Read the entire memoir here: www.freedom-center.org/pdf/Denizen-of-the-Back-Ward.doc

On the morning of Wednesday May 27, 2009 my husband and I went to the Peach State Center for what I believed was a couples counseling session. My husband had set the 8 AM appointment, but upon checking in, the receptionist directed her questions about the appointment at me. Curious as to the reason for this focus, I asked why this was, but got no logical answer. Dr. Mahmud then appeared at the door leading to the exam rooms and conducted my husband and I to her office. Once seated, Dr. Mahmud started what I knew was a psychiatric assessment, i.e., was I having thoughts of suicide, rushing thoughts, etc. I again asked why the questions were directed at me and Dr. Mahmud told me that my husband believed that I needed to be on medication. The reason given was that I supposedly threatened to jump over a bannister two weeks prior. Nothing could have been further from the truth, and I felt betrayed by my husband's dishonesty.

I'm Leah Harris, co-coordinator of the U.S. Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (USNUSP), a newly-formed network seeking to use the language, framework, and principles of international human rights to end violations against users and survivors of psychiatry and to promote voluntary and compassionate alternatives to the traditional mental health system.

Various survivor organisations are working on an international basis for the world-wide abolishment of ECT. Following the debate in Outsideren, this article looks at some of their arguments, background and motivation.

 

We all met at Cooley Dickinson where we made signs, decorated the hospital bed, put on our hospital Johnnies, waved and saluted to the 5th floor, and called the psych unit to give a hello to everyone and tell them why we were here.

Escape From Psychiatry: A Protest and Bed Push Against Abuse in the Mental Health System July 29, 2pm Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Download Flier here.

http://www.bedpush.com/

check out the movie here (that's the UK crew in the photo!):

http://freedom-center.org/pdf/BedPush05.mov

from Cathy Levin of MPOWER:

 

We wish to collect horror stories about abusive treatment in emergency rooms to convince lawmakers to pass 2 pieces of legislation through the state house....

i spent many hours sitting beside myself in that tiny blue room. i spent too much time staring at myself, at the girl in the * full body straight jacket lying on the floor.