DBSA Online Chat: Advocate For Mental Health
October 10, 2007 by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
I don’t know if it’s because of Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), but the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) is currently holding an online chat topicked (not a word, I know) “Advocacy–How You Can Help Change the Mental Health System.”
From the DBSA:
It’s not just the lobbyists and politicians on Capitol Hill who can change our nation’s mental health system. You have a part to play as well–and it doesn’t mean you have to quit your job and rush to DC. Nor does it mean that you have to be an expert on depression and bipolar disorder or know every law ever written on the subject. Join DBSA’s director of advocacy and public policy, Gloria Pope, to talk about the ways your voice can make a difference in the laws and policies that affect the millions of Americans living with mental illness. If you want to help fix problems and right wrongs, tune in to this chat and get involved.
Sounds like a topic that goes right along with mental illness awareness to me.
It was set to start at 10 a.m., but when I peeked in things were pretty slow. I don’t know how long it will go on, but I’ll probably continue to peek in for a few hours. Go ahead and check it out – maybe you all can get it going!
I want nothing more than to change laws and I find no one better to give examples of just how much improvement the “system” needs then those of us who have had to deal or tried to get help ourselves. I live in Alabama and honestly I have had a very rude awakaning, sadly as to what or what does not take place and how many hoops must be jumped through just to try and get help and even then you are fortunate if you can. This has made me want to go back to school which I plan on doing in the fall to become an Advocate myself so I can help people get the help they need without having to struggle so hard. It has to start with us, or at least that is my opinion. If there is still such a stigma about those with mental llnesses, whatever their diagnose(s) may be, then who better to go and “prove” people wrong and exemplify that we have rights too. It is absurd to ned help and to be told that you are not sick enough which is what I was told at first and this was after being in the exact same system for 7 years but moving to a different zip code. It was in the exact same county. I then was given a questionaire with apprx. 10 questions and never got to speak with a Dr. before being called in and was told by the Dr. who had already made a decision based on this paper that since I was not psychotic, etc. I could not get help because I cdid not “fit” their criteria, although I had “fit” the criteria for their clinic in the previous zip code. It did not matter that I was severely depressed and would be without medication and also they WOUKD NOT prrescribe my medication period because of the area of town I was now in. I have nor had ever been in trouble with the law nor taken my presciptions other than as prescribed. I had to call Advocates but unfortunately I found at least in this state it did no good and I was fighting an up hill battle alone.
One main thing here is that the Mental Institutes have been closed, which I can’t say is a bad thing except now people have nowhere to get the proper care they need. I live in Birmingham, which most probably know is a fairly high populated city yet their is only 2 public Hospitals that have “Psyche wards” as they refer to them here. They are normal public hospitals with a wing and over the past few years ALL patients rights have been taken away, yet NO one will do anything about it. If this was in a different area I feel something would have been done many years ago. They have a courtyard area that has about a 15 foot fence at least and then an area completely in the middle of the buildings. Patients used to be able to go outside. It was after groups, of course and they could even have smoke breaks. Now not once are patients aloud to have the right to go outside. I am not big on smoking but I do not feel that is the place nor time to take someone’s “vice” away from them when they are obviously experiencing enough. Prisoners, literally have more rights. They are allowed to go outside in what I have read is “yard time”. They are also aloud to smoke. I know for a fact this has detereed people from going inpatient when they needed to get the help they needed to and no telling what kinds of other problems this has and will cause in the past.
When you try to do something by yourself as a patient, no matter how intelligent, I have found it to be pointless as I have just essentially been ignored or I will get “we will look into that”. I know all the while they are looking into nothing.
We definitely have to get together and even if we have to start at the bottom and get knocked down. We have to get up and keep making a stand so people with mental illnesses do not get mistreated in the present and in the future any longer and the stigma will hopefully go away.
Thank you for reading,
Julie
Julie – thank you so much for your thoughts. Your area sounds very much like mine, which is one reason I decided to get my county’s NAMI chapter up and running and work as its affiliate leader. Does your area have anything like that? If not, and if you’re interested, you can email me personally and I can give you some links/sites/maybe even numbers that could help you get the ball rolling. I can honestly say it has been the most rewarding thing I’ve done in a long time, and because you’re just as passionate about mental health advocacy, I bet you’d find just as much satisfaction with it.
Too, did you see this post?
http://www.mentalhealthnotes.com/2007/12/12/a-meeting-of-the-minds/
It’s something else you or someone you know may be interested in participating in.