Montreal-- The confinement of the mentally ill in society today is shocking. Since the beginning of recorded history, there has always been an interesting tale concerning the captivity of who were once considered 'the damned'. Only now, in the twentieth century have scientists proven that mental illness has nothing to do with one's social status, religion or hygiene. Psychosis is a genetic symptom that is literally encrypted in people since birth. So why is it that people today still confine the mentally ill as if they were savages? The answer is simple: people today cannot cope with the responsibility of caring for a mentally ill person.

It's true, of course, that the emotional stress of caring for someone with a mental illness is tremendous, but it's a proven statistic, that 83% of all people with any type of handicap (whether it be mental or physical) have a higher chance of stable recovery if they are surrounded with the care of their loved ones. Dr. Jean Grey stated, "It's almost as if my patients push themselves to do better if [they] have someone 'cheering them on'. It's like an incentive to recover: they can spend more time with their family, and not a nurse who knows them as patient number X."

Of even greater importance, continual love and support "make patients feel wanted and cherished". 97% of all suicides among the mentally unstable are due to a lack of support from family and friends. Dr. Grey affirmed, "I've seen a lot of patients suffering from psychosis in the Sacred Heart Hospital confinement area. People are melancholic, in pain and are terrified of being left alone. Yet, when a family member shows up, the patients' entire world lights up." By continually visiting mentally ill patients with an upbeat and cheerful attitude, the loneliness and isolation they experience disappears, leaving behind a person that yearns to recover.

Finally, by caring for a mentally ill patient at home, you can save up to 100, 000 dollars a year. The average price of a respectable hospital range from 150, 000 to 250, 000 dollars a year, not including the cost of medication or accessories (IE a wheelchair). As well, in hospitals, there are roughly three patients confined in a room with one nurse per five patients. Furthermore, a recent statistic has proven that 62% of all 'special confinement' nurses aren’t even trained to care for the mentally ill! So, by caring for a person suffering from psychosis yourself, not only do you save money, assist in their recovery and keep them from depression, you also aid them by hiring a specialized nurse that truly knows what they are doing while caring for your loved one.

It is true that people nowadays cannot handle the responsibility of caring for an ill person. Yet think. If the mighty emperor Caligula, stricken with mental illness, could make his horse the General in his army, and still be respected and cared for, then why can't the mentally ill today be treated the same way?

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