The documentary film "On the Edge: Mental Health in Utah" examines the issue of mental illness in Utah. It shares personal stories of those suffering from multiple mental illnesses and how the middle class often struggles the most to afford treatment. The film shows that jails have become housing for the mentally ill due to a lack of support from the government system. Proper medication and treatment are needed so that the mentally ill can live safely and be less likely to turn to criminal behavior or dangerous street drugs without support. The film highlights the seriousness of mental illness and the need for improved and affordable care to benefit both individuals and society.

1. On the Edge: Mental Health in Utah
Watching the video “On the Edge Mental Health in Utah” was a very interesting
film. The film clearly gives personalexperience of people suffering with multiple
mental illness. The film expressed how mental illness has been under looked if
you are not rich or extremely poor. The middle class find themselves in the
hardeststruggleon trying to maintain oneself or their loved one’s illness
affordably. Many explained how jail has become the new housing of people with
mental illness. Our systemseems broken into combining criminal behavior with
mental illness. Although I believe no crime should go unnoticed, it seems more
often that the mental ill are predominately in our rehabilitation system. The
problem lies on proper medication or supportin our government system.
Everyoneshould be able to treatment so we all can live in a safer environment. If
people suffer froma mental illness as bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, PTSD,
acute anxiety disorder or any other disorder they should be evaluated upon
awareness and be prescribed proper medication to cope in society. The rage and
confusion that stays inside a person’s mentalillness without proper care can be
unpredictable, uncontrollable, and violent in nature. People who can’t afford
proper medication usually tends to resortto dangerous streetdrugs, which
increase our crime rates and suicide rate.
There is no cure for mental illness, but there is proper medication to help people
stay balanced and maintain some sortof control. 230K Utahan suffer frommental
illness and are not receiving the proper care. Increasejail, suicide, and hospital
bills come from the low funding we receive fromour governmentto treat the
illness. This video gives great insight on a growing issuewithin our society. I
believe the governmentneeds to come with better solution to better our
communities. Itstarts with affordable treatment and proper medication. When
one is under proper care they are less likely to turn to criminal activity.
The film “On the Edge: Mental health in Utah,” is a great documentary film that
gives information over the big issuein surrounding a major concern in our society.
Itis important for people to stay talking to a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist,
M.D, of any sortto get proper treatment. Unfortunately, somedon’t realize they
have a problem until it’s too late. People don’t beg to be mental ill so they should

2. not be isolated in society but instead nurtured back to health and given some
purposeof positive life. Although there are people who don’t want the stigma of
being “crazy” they fight their condition and end up in jail or near death. The
essential point is mental illness is a serious condition and can be hazardous
around others. Mental disorders/illness should always bepriority to treat so we
can all live in a safer world.