Yet another reason came to my attention why Professionals will not write those letters specifically asked for!

By Kendall Worth!

 

 
 

In 2019 I interviewed, Josh (as usuial it is not his real name) and published this story in the NS Advocate. Recently I crossed paths with him again. As many of you readers know, one of issues I bring to the forefront through my Journalism, is the issue of people, especially income assistance recipients, getting spoken to by private security guards and police about inappropriate behavior. This usually happens while they feel like they are just minding their own business and not causing trouble. Also as This post here talks about, they are not loitering and they have business being in the public place when this happens. See Here for a clear picture on the Inappropriate Body Language I am talking about.
 

I ran into Josh recently when he was out doing his Income Assistance Cheque Day errands, accompanied by a volunteer. Josh is one of the Income Assistance Recipients who is scared to go anywhere alone other than to Soup-Kitchens and the Food Bank, as I explained here. Josh explained that he saw a recent post about this behavior issue, and he brought to my attention that when he tried to get a note from his doctor to show police or security, his doctor had a different reason, than I suggested, for not wanting to write that note. Josh told me that he and his Doctor had a very long conversation, about why his physician would not right that note.
 

Josh’s Doctor explained that he fears such a note could result in Josh being even more stigmatized. The Doctor gave him two reasons for believing this...
 

First, he explained to Josh that because it is within the job description of law enforcement to approach and speak to you about any complaints they receive from the public, it is unlikely that a Law
Enforcement Officer is going to care that you have a note from your doctor. Josh’s Doctor did understand that Josh was being approached while doing nothing and that being spoken to, while just minding his own business and not causing trouble, is affecting his mental health. A private security guard had, in fact, told Josh that “we do not care about your mental health!”. Another example of stigma.

Second reason Josh’s Doctor gave, for not writing a note, is that without knowing your personal situation police and security might know that there is medication for some behaviors – like dizzy spells, fidgeting, and anxiety attacks -- and would ask about why you do not take medication – even though they have no qualifications to know about you or your medications. You may end up feeling stigmatized as a result of the officer behaving annoyed that you are not on a medication, or it is not controlling your behavior. So what Josh’s Doctor is saying is: 

lets not put you in a position where the stigma directed toward you will be worse Moving forward!