to light the serious need for a huge improvement in our mental health system if we're ever going to get through this massive problem.

Unfortunately I think this is only on HBO ON DEMAND and AVAILABLE UNTIL SUN, JUN 10.  It may show up on Amazon or Netflix in the very near future.