MindFreedom Shield News – 14 February 2012

https://mindfreedom.org/shield

 

Chris phoned the MindFreedom office today, a few hours after getting out the institution door at about 2 pm ET, to say he’s now free.

Chris asked, “Tell the MindFreedom Shield Campaign ‘thanks for everything you’re doing.’ The Shield Campaign helped in a few ways. The Campaign helped keep me feeling centered. And it helped keep the pressure on.”

Krista Erickson is chair of the MFI Shield campaign, and her committee has never given up on Chris’s campaign. Chris is even on the campaign email list. 

 

MF Shield Does Not Give Up

 

Demanding that the psychiatric system provide housing for Chris outside of the institution was one of the biggest challenges. Said Chris, “It took a long time to get me out. I was in the institution from July 2010 until today, approximately 19 months.”

Al Galves of New Mexico (right) is a retired psychologist who is active in the MindFreedom Shield campaign, and on the MFI Board of Directors. Al has personally flown in and visited Chris in New Jersey, and also talked with Chris on the phone for a total of many hours. Al helped create one of the alerts to successfully demand that the institution respond to communications about Chris.

Al said,  “Chris is a very courageous man. My applause is to him for hanging in there. He didn’t give up. He kept on going forward, so that’s great. I’m also thankful to all the Shield members who communicated with him. I think it was important for him to be connected with people outside. We’ll keep on advocating for him inside the group home.”

Chris said, “I’m now in a group home in Sweetsboro, New Jersey. It’s run by a company called AdvoServ, and it looks like approximately 15 to 20 people live here. The place looks a little dumpy, but it’s better than the hospital. I am still being coercively medicated, but they said they’d work me down to the lowest possible amount.”

Nearly a year ago, MindFreedom put out several alerts for Chris, then 29-years-old. To see some of the past alerts click here.

Chris may be off email for about a week as he gets hooked back up to the Internet. He will read any ‘congratulations’ messages at his email address here:

hyperion1237 (at) gmail (dot) com

 

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Please forward this news.  

For more info on the MindFreedom Shield, click here:

https://mindfreedom.org/shield

 

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MindFreedom International

454 Willamette, Suite 216 – POB 11284

Eugene, OR 97440-3484 USA