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There is speculation about Mel Gibson's mental health after a tape recording of Gibson 's rant against his child's mother, Oksana Grigorieva. Gibson used racial slurs in a heated conversation that was recorded and recently made public at Radar Online (a link is provided below).  Last week, Clarence Thomas' nephew, Derek Thomas, was beaten and tazed in a Louisiana hospital where he was admitted after exhibiting suicidal tendencies. A few months ago when Michael Douglas' son was sentenced to a five-year prison term on drug charges, Douglas explained that Cameron has suffered from emotional problems since his early childhood. Elvis Presley, the King of Rock, was pronounced bipolar post mortem. Many famous, gifted, wealthy people have mental illness to varying degrees, and so do millions of poor and middle class people. In fact, mental illness is one of America's most common health issues. Unfortunately, it is often treated legally rather than medically.

Mental illness is such a common health condition that it affects approximately one in five Americans. Some people have phobias that present no problem for them as long as they do not have to confront the thing that strikes terror in their hearts. Other people have acute mental illness, like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Many children are stricken with Autism, and thousands of elders suffer from age-onset dementia. Some people who appear to be merely alcoholics and/or drug users actually have underlying mental health issues that drove them to those addictions. A study of military personnel and veterans indicates that around 54% of combat soldiers suffer from some level of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But PTSD is not limited to war. Plenty of people who live in neighborhoods where violence is common and adults who were victimized by sexual abuse or brutal beatings during childhood also have PTSD. 

Justice Thomas is reportedly incensed over his nephew's rough treatment when Derek was allegedly beaten and tazed by hospital security staff for not cooperating with an exam. Unfortunately, people who have emotional crisis like Derek Thomas did are often abused. Many people who exhibit signs of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, and other mind diseases find little understanding and sympathy - even from their close friends or family members. Should mentally challenged people be subjected to abuse or imprisoned for being sick?

Prisons are "correctional institutions" meant for (a) public safety, (b) punishment, and (c) rehabilitation. No one can be punished or rehabilitated into a state of mental soundness, and secure mental hospitals offer the same protection to the public from mentally ill offenders in crisis that prisons do. Therefore, it is time for America to end the stigma surrounding mental illness and eliminate the Dark Ages practice of locking sick people away in dungeons. Sadly, 60% of inmates in solitary confinement are mentally ill.  Like diabetes, another chronic health condition, mental illness is a common ailment that most victims can recover from sufficiently to resume wholesome lives with proper treatment.

Mel Gibson has not been diagnosed with bipolar disorder by any psychiatrist to my knowledge; however, Gibson is currently receiving extreme criticism for his actions that might prove to the result of a common health condition - bipolar disorder. Below is an article about Gibson, published by ScumDoctor.com.

Mel Gibson Mental Illness

Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson, popularly known as Mel Gibson, is a famous American-Australian actor, director, producer and screenwriter better known around the world for his Academy Award-winning movies such as Gladiator, Patriot, Apocalypto, Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ.

Keeping aside his professional accomplishments, Mel Gibson is believed by many to be suffering from bipolar mental disorder, a mental illness that is characterized by abnormally elevated moods clinically referred to as mania.

Also known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness where affected individuals suffer from mood disorders. Usually, a highly aggressive behavior is believed to be the most striking symptom of bipolar disorder. On the contrary, people having this disease suffer from intermittent episodes of depression and mania that are separated by periods of normal mood. People suffering from bipolar disorder are prone to excessive consumption of alcohol and substance abuse. In fact, unable to control their emotions or moods, these individuals practice outlandish words and deeds. In case of Mel Gibson, there have been numerous instances where he was arrested form driving car after consuming excessive amounts of alcohol and was reprimanded by the courts for his despicable behavior with the officials at the time of arrest.

Occurrence of bipolar disorder usually begins in childhood. In fact, Mel Gibson had himself acknowledged that he had behavioral anomalies from childhood including alcohol abuse from the age of 13. In spite of making repeated attempts to quit the habit, he has been really unsuccessful. Persons suffering from bipolar disorder experience a regular tendency to commit suicide. Gibson, in an interview in 2003, had said that his despair during his mid-thirties had led him to contemplate suicide.

According to studies, some of the risk factors that can cause this disorder include genetics and environment that severely influence the neurological and psychological state of mind in an individual. Treatment of bipolar disorder is possible. Psychologists primarily rely on medication and psychotherapy for treating such individuals. Medications include usage of ‘mood stabilizers’ such as lithium and sodium valproate. Apart from these, antidepressants and antipsychotic medications are also used. Psychotherapy involves counseling sessions with the psychologist.

The article above is available at the below link, along with other useful information about mental health care: http://www.scumdoctor.com/disease-prevention/mental-illness/Mel-Gibson-Mental-Illness.html  

***A link to listen to Gibson's heated conversation that led to speculation about bipolar disorder is available after the information below.

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MARY'S COMMENTS

Fortunately, if Gibson is mentally ill, he can afford psychiatric treatment. When doctors' visits or hospitalization is needed for wealthy Americans who face short-term psychiatric crisis or need long-term care, they are not denied treatment for the lack of mental health care insurance coverage. Congress recently passed excellent legislation requiring that employers provide mental health care insurance coverage on a par with insurance coverage employees receive for physical ailments (some exclusions apply). However, hundreds of thousands, if not more, acute mentally ill people are unemployed and ineligible for employment due to the magnitude of their disabilities. It may take extensive treatment for them to be able to rejoin the workforce, if at all.  Where is the hospital insurance coverage for them? There is none. And neither was any provision for mental hospital insurance coverage made in the national health care plan that Congress recently passed. Unless some alternative arises, severe mentally ill Americans will continue to join the 1.25 million sick people who are currently imprisoned for inappropriate conduct that arose from untreated mental illness.

The GOOD NEWS is that Americans already has an alternative to imprisoning sick people! In January 2009, Rep. Eddie Johnson (D-TX) introduced a federal bill called H.R.619 to amend Title XIX of the Social Security Act to resume Medicaid insurance for middle class and indigent people who need hospital care. Timely, humane treatment for mental illness would mean less crimes done by and to mentally unstable people. If Congress passes H.R.619, it will reduce prison costs, increase public safety, and end decades of discrimination against mentally challenged Americans. Hundreds of thousands of people who lack the financial resources to be treated in private psychiatric hospitals have been steadily and continuously imprisoned ever since Medicaid was removed for inpatient psychiatric care during the 1970's. They are frequently re-arrested as repeat offenders for crimes ranging from simple vagrancy to assults. Occasionally, avoidable murders happen.

The federal bill that NAMI, Treatment Advocacy Center, and numerous other mental health care organizations and activists support, H.R.619, would help end discrimination against mentally ill Americans. EVERYONE needs a health care plan, including the mentally ill. They need and deserve access to timely preventive and crisis intervention as much as a heart patient does. Furthermore, society needs for mentally challenged people to have insurance coverage. We all shop at the same malls and attend the same schools. The overwhelming majority of mentally challenged people are not dangerous, but no psychiatric patient should die during a lunacy arrest because of denial of health care, and no more children should be murdered by a psychotic neighbor or family member who was denied hospital admission.

HOMELESSNESS, PRISON, AND DEATH MUST CEASE BEING AMERICA'S ANSWER TO MENTAL ILLNESS.

YOU can support H.R.619 to resume Medicaid for inpatient psychiatric care for those who need it by calling or writing your representatives and voicing your support for the congressional bill.  Please visit ASSISTANCE TO THE INCARCERATED MENTALLY ILL (AIMI) at the link below to find out more about the need to decriminalize mental illness. AIMI members believe mental illness should be treated medically, not legally. Thank you for your interest in compassion and equal justice for Americans with mental disabilities.

May God bless Mel Gibson, if he is having mental health problems, as well as Derek Thomas, Cameron Douglas, and millions more people with competent, compassionate care.

*** LINK TO GIBSON'S 'RANT" at RADAR ONLINE:  http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5572180/mel_gibson_rant_on_radar_online_web.html


Mary Neal
Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill
http://www.Care2.com/c2c/group/AIMI  

MEL GIBSON PHOTO