Ignoring root causes of chronic stress has a cost

This 9/20/22 New York Times article points out that politicians and policymakers prioritize access to care, instead of addressing the chronic stress that triggers and exacerbates mental illness and substance use.

“Solving the mental health crisis, then, will require fighting for people to have secure access to infrastructure that buffers them from chronic stress: housing, food security, education, child care, job security, the right to organize for more humane workplaces and substantive action on the imminent climate apocalypse.”

I would add social isolation to this list…

Over and over again, crisis responses are funded over prevention programs. And the root causes of the chronic stress are ignored. And then we wonder why people continue to die and the workforce is burning out…