MindFreedom - Stop Human Rights Abuses in the Mental Health System

MindFreedom Wins Human Rights in Mental Health

MindFreedom International is a grassroots activist organization working for human rights in mental health.

From promoting alternatives to the mainstream medical model to advocating for change within the United Nations, MindFreedom mobilizes people-power to take on these important issues. And we need your help!

Here are a few examples of MindFreedom victories:

MindFreedom Stops Forced Electroshock in Minnesota

In a year-long campaign, MindFreedom helped to end the forced outpatient Electroshock of Ray Sandford (pictured right).

For months, Ray was regularly taken from his group home to the hospital where, over his objections, he was forcibly electroshocked. Ray described the procedure as "scary as hell." He was absolutely opposed to having the procedure, claiming that it was causing poor memory for names - including those of friends and his favorite niece. "What am I supposed to do, run away?" Ray asked.

Eventually, Ray phoned his local public library's reference desk and asked about human rights groups. The reference librarian referred him to MindFreedom International.

MindFreedom's position on extremely intrusive and potentially irreversible procedures is that "No always means no" - Whatever the circumstance. The bottom line is that there is no good reason to forcibly electroshock anyone, at any time.

MindFreedom’s coalition took a large number of actions to support Ray in his struggle for self-determination. In addition to applying public pressure to Ray’s guardians and elected representatives, his forced electroshock was also covered in the media, from a front-page article in the Minneapolis newspaper City Pages to an investigative report on National Public Radio.

In early May 2009, MindFreedom held a protest on Ray’s behalf inside the capitol building in Minneapolis. MindFreedom executive director David Oaks and board member Al Galves flew in to attend.

Ray’s shock, scheduled for only a few days after the protest, was postponed, literally at the very last minute. Ray said, "I got to the hospital. I was all prepped... They were ready to go with the electroshock. A psychiatrist sat down with me and said, 'We're going to postpone this.'"

Soon after, with the help of MindFreedom, Ray was able to find a new psychiatrist - one who opposes forced electroshock.

Then, finally, on 22 October 2009, after more than forty involuntary outpatient electroshocks, Ray received notice that the court had agreed to change his guardianship. His new guardians support his right to say “no” to intrusive procedures like electroshock.

MindFreedom Protests Corruption at the APA Annual Meeting

As psychiatrists arrived at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on for their Annual Meeting, they were greeted by survivors of psychiatric human rights violations and their allies, a powerful sound system, and stories of psychiatric abuse and survival. About 50 protesters from five states participated in a "Festival of Resistance" co-sponsored by MindFreedom International and the California Network of Mental Health Clients (CNMHC).

A steady theme for the protest was the investigations revealing drug money corruption inside the American Psychiatric Association.

MindFreedom's Scientific Advisory Board

MindFreedom relies on its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), comprised of psychiatrists and psychologists, to review claims made by the psychiatric industry.

The SAB was originally convened in 2003 when six MindFreedom members vowed to eat no solid food until the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the U.S. Surgeon General provided adequate scientific evidence to support the following statements of biopsychiatry: 

• that mental illnesses are biologically-based brain disorders;

• that antidepressant drugs correct chemical imbalances in the brain;

• and that psychotropic drugs are not harmful to people.

Neither NAMI nor the Surgeon General replied to the challenge. The APA submitted references from a neuroscience textbook. The Scientific Advisory Board used statements and citations from that textbook and other scholarly articles to expose the lack of adequate scientific evidence behind the statements of biopsychiatry.

MindFreedom has recently reconvened the SAB and will be utilizing their input for upcoming campaigns.

The MindFreedom Shield Program

One of the main tools MindFreedom offers to oppose the use of coerced psychiatry is its Shield program. If a member of MindFreedom is registered with the Shield, they have access to a large solidarity network in the event that they are threatened with forced drugging or shock.

When a human rights alert is sent out to the network, each and every member is expected to participate in the  alert's constructive, nonviolent action to assist the member in need.

This program is one of the best ways in which a grassroots organization like MindFreedom can take its human rights goals and make a difference in someone's life.

We need your help to build  the people-power needed for this kind of mutual support. 

So join MindFreedom today, and register for the Shield program!