Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

© 2006 Mark Robert Gates

Respect for rights, of all persons suffering with a mental illness, is a new civil rights movement, for our 21st Century. There are many ways to go, many views to see, many experiences to share, many topics, many points and many are valid options, as diversity is the key to success. Everybody is different, and there are no one way treatments, of which, will allow for individuality, and prize each person’s personality.

There are many, new and modern treatments, available we know will work, however, finding a correct mix of medications sounds simple. In reality, it can take years to find an exact type of medication therapy, psychosocial rehabilitation and psychoanalytic therapy, capable of recovery, and returning a person, to a state, of wellness. And, coercion is not an answer, as all treatment, must be voluntary, to be effective.

We are all people, with valid feelings and emotions, and cannot be put into a box. Pegboards used to evaluate, however, give us a good analogy, each person can to be likened to a single peg, and a system of help, must create a peg hole, shaped like each individual, separate person. There are a lot of options, and where we go, will depend on first discovering, where we are, and finding where we are, can take years, and focusing on recovery and a paradigm of a state of wellness, can be difficult, if our society, remains prejudiced.

We are all entitled to, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, however, some prejudices see those suffering with a mental illness, as persons, unintelligent and lacking any cognitive ability, to transform their own lives. We must value each person’s recovery, and a paradigm of wellness, and pursuit of life, liberty, and a pursuit of genuine, happiness, as there are many ways to live, free and happy, and we can all live, free and happy, only, if we do not denounce living, free and in happiness, for others. We all need to stand up, for all person's lives, liberties, and rights, in order to preserve, our constitutional freedom and right, to each live our own lives. It can be difficult to achieve, life, liberty, happiness, and recovery to a state of wellness, if others believe there are persons, who are not entitled, to human dignity, respect and equality. – Mark Robert Gates