[I am putting a qualifying paragraph in at this point because I have been informed by a person in a position of power in mental health in Scotland that some people think that when I write a blog post I speak on behalf of Scotland or Glasgow or somewhere else. The fact is that I speak from my own experience and it's my opinion. Which I am entitled to. I live in Fife so recent experiences are from there. However I have heard from people in other areas of Scotland who have had similar experiences to mine. But I won't be naming them because they don't want to be identified. They have said this to me and I respect their wishes.]
I've never seen power as
absolute and think it can swiftly change, later if not sooner. And have
seen this happen. In other settings. Therefore I'm not going to be
bullied or intimidated by people in positions of power in the mental health
world. Because I know that the situation can quickly be reversed.
Despite the best efforts of them or me. The difference being that people
in perceived powerful positions because of job titles or career paths or 'lived
experience' are caged in by the constraints of their employer, duties and
responsibilities. As in he who pays the piper calls the tune. And public
servants in statutory agencies are, or should be, accountable to folk like me
and you.
It will be different for
people under a dictatorship or flawed democracies, hybrid or authoritarian
regimes, as described in the Democracy Index.
I'm speaking as a citizen of a democratic country. Where there should be
an equal say and freedom of speech. And that means for everyone whether
diagnosed with a 'mental illness' or not. Whatever our status in life or
background or upbringing or anything. Because of this I have confidence
in challenging the powers that be, in relation to human rights issues in the
psychiatric system and legal or strategic documents that don't do what they say
on the tin.
I believe that the voices of
lived experience deserve to be listened to and respected. Even
when governments don't like what we're saying. In fact if there is
opposition to what we are saying then I think this is a good sign. It
means we are doing something right. But I'm not prepared to accept
bullying or intimidation or being told what I have to say or do. This is
going too far. There's enough of that in the psychiatric system. I
don't expect it to continue into the mental health world where recovery has
become the mantra. Some would say hijacked. I didn't recover just
to be put in a straitjacket by people in power whose positions are temporal.
Of course the root of the
problem is the continued use of force and compulsory treatment towards and
against people in mental distress. The
elephant in the recovery room. Behaviour that isn't tempered by
mental health acts or mental health strategies. When safeguards aren't
safe and the finest words in the world make no difference to the person who is
locked up and locked in. Dehumanised and denied basic human rights because
they are mentally ill. Described as non-compliant and without
capacity. Their carers disrespected and labelled as difficult and
demanding. For it's written in the notes
and must be true.
I want to see and expect to
see democracy in the psychiatric system and mental health world. Equal
voices and freedom of speech. Therefore I will continue to behave as if
it is happening. Until it happens.
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