What are the benefits of joining MindFreedom International (MFI)?
When you join MindFreedom International you are joining a group of people who are fighting against two things that are just plain wrong.
First, every year at least 1.5 million Americans are psychiatrically imprisoned in mental hospitals, euphemistically called involuntary commitment. There are a number of things that are wrong about this practice. First it is just plain wrong to incarcerate people without providing them with a competent defense. It has been estimated that no more than 10 percent of people are legitimately committed involuntarily, i.e. are a danger to themselves or others or gravely disabled. Second, it is highly unlikely that people who are forced against their will into “treatment” will benefit from such “treatment”. “If it is not voluntary it is not treatment”. Third, the “treatment” they receive is more likely to harm them than help them. They are going to be locked up in a cold, forbidding, inhospitable environment. They are going to be forced to take drugs that will take the vitality out of them.
Second, when people who are experiencing extreme or altered mental states and go to the conventional mental health system for help they are told they have a brain disorder and will have to take psychiatric drugs for the rest of their lives. That is an extremely disempowering and cynical message. What can a person do about a brain disorder other than take a drug or be electroshocked? And the drug they are using will take the vitality out of them, numb their emotions and, if they take it for more than a year, put them at risk of suffering from tardive dyskinesia (Parkinson’s disease), brain shrinkage, cognitive impairment, increased risk of diabetes and early death. So people who seek help are harmed.
How do we fight these wrongs?
First, we operate the MindFreedom Shield Program. The MindFreedom Shield Program is a solidarity network of people who agree to help each other if they are psychiatrically imprisoned or drugged or electroshocked against their will. When a person a Shield Alert is issued, the members receive a message giving them detailed information on how to advocate for the person. Advocacy consists of “raising hell” in a non-violent way with the psychiatrist, nurse, guardian, hospital administrator, governor, legislators, university administration, etc.
Second we operate Judi’s Room. Judi’s Room (named after former MFI Board Member Judi Chamberlain) is a monthly webinar at which various people spread the word about the injustice and harm being suffered by people with disabilities. The programs also include information on approaches to helping people that are safe, humane and life-enhancing – such as Soteria houses, Open Dialogue, Hearing Voices Groups, Peer-run Crisis Respite Houses and Supportive Housing.
Third, we answer the requests for help we receive every day from people who are being harmed by the mental health system.
Taking Action
So when you join MindFreedom you answer the call of the late Congressman John Lewis. WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING’S WRONG DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
One of the best benefits of joining is we will give you ways of taking action, making a difference, doing something about it. An example of that is our current effort to help our members put pressure on their states’ Protection and Advocacy agency to use their resources to help individuals whose rights are being violated by the mental health system through the PAIMI Advisory Council Empowerment Project. We are looking for ways to help you make a difference and, when we find them, we’ll help you take action.