Mental Health Community of Interest

A community linking people with an interest in mental health was begun in Nottingham in March, with a mailing list created to keep people updated about events. Events and articles shared through the mailing list will also be posted on Indymedia.

On March 9th 2013, a book launch was held at the International Community Centre on Mansfield Road, for Contesting Madness, a book, edited by three psychologists, Bob Diamond, Sarah Keenan and Steven Coles. This book questions the legitimacy of the dominant medical-psychiatric framework as the sole means of conceptualising "madness". Many people attended with experience of mental health and mental health services - service users*, family members and mental health workers and volunteers. Everyone who wished to speak, sing or recite was given the chance to do so, with some very moving and enjoyable stories, poems and songs.

One of the ideas from the day was the desire to take forward the desire of people who attended to maintain a community of interest, as people with a vested interest in maintaining social justice and the provision of good public services. So a mailing list was created. Information from the mailing list about forthcoming events or topics of interest will also be posted here on Indymedia for anyone who's interested.

The first two links were sent by Steven Coles, the first looking at the effects of Community Treatment Orders (whereby people can be recalled to hospital if they don't stick to certain conditions, such as taking medication), the second exploring a holistic treatment pioneered in Finland.

*As was noted on the day, terminology is often a contentious issue, with no labels satisfying everyone.

Links:

Article on Community Treatment Orders

1) A research trial in the UK found that Community Treatment Orders had no beneficial effect on people under them in terms of "symptoms", social and occupational functioning or length of stay in hospital, when compared to Section 17 leave However, CTO's massively increase the level of coercion a person experiences in comparison to Section 17 leave.

Open Dialogue Treatments

2) You may have come across Open Dialogue ideas from Finland, they appear to offer a very different philosophy and practice to traditional psychiatric services, and appear to have very good outcomes - better than traditional services. See the links http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-alternatives/finland-open-dialogue

Contact email: armandtamzerian@gmail.com