Readers Write: Depression, elderly care insurance, pharmacy benefit managers, government

Opinion editor’s note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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Regarding the story “Love, loss and ketamine” from June 9: First, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to former Star Tribune columnist Jon Tevlin for having lost his wife and best friend. Second, I would like to congratulate his courage in exposing and expressing the all-to-common emotional debilitation of depression and hopelessness. Third, I want to say thanks for shedding light on a possible path out of darkness and a return to hope in one’s life.

The best to you, Jon, and all facing similar darkness.

Robert Backberg, St. Cloud

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Jon Tevlin’s moving account of his experience with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) resonated deeply. As a psychiatrist, I’ve witnessed the profound benefits KAP can provide for those struggling with treatment-resistant depression, anxiety and grief. It has proven to be one of the most effective tools in my practice.

Tevlin’s story highlights ketamine-assisted therapy’s potential, especially when conventional treatments fall short. His courage in openly sharing his personal journey helps destigmatize these innovative approaches and may inspire others to explore alternative paths to healing.

While KAP requires careful screening for safety, it represents a promising development in mental health care worth exploring with an open, evidence-based mindset to help people heal. I commend Tevlin and the Star Tribune for contributing to this important dialogue and raising awareness about additional options like KAP for those who have not improved through traditional psychiatric offerings.

Erica Burger, Ferryville, Wis.

The writer is an integrative psychiatrist at Driftless Integrative Psychiatry.

Thirty-one years ago, my husband and I predicted that by the time we’d need long-term care insurance we’d be too old to fight for it with a recalcitrant insurance company (”Elderly care insurance in crisis,” June 9). I remain self-insured.

This is another instance of U.S. big business breaking the law and hurting people for profit. From Big Medicine to Big Pharma to Big Farming, we can’t trust the businesses we’ve come to rely on. And hard as we try, it’s almost impossible to return to local vendors and institutions for all our needs. The lack of business ethics vis-à-vis customers is one of the many crises of the 21st century.

Elaine Frankowski, Minneapolis

Regarding “They kept this Minnesota slaughterhouse running. Then it went bust, abandoning guest workers” (StarTribune.com, June 13): One would hope that the Democrats who currently control Minnesota would care to do something to ensure that these lawful, temporary immigrant workers (on H-2B visas) receive their W-2s and other official documents, in addition to payment of their final wages.

Some corporate spokeswoman’s statement really isn’t enough, and the DFL ought to realize this.

Karl Olson, St. Louis Park

The devil is always in the details. Our anti-establishment friends in the Republican Party are not wrong in their disgust and anger with the way our government is currently functioning — or not functioning (”Anti-establishment GOP notches victories,” June 9). I suspect that very few Americans think that our government, at least on federal and state levels, is working properly. The question is why? Is it due to corrupt political parties? Is it caused by too much influence by big money? Is it a result of a Constitution that in several ways might no longer serve the purpose of a large, diverse, modern society? Or is it simply the wrong people in office for too long? Some combination of all? Without answers to these questions, it is a fool’s errand to try and solve anything.

One thing I am sure of, however, is that we need to find smart people who are dedicated to working together to solve problems. Proposing well-intentioned but poorly suited people will only make it worse. We need people who are focused on the country’s problems, not their party’s. We do not need people bearing extreme positions in either direction or a conspiratorial mindset muddying the waters.

I have sympathy for those who are tired of the same old, same old in government. I do not, however, have sympathy for those who want to impose solutions that might be much worse than the problems they seek to solve. (Nor people who send letters in support of insurrectionists.)

Vote wisely; our freedom is at stake.

D. Roger Pederson, Minneapolis

Why are media outlets giving former President Donald Trump a pass on his latest crazy, nonsensical, non sequitur, bigly false ramblings? On Sunday at a rally in Las Vegas, he told a story about a sinking electric boat being attacked by sharks as the reason he won’t allow the manufacturing of battery-powered trucks on his watch. It sounded like a drug-induced hallucination or the ravings of a madman. During his lengthy rally rants he often slurs words, doesn’t or isn’t able to finish pronouncing word endings, substitutes parts of words for other words that sound the same and stops midsentence, seeming to be unable to complete a thought. Trump blames the teleprompters for his mistakes, but that excuse never rang true. What does ring true is that if President Joe Biden was caught on tape addressing an audience and said even a fraction of the bizarre stuff Trump says at his rallies it would be front-page, top-of-the-hour news for the next month, and Republicans would be demanding he undergo a psych evaluation immediately!

Michael Farnsworth, Minneapolis

Time is different in the summer car vs. the winter car. Summer has windows open to the world. We can hang our arms out, tapping to the beat and smelling green grass being cut, doughnuts, fried chicken, hot tarmac. Hearing people talking, arguing, laughing. Looking at the faces of happy dogs, having random thoughts about the person singing as we wait on the on-ramp.

What is a voice singing but one pure expression of a person? There you are, you brave person, letting us hear something that comes from inside of you, formed by your body’s structure, your personality, your mood. Wow! Sing out.

And really, who even thought of putting music in cars? You’re driving alone down tree-lined streets, through soft evening air with a mood on, slightly sad or just tired. Then this song comes on. Nat King Cole. You sigh, becoming part of a peaceful dream.

Or you’re in a group of friends in a car and a song comes on and someone starts singing; soon everyone is singing, shouting, laughing at each other and at the song. You can literally feel the happy. Music in cars.

Let’s take in this sweet, short summer. Let those wind fingers mess with our hair. Inhale the smell of French fries and consider having some. Notice the frowning lady walking her dog and the little girl in shorts and a T-shirt, slowly being pulled down the street. Let’s open the windows and sing.

Margot Storti-Marron, Maple Grove