In this article, my intention is not to take a stand on the current health care debate in the United States. Those readers who know me probably know my views on the health care issues. However, as a professional counselor and a writer on issues related to mental health, I do not feel that this column is an appropriate setting to express my political views.
Despite all of this, I believe that there is at least one aspect of the health care discussion that is not debatable. The current U.S. health care system leads to a lot of emotional stress for employed and unemployed Americans alike. I planned on discussing research exploring the relationship and correlation between the current U.S. health care system and associated stress.
However, I was shocked that I was not able to find any research or discussion on the subject. Therefore, I hope that this article serves as a comfort to those people who are stressed by our current health care system, a recognition that your stress is being recognized, an awareness that you are not alone in being stressed out about health care and also a resource that will provide coping techniques.
Given my current line of work, people are oftentimes surprised to learn that I was an economics major in college. I found economics interesting and a great way way to develop keen critical thinking skills. However, there were basic assumptions inherent in economic theory that I found flawed. One major assumption, was that consumers are rational about how they spend their money and buy goods and services. However, I questioned if consumers actually spent in a manner that led to maximum value from their money? It seemed to me that people often spent money on goods and services that they did not even need, and certainly did not make them happier. C’mon, is buying an $80,000 Hummer or a $100 pair of jeans really going to make a person’s life that much better?
Inter-generational rifts. They seem to occur all the time; in the family, the home, out in the streets, in the halls of Washington DC and in the workplace. I’m guessing you experienced inter-generational rifts growing up, and at times probably still experience such a rift. Think back. The Baby Boomer’s of the 1960’s being labeled as too radical by older generations. Parents and grandparents being flabbergasted by the baggy clothes that permeated the 90’s. General differences continue to exist today, which makes sense, given people are partially a product of the time period they grew up in.
