Sparing a thought for a cause

Comment on "Mental health laws require details" (China Daily, Sept 21)

The realization that mental health is just as much of an issue in China as it is in the United States saddens me. An important issue with mental illness in both countries, as suggested in the article, is that there are no clear definitions of the "mentally ill".

As a college student in the US, I have had a few friends who have suffered from clinical mental illness, some of whom went undiagnosed.

I do not claim to have a vast knowledge of the medical world, but I feel that people who need to be treated properly are not, and too many people are being treated for a disorder or disease that is exaggerated or nonexistent.

The idea that laws should have more details and restrictions is one that I feel we should adopt here in the US. People who are truly intellectually challenged should get more protection so they cannot be taken advantage of. Also, there should not be so much frivolous use of pharmaceutics.

Suggestions in the article like raising funds for mental institutions and getting proper nursing systems are those that the US and the world can benefit from.

China would set a blazing example of awareness and compassion for a group of people who need it very badly. Perhaps if these proposals were made into regulations, the world would listen to and take some responsibility for its intellectually challenged citizens.

Amanda Krenicki, via e-mail

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(China Daily 11/14/2011 page9)