When Health Care Goes Lacking

The New York Times, Wednesday, August 4, 1999

To the Editor:

A July 31 Arts & Ideas pages article exploring the meaning of suicide and an Aug. 1 Week in Review article on the increasing prevalence of "rages" in the United States are helpful reminders that these behaviors can be two sides of the same helplessness and hopelessness that characterize the responses of vulnerable people to life's fears, losses and challenges.

The denial by many managed-care companies of mental health benefits contributes to the failure to treat such life-threatening problems. As we think about the true costs of managed care, we should consider this connection between the lack of mental health benefits and the prevalence of problems like suicide and "rages."

HAROLD BURSZTAJN, M.D.

Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 1, 1999

The writer is an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.