Those of us who have experienced human rights challenges because of the mental health system, have often been marginalized and silenced. Our viewpoints are diverse, and need to be part of the national conversation.

Here in the USA, the debate over gun safety often involves mental health, yet we in the public seldom hear from psychiatric survivors.

Personally, what is very horrifying to me is the USA federal government currently has programs in 17 cities to support court-ordered involuntary outpatient mental health. That is right, USA taxpayers are spending more than $50 million to coerce hundreds of their fellow citizens to take psychiatric drugs that they do not want.

Of course, this outpatient coerced mental healthcare has gone on for decades on the state-level, impacting thousands. But there is something about the USA federal government paying directly for these coerced outpatient procedures that really bothers me.

If you would like to read more about USA federal support for court-ordered involuntary outpatient mental health, I have blogged about it here.

Are You a USA Psychiatric Survivor?

For decades, I have been a public activist as a psychiatric survivor. Each of us defines “psychiatric survivor” in our own ways. For me, I experienced coerced mental healthcare inside a psychiatric institution about five times.

I am helping MindFreedom International, one of the main independent human rights action groups in mental health, to learn from psychiatric survivors about what can help get out our stories. I am facilitating a national focus group on Sunday, June 10, 2018. Ideally, you would have access to a webcam that works. We will take care of all the technical needs for a video teleconference.

We only have limited room, so if you are interested, please contact me soon. Even if you cannot join us on that day, I would like to hear from you. For instance, I am working on a survey of USA psychiatric survivors.

If you are a USA psychiatric survivor who would like to be in touch, please email to me via my consulting business, Aciu Institute, LLC: revolution@aciu.info

MindFreedom is helping to get out the word, such as with the following blurb that is on their website: http://www.mindfreedom.org/mindfreedom-hosts-focus-group-need-ten-psychiatric-survivors-1/

MindFreedom is Recruiting Ten Psychiatric Survivors for a Focus Group

MindFreedom International is hosting a web-based focus group on June 10 for psychiatric survivors. Participants will be paid a small stipend for their time. See details below.

Let us thank young people for their leadership, vision, creativity and for just putting up with the bullshit that is piling up all around us!

Yes, we should give everyone an award, just for existing! But where do we start? I agree with the philosophy shared by many and credited to the Iroquois Confederacy: think ahead seven generations. How about we start with folks under 30, the ones we in the counterculture are supposed to trust.

I figure that seven generations from now would be a few years after the turn of the century, 2200. That might seem like a very long time, but there are some kids today, who when they are old, will share the planet with some little kids who will, we hope, reach the year 2200.

We owe the future a big, huge apology. We also can thank the future for their leadership!

Patch Adams, MD (shown on the left picking his nose with me), suggested that we award a few young leaders, and he has an idea about where we can start:

At Oregon Country Fair, an enormous celebration in the woods near Veneta each July that is wonderful and indescribable, I often have the chance to catch up with my friend “The Real” Patch Adams, MD, who goes each year to connect with his grand-kids. I have often blogged about my most-famous friend, because he often shares wonderful humor, strangeness and creativity.

Back at OCF 2012, a number of us gave an award, artistically created from recycled materials by psychiatric survivor art gallery owner Tim Boyden from OutOnALimb (see award image below). Since then we have given many awards, using PDF’s inserted with names and achievements.

Below are a few, usually given to thank great folks, or in the case of our Congress person Rep. Peter Defazio, to remind him to be an authentic fighter for the underdog, such as folks in the mental health system. Below is also a humorous award we gave to the local Chamber of Commerce to encourage them to speak up about the climate crisis.

We want your suggestions now: How can we all nominate young people, say under the age of 30, to appreciate their work and leadership into the future? Perhaps using online surveys? A panel of judges including young people? Do you have ideas to make these awards creative? Do you want to help on any of this? You can comment here, or email me privately at davidwoaks@gmail.com

Who do you think should be thanked? Wouldn’t it be fun to hand deliver a few at OCF 2018? The timing, July 13, 14, 15, happens to be the last three days of Creative Maladjustment Week, which many readers knows we celebrate, in the spirit of Martin Luther King who envisioned an International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment.

Here are a few awards:

Because of their silence about the climate crisis, here is the Award we gave to the Eugene Chamber with our tongues in our cheeks. Psychiatric survivor artist Tim Boyden created this award.

Especially for those of you who live in Eugene, this Friday you are invited to join us at the LILA Peer Support Club, free. We will build MindFreedom Oregon and then have fun on the stage with folk singer David Rogers and others.

Here is more info, and you can download this flyer: 2018-02-02-mf-oregon

Facebook event here.

Text:

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!

Win Human Rights & Humane Alternatives in the

Mental Health System in Lane County!

Where: Cuckoo’s Nest Stage

LILA Peer Support Club

990 Oak St, Eugene

(NW corner 8th & Oak)

Date: Friday, Feb 2, 2018

Time: Starts at 3 pm

Who? David Rogers, folk singer. Chrissy Peirsol & David Oaks, revolutionary psychiatric survivor activists. You! Free, public, all ages welcome.

Before, you are invited to the 1:30 meeting at the back of LILA Peer Support Club, for the revival of MindFreedom Oregon.

After our indoors event, those of us who wish will then go to nearby Kesey Square, Broadway & Willamette, where Food Not Bombs (FNB) serves yummy, free, hot food every Friday afternoon!

This is a First Fri, so you can also celebrate Eugene’s art.

Sponsored by MindFreedom Oregon More info davidwoaks@gmail.com

Thanks to New Day Bakery for their yummy food donations!

I’ll go to free showing tomorrow of new documentary about controversy of involuntary mental healthcare. Movie is appropriately called “Crazy” and appropriately I am one of those interviewed in the flick. If you are in Eugene Tues 1/30, more info about the 5:30 showing is here on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1078812778925476/

Here is a PDF of the flyer: crazy-eugene-20180130-flyer (1)

Please note that you can help prep for the showing and chat with me after 4 pm tomorrow. See you?

Download a pdf flyer of the below here: 12-1-2017-mf-oregon.4

You are invited to a free celebration by David Oaks:

“It’s Been 5 Years Since My Accident!”

Where: Cuckoo’s Nest Stage

LILA Peer Support Club

990 Oak St, Eugene

(NW corner 8th & Oak)

Date: Friday, Dec 1, 2017

Time: Starts at 3 pm 

Who? Confirmed: David Rogers, folk singer. Howard Falk, stand-up comedian. Sarah Smith, MindFreedom International. Chrissy Peirsol & David Oaks, revolutionary psychiatric survivor activists. Libbie Rascon, Office of Consumer Activities. Dale Kegley. Debra Nunez. Surprise guests. You! Free, public, peaceful, all ages welcome.

Before, you are invited to the 1:30 meeting at the back of LILA Peer Support Club, for the revival of MindFreedom Oregon. After our indoors celebration, those of us who wish will then go to nearby Kesey Square, Broadway & Willamette, where Food Not Bombs (FNB) serves yummy, free, hot food every Friday afternoon!

This is a First Friday, so you can also then celebrate Eugene’s art.

Sponsored by MindFreedom Oregon More info davidwoaks@gmail.com

Thanks to New Day Bakery for their yummy food donations!