It's amazing that so many of you have been raising awareness for all types of issues such as Cancer, AIDS, and all types of suffering (Darfur, War in Iraq, New Orleans, poor education, etc.) and been able to raise money to fix these problems. I feel it's time to do my part... If I become Mystery's next top Pickup Artist, I will immediately donate $10,000 of the prize DIRECTLY toward mental health research through the organization 'maps.org', and will donate $15,000 more to as yet undefined mental health organizations. The rest will support an educational project, and, of course, a night out on the town with anyone who's down!
With our emerging understanding of just how complex the mind and brain are, it will require tons of research to understand and treat mental illnesses. It is said that about 2 million people are schizophrenic at any one time, that 100,000 people this year will be diagnosed with it, and (in 2002) over $62 billion was spent to treat it (schizophrenia.com, Analysis Group, inc). It is also said that 17% of the entire US population has had chronic depression at one point in their life. Intense...
Current antipsychotics, for example, have huge side effect profiles, and their prolonged use causes all kinds of crazy things like other mental illnesses, weight gain, social seclusion, and Parkinson's. Our understanding of the brain on a microscopic level is still in its infancy, even though there are tons of pharmaceuticals out there already. Maps.org is a non-profit organization that funds innovative mental health studies using 'Schedule 1' compounds, such as marijuana, MDMA (ecstacy), LSD, and psilocybin, that have historically been found to be useful therapies for mental dysfunction. If I win this, and win the pickup artist competition on VH1 with mystery, I will donate $10,000 of the prize to their organization to help them discover better treatments and possible cures for those who suffer from mental diseases. If it so happens that I don't win this competition, I plan on donating to this organization regardless, once I move on and get established. This just speeds up the process.
As for the rest of the prize money, I would like to donate another 10 or 15 thousand to other mental health organizations that I have yet to define. I am devoting my life, in one way or another, to understanding mental "illness" and what can be done to prevent or treat them.
The rest of the money will go toward starting an educational software business/organization that will be extremely useful for both researcher and students in neurobiology, cell biology, or molecular biology in general. The ultimate goal of this organization will be to bridge the gap in understanding between scientists and the general public about what's happening on the cellular level (when they take drugs, have cancer, eat a certain diet, have a religious experience, etc.). The funds from this competition will help get this organization off its feet.
Then, of course, I would love to take out all the people that supported me in this process--old and new friends from all over the country--to the clubs and show them what's up ;). Cheers to that!
