HA
Member
I appologize if I have said anything that anyone has found hurtful or offensive. If I do so in the future I hope that people will speak up and question what I have said or let me know that it bothers them.
It's difficult for me to talk about or debate the antipsychiatry views. It's too painful. This view comes up a lot in schizophrenia topics. Sometimes it is because of symptoms (my son has believed that psychiatrists are trying to take over the world by using medication) which are frightening and believable to the person. Sometimes it is people trying to sort out their experiences and their pain, like the rest of us, and sometimes it is professionals who for whatever reason follow this philosophy.
We would never consider standing in front of families with autism and telling them that their loved ones condition is due to their parenting or society/culture even though we don't have a definitive cause for autism. We used to say that to parents but the public is more educated and has been exposed to people with autism through the media and literature. We still say this or wonder about it where schizophrenia is concerned though.
My family certainly has had many bad experiences with mental health professionals and medication. I could write a book about it. In the end, it is the mental health profession that has given us the most healing and hope. What has been most harmful for my family has not been the evils of psychiatry but the inability to access the treatment it has to offer. This inability to acess treatment has taken more of a toll on our family than the illness itself.
My exhusband was not diagnosed with bipolar until a year after my son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. His diagnosis came too late. The inability to get his son treatment has taken the greatest toll on him. He is now on disability from the stress. My sons father has good insight into his illness and since he has had a full assessment and good medication says, "Now I know what normal is. I have lived in a fog my entire life until now", and he is saddened that he was not diagnosed and treated earlier.
Then there is my son's sister, grandparents, cousins, aunts......who were all very affected by seeing someone they love suffer without treatment and having their hands tied to help him.
If all of us who have been touched by schizophrenia can talk about our experiences both good and bad, in public, without shame, that is how stigma will be reduced and more understanding and support will be forth coming.
It is those with schizophrenia who have experienced fulfilled lives and talk about their expereinces that reduce stigma. It is also those who are experiencing a great deal of disability that talk about their struggles and experience that will reduce stigma.
I have experienced some of the negative aspects of untreated schizophrenia, I hope that I can learn how to talk about these experiences in public, without creating more fear and stigma. I hope to be able to provide support and receive support, with others, who are travelling this journey in life.
Cheers anyway
Judy
It's difficult for me to talk about or debate the antipsychiatry views. It's too painful. This view comes up a lot in schizophrenia topics. Sometimes it is because of symptoms (my son has believed that psychiatrists are trying to take over the world by using medication) which are frightening and believable to the person. Sometimes it is people trying to sort out their experiences and their pain, like the rest of us, and sometimes it is professionals who for whatever reason follow this philosophy.
We would never consider standing in front of families with autism and telling them that their loved ones condition is due to their parenting or society/culture even though we don't have a definitive cause for autism. We used to say that to parents but the public is more educated and has been exposed to people with autism through the media and literature. We still say this or wonder about it where schizophrenia is concerned though.
My family certainly has had many bad experiences with mental health professionals and medication. I could write a book about it. In the end, it is the mental health profession that has given us the most healing and hope. What has been most harmful for my family has not been the evils of psychiatry but the inability to access the treatment it has to offer. This inability to acess treatment has taken more of a toll on our family than the illness itself.
My exhusband was not diagnosed with bipolar until a year after my son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. His diagnosis came too late. The inability to get his son treatment has taken the greatest toll on him. He is now on disability from the stress. My sons father has good insight into his illness and since he has had a full assessment and good medication says, "Now I know what normal is. I have lived in a fog my entire life until now", and he is saddened that he was not diagnosed and treated earlier.
Then there is my son's sister, grandparents, cousins, aunts......who were all very affected by seeing someone they love suffer without treatment and having their hands tied to help him.
If all of us who have been touched by schizophrenia can talk about our experiences both good and bad, in public, without shame, that is how stigma will be reduced and more understanding and support will be forth coming.
It is those with schizophrenia who have experienced fulfilled lives and talk about their expereinces that reduce stigma. It is also those who are experiencing a great deal of disability that talk about their struggles and experience that will reduce stigma.
I have experienced some of the negative aspects of untreated schizophrenia, I hope that I can learn how to talk about these experiences in public, without creating more fear and stigma. I hope to be able to provide support and receive support, with others, who are travelling this journey in life.
Cheers anyway
Judy
