In the realm of mental health care, you might think that the primary goal is to support and uplift individuals, ensuring they receive the care they need to thrive. But, alas, welcome to the strange world of Telecare, where participation in absurdly irrelevant group activities becomes the linchpin of whether you keep a roof over your head or find yourself out on the streets.
Telecare insists that we, the mentally ill and vulnerable, must attend three groups a week, or else we risk losing our housing. Sounds simple enough, right? A few therapeutic sessions here and there—what could go wrong? But the devil is in the details, and the reality of these groups is far from therapeutic.
The Telecare Group Lineup: Art, Cartoons, and TV
Let me paint you a picture: You're dealing with serious mental health issues, and you're told that attending an "art" group is your ticket to stability. But rather than therapeutic art sessions guided by a trained art therapist, you're stuck with a bunch of aimless doodling exercises led by a Gen Z college grad who probably took a single elective in gender studies.
Next up, we have the "cartoons" group. Now, don't get me wrong, cartoons can be fun and even therapeutic, but when you're struggling with complex mental health issues, watching SpongeBob SquarePants might not exactly address your needs. And of course, there’s the TV group—because nothing says mental health support like binge-watching Friendsreruns with a room full of strangers.
The Reality Behind the Groups
The real kicker? These groups are often run by young Gen Z college graduates who, while no doubt enthusiastic, lack any significant background in actual psychology. They might have aced their gender studies class and watched a few TED Talks on mental health, but when it comes to understanding the complexities of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe depression? They’re completely out of their depth.
This mismatch between the needs of patients and the expertise of group leaders is more than just frustrating—it’s dangerous. We’re not just talking about people seeking a bit of social interaction; we’re talking about individuals who need real, evidence-based interventions to manage their conditions and improve their quality of life.
The Consequences of Non-Compliance
But here’s the most absurd part: If we don’t attend these groups—groups that offer little to no real therapeutic value—Telecare will remove our housing and make us homeless. Imagine that. Your entire housing situation, your safety, and your well-being hinge on whether you’ve attended enough art, cartoon, and TV sessions run by someone who’s just trying to pay off their student loans.
This is not mental health care; this is a game of absurd bureaucratic hoops, where the stakes are terrifyingly high. It’s a system that punishes the most vulnerable among us for not participating in activities that do nothing to address the very issues that brought us to Telecare in the first place.
The Need for Real Solutions
What we need are real solutions—real therapy, run by real professionals, tailored to the needs of those who rely on Telecare for support. We need group leaders with actual psychological training, not just a passion for pop culture and a degree that barely scrapes the surface of mental health.
Until Telecare wakes up and realizes that their current system is more about ticking boxes than actually helping people, they’ll continue to do more harm than good. And we, the patients, will continue to be caught in the crossfire of a system that’s supposed to help us but instead holds our lives hostage over art, cartoons, and TV.
by Dan and Bonkers
CALL ALL LOCAL OFFICIALS AND TAKE DOWN TELECARE!!!
SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS NOW!!!
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