![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
essentialsaltesBedlam: An Intimate Journey into America's Mental Health Crisis
by Kenneth Rosenberg, MD
A while back I watched the PBS documentary and Kristen mentioned there was a book. Dr. Rosenberg is not just a psychiatric expert, but also lived the experience of his sister struggling with severe mental illness. It was an interesting experience having seen the documentary first, as some of the same patients are profiled, and I could vividly picture some of the situations being described in text.
Disturbing and depressing as the book is, Rosenberg has a few recommendations. I'm not entirely sold on his idea to make it easier to commit people involuntarily, but it's also clear to see the problem of getting sick people to volunteer, due to the sickness itself, and the mind's ability to discount that it is sick. More obvious and acceptable is the idea to stop treating mental illness with criminal incarceration. I don't think it's anybody's intent, but the jails and prisons are the default 'care' in many cases. I think the one fact that sticks out most in my mind is that there are limits to how many beds a hospital can have dedicated for mental illness in order to qualify for Medicaid reimbursement. No more than 16 beds. Naturally this creates scarcity - when the beds are full (and they are) there is no way for new patients to get treatment.
However, there are no such limits on prison beds.
---
A Master of Djinn
by P. Djèlí Clark
The book won the Nebula for Best Novel. I found it entertaining, but not that outstanding. In a world where the djinn have returned, an agent of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities has to deal with murders, secret societies, a mysterious figure, and magic being flung back and forth hither and yon. And possibly the end of the world. In some ways it recalled City of Stairs, which I faulted for having too perfect a heroine. And for somewhat the same reason, although at least Fatma gets beat up a bit more.
---
Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
Merciful All-Father, this game is enormous. I usually explore every little sidequest and thingummy, but there's just too much. As absorbing as the game was, it literally started to wear out its welcome. I won't really knock it for that, because I got at least 2 games' worth of enjoyable content out of it. On we sweep with threshing oar.
And you can pet the cat. That's really all I need.
by Kenneth Rosenberg, MD
A while back I watched the PBS documentary and Kristen mentioned there was a book. Dr. Rosenberg is not just a psychiatric expert, but also lived the experience of his sister struggling with severe mental illness. It was an interesting experience having seen the documentary first, as some of the same patients are profiled, and I could vividly picture some of the situations being described in text.
Disturbing and depressing as the book is, Rosenberg has a few recommendations. I'm not entirely sold on his idea to make it easier to commit people involuntarily, but it's also clear to see the problem of getting sick people to volunteer, due to the sickness itself, and the mind's ability to discount that it is sick. More obvious and acceptable is the idea to stop treating mental illness with criminal incarceration. I don't think it's anybody's intent, but the jails and prisons are the default 'care' in many cases. I think the one fact that sticks out most in my mind is that there are limits to how many beds a hospital can have dedicated for mental illness in order to qualify for Medicaid reimbursement. No more than 16 beds. Naturally this creates scarcity - when the beds are full (and they are) there is no way for new patients to get treatment.
However, there are no such limits on prison beds.
---
A Master of Djinn
by P. Djèlí Clark
The book won the Nebula for Best Novel. I found it entertaining, but not that outstanding. In a world where the djinn have returned, an agent of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities has to deal with murders, secret societies, a mysterious figure, and magic being flung back and forth hither and yon. And possibly the end of the world. In some ways it recalled City of Stairs, which I faulted for having too perfect a heroine. And for somewhat the same reason, although at least Fatma gets beat up a bit more.
---
Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
Merciful All-Father, this game is enormous. I usually explore every little sidequest and thingummy, but there's just too much. As absorbing as the game was, it literally started to wear out its welcome. I won't really knock it for that, because I got at least 2 games' worth of enjoyable content out of it. On we sweep with threshing oar.
And you can pet the cat. That's really all I need.
