Blogs on changing the mental health system, mental disability, human rights and alternatives

Here are links to just some of the blogs related to changing the mental health and mental disability systems, including topics of human rights and alternatives in psychiatry.

A world that loved monsters

The blog owner Eric describes himself, at the time this was posted, as a 19-year-old Autistic queer, gray-A/demisexual guy residing in an area of Montgomery County, MD, USA with emotional issues, OCD, ADHD (predominately inattentive), multiple phobias, interested in disability justice and neurodiversity activism.

Alison Hymes in Virginia

Alison Hymes describes herself as a "Token" Member of the Commitment Taskforce of the Chief Justice's Commission on Mental Health Law Reform, Virginia.

Anti-Psychiatry Web Log

Livejournal provides web space for a number of communities, in this case one calling itself "Antipsychiatry." It's entries are like a blog, along with other resources. This is from their self-description: "This is a community for people who are opposed to the practice and theory of psychiatry. It is a place for people to post information about patient's rights, the dangers of psychiatric drugs, personal experiences, questions, and thoughts. Please stay on-topic, and please do not join or post if you are just going to laud the 'benefits' of psychiatry. There are plenty of communities for that already."

Asylum Squad Side Story

"The Rants and Musings of a Psych Heretic." A blog from a young artist with a psychiatric label, focusing on her comics. In her words: "This blog serves as a space to post text entries both related and unrelated to the subject matter my comics touch on." A July 2010 post covers a Mad Pride event in Toronto.

Beyond Meds

From the blogger: "I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1985 at age 19. I was medicated off and on from 1985 to 1988 and then medicated in 1992 to the present after having the daylights scared out of me by what I now see as ignorant doctors. About three years ago I started questioning the heavy drugging of my symptoms as well as the diagnosis itself. I began the slow and difficult process of withdrawing from my psych meds. I hope to share with the readers of this blog this journey as it continues. This journey includes my ultimate disillusionment of psychiatry and the pharmaceutical industry."

Bipolar or Waking Up?!

Sean Blackwell, founder of this blog says, "If you have recently had a 'bi-polar' crisis, there is a possibility that your experience may be exremely healing for you if you approach it the right way. I should know, my episode of 'mania[ set me free."

Bitchmagazine Guest Blogger Anna Palindrome: "We're All Mad Here"

Guest Blogger ANNA PALINDROME has a theme called "We're All Mad Here." More than one blogger posting to "Bitchmagazine" is posting on this theme of "We're All Mad Here," and commenting on a wide variety of topics related to changed the mental health system. Look for these titles at the bottom of profile in "Recent Blog Posts."

Bitchmagazine Guest Blogger SE Smith on : "We're All Mad Here"

SE SMITH is one of the Guest Bloggers in Bitch Magazine on the theme of "We're All Mad Here," commenting on a wide variety of topics related to changed the mental health system. Look for these titles at the bottom of profile in "Recent Blog Posts."

Blue Hackers: By and for people labeled both "geek" and "psychiatrically disordered"

From the "about" page: The objective of this initiative is to make visible that there are many fellow geeks among us who are intimately familiar with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. It helps to know you’re not alone. And it’s not because we’re geeks, but because we’re human.

Bruce E. Levine -- dissident psychologist -- blogs via Huffington.

Bruce E. Levine, PhD has been a practicing psychologist for decades, and he's a dissident. Perhaps it's that Bruce was raised working class, but he connects the dots between social change and societal despair. Bruce has several books in the MindFreedom MADMARKET. Bruce blogs via Arianna Huffington's site.

Canadian Mindscape Monitor

Canadian journalist Rob Wipond of Canada has a blog that he describes as, "Monitoring and critical analysis of current events, media coverage and scientific research surrounding 'mental health' issues in Canada and globally."

Cape Town Mad Pride

From the about page for this South African-based blog: "This is the website/blog for Cape Town Mad Pride, an annual event that joins the local and international Madness Network in festivities and activism around the issue of cognitive liberty, psychrights and an end to psychiatric oppression. We welcome (ex)users-survivers, patients, inmates, outlaws and all freedom-loving individuals everywhere to join us in a non-violent revolution against the Mental Health system."

Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault in Toronto, Canada

From the blog: CAPA is an organization - a coalition of people - committed to dismantling the psychiatric system and building a better world through strategic activism. We see the very concept of mental illness as flawed. We object to incarceration, electroshock, and the vast array of brain-damaging drugs. We oppose the violation of human rights which is endemic to psychiatry. Currently, CAPA members are working on developing strategies and actions aimed at curtailing the use of psychiatric drugs and electroshock.

Colin Eadie: A Life

This entry, the blogger says , "refers to psychiatry and mental health, and problems that were encountered in the past 50 years, immortality, and acts and miracles performed by myself."

CounterPsych Blog Talkspot

CounterPsych's motto is "Blazing Bright New Trails of Understanding, Hope and Collective Change." The blogger identifies as "a former aid who was employed to work one to one with ‘clients’ inside a psychiatric hospital, through a health care agency," as well as an individual who has experienced the psychiatric system and recovered after diagnosis of "psychosis."

Different Thoughts

This blog is in English though it originates in Denmark. From a quote by Jack Kerouac on the blog, "Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble makers., The round pegs in square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status, quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve, them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is, ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire."

Discover and Recover: Resources for Mental Wellness

Blog author Duane Sherry, M.S., CRC says, "I’ve come to believe in the human spirit, and the strength that comes from learning how to tap into its source. When we do so, we open ourselves to new levels of hope and inspiration, and endless possibilities to experience the fullness of life." Duane received a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Services Administration from the University of North Texas, and has professional experience as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. Duane says, "It has been with humility that I have witnessed the courage of many people who have faced enormous obstacles - and seen their spirits in action. These individuals serve as examples for each of us - to face our challenges head-on, and do our best to rise above them - to focus on our gifts and talents, and use them to do extraordinary things."

Furious Seasons

Furious Seasons is authored by a journalist/patient Philip Dawdy who was diganosed with bipolar disorder and who seeks to hold the mental health industry accountable. The author is opposed to outpatient commitment and forced electroshock treatments.

Gábor Gombos in India

Long-time psychiatric survivor and human rights activist Gåbor Gombos of Hungary has gone to spend the last half of 2008 in India working with the MindFreedom sponsor group Bapu Trust coordinated by Bhargavari Davar. This blog is about Gåbor's experience. He writes, "I am very much looking forward to spending 6 months starting on 1st June in India where I shall work together with Bapu Trust on Research of the Mind and Discourse. I want to share my impressions, thoughts, experiences on mental health, disability rights while in India."

Holistic Recovery from Schizophrenia: A Mother and Son Journey

Description by the bloggers, who are MFI members: "This blog started out as a way of documenting and publicizing the many alternative therapies that mother and son underwent to treat his 'schizophrenia.' The therapies range from your basic orthomolecular (vitamins) to the truly weird and wonderful (assemblage point shift, Family Constellation Therapy, sound therapy) with lots in between. As important as these therapies were in helping her son in his recovery, this blog also stresses the importance of learning to see your relative as insightful, compassionate, artistic, or simply 'finding himself,' in short, anything but mentally ill."