Letter: Playing catchup

Mental illnesses are biological brain illnesses. They should be treated as such.

If someone develops liver cancer, that organ no longer functions properly, producing symptoms signaling the need for proper medical treatment.

Similarly, if someone has a biological brain illness, that organ no longer functions properly, presenting symptoms including changes in behavior signaling the need for proper medical treatment.

But in this country, we don't do that. When changes in behavior occur as a result of brain illness, we instead judge and stigmatize the person's behavior rather than treat it medically. Instead of getting them to the hospital for treatment, medical testing, medicine, surgery and positive support, we send these folks to jail, not realizing that their behavior is the result of a malfunctioning brain, not because they are "crazy," "nuts" or "evil."

Our country is centuries behind on our approach to no fault biological brain illnesses.

Louis S. Guagenti

Arlington Heights