Where is the love?

Healthcare has been a hot button issue lately here in the states. Of course for those of us who live with a chronic illness, it has always been an issue. But with the 2016 election, healthcare along with many other public policies have come to the forefront of the nationwide conversation. And frankly, the conversations have been quite alarming.

There is an overwhelming population of people who believe that healthcare has to be earned. That the right to live is not an inherent right for all humans (even though our US Constitution specifically states otherwise). People feel that if you work hard, pay your dues, and play by the rules, you will A: Stay healthy, and B: Be granted great insurance coverage, God forbid anything should happen to you. This logic is flawed. Chronic and/or acute health issues can happen to anyone, at anytime, for a variety of reasons. As a species, humans don't like to believe this. It creates what's called "cognitive dissonance," which is when we are presented with a reality that doesn't match up with what we've always believed. It therefore causes dissonance, or disruption, so we do everything in our power to ignore the reality and continue on with our faulty beliefs. We cannot reconcile reality with our wishes because it causes discomfort.

Most people grow up hoping or believing that they will have good health. This is normal - it's a positive outlook on life. However, as we grow older we tend to experience certain realities - maybe we're diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, someone we love is in an accident, our parent gets laid off and we almost lose our insurance - and we are able to shift our beliefs accordingly to read more like this: things may not always be easy. Things could happen to us and our family. But for some people, this adjustment doesn't happen. They continue to believe that bad things come to those who deserve it and that healthcare should be earned.

So is the issue that people are inherently bad and have complete disregard for others? I hope not. No, what I think is happening in the majority of cases is that people are simply rigid in their beliefs due to concerns about their own self-preservation. And this needs to change. We need to challenge our beliefs because they are flawed. Yes, it is a frightening reality to accept - that we could be struck with an illness or hit by a car at any time. But we are doing more harm than good by holding on to the flawed belief that we are in total and complete control of our health or our circumstances. It is not reality.

The reality is, every human has an inherent right to live. And for some humans, what they need to live - and live well - is a bit more extensive than what others need. So I challenge you all - what belief do you cling to that begrudges others their inherent rights? How can you start to chip away at that belief and re-frame it?