My experiences of mental health services where I live.

[misterporpoise]

You are doing this to people there whole lives,

It is an arrangment of convinience,

Any one who dares question there treatment is

immidiately blackmailed into resuming it, not from

month to month or year to year

but for peoples entire lives,

not just single people but entire communities

of abuse, leading to a culture where,

people are singled out, something akin to the law of the

jungle. With abusive circles of Family, Doctors, Social workers, Police

communities and wider communities.

Using any sort of insecurities or vunurabilitie

a person has, misusing positions

of authority and building cases in order,

to get what you want, which is usually a treatment of medication,

often with side effects which are not discused,

treatments which are for life, cases which are refered back

to in order to control people, which is abuse.

People do not know there rights, this is wrong,

this is abuse.shall I spell it out, your taking people

whose problems have nothing to do with mental health,

and lableing them with conditions and treating

them for conditions, they dont really need,

to prevent poverty

as means of control

for gratification

for a easy working life,

with pension etc

[Jeffju]

It's sad that those are your experiences . I have had lots of help from mine and now need to help myself a bit more. I hope that writing down your rant has helped you get it off your chest.

There are some very supportive people on here who are great and will help you just by understanding exactly how you feel.

[Suzie40]

I agree with Jeffju. I am coming to realise that while it's easy to get a referral to a counsellor or a prescription for some pills, there is one person ultimately responsible for my wellbeing -and that is me.

[coatpin]

I think what we do, or in the past have been "conditioned to do" is to put general practioners on a pedistool, we look to them for the answers,, which they dont have,,, they have to try different drugs in order to see if they work, as everyone's chemistry is, different, so different side effects.

What we forget, is doctors have feelings, egos, and self. So yes they do try to protect their selves, like we would if we were attacked.

Maybe, we have to be the clever ones, in knowing this,,, and approach things in a more gentle way, so that we are listened too, if not,, change your doctor,,,simple!! if your not happy with the service,, they get paid for seeing you,!!

I found a lot out about people and there behavior by learning counselling skills, and looking at peoples behavior patterns. How to deal with someone who is, aggressive, or folding their arms, body language. You can learn a lot about yourself too.

Or write a book so people can read how it is to have mental illness so others can learn from your experiences,, there just isnt enough of this material about. Lets face it, they learn by reading ,,, not through personal experience.

take care

[Hidden in reply to coatpin]

I agree with so much of your reply except the last bit -not all mental health practitioners learn by reading, some have extensive personal therapy which is expensive, time consuming and emotionally very demanding too. Otherwise a great answer I think.

[Hidden]

Hi

It's sad that you have had such bad experiences of mental health services. Although I agree a lot of what you say does occur there are also sometimes good experiences, I find it depends so much upon the particular person and service. We expect psychiatrists to be gods then wonder why they behave like one, we expect social workers to behave like gods and police and then wonder why they fail at the former and succeed at the latter, we expect miracle cures from drugs that are just tinkering with the chemical balance of our very complex bodies, we expect answers. Ultimately no one has the answer. People just try to help the best they can, some are better at it than others and sadly there is never enough time, money and resources to offer the kinds of help that might make more of a difference. Services do what they can and it is inadequate, but ultimately no one can provide the answers we look for, they can just help a bit. Like this website. We have to find ways to help ourselves but sometimes having support from other people, whatever the form it takes, can sometimes be helpful - at least that's my experience..

Suexx