As
an advocate, I have to keep informed about the issues and have up to date
information with which to be armed.
I've found that one of the best ways is through the internet. I subscribe to several email groups
that help to keep me knowledgeable.
Below are some of the best.
Most are pretty low volume with only one or two emails a day and I'm
pretty adept at sorting through them.
These will keep you informed on the latest. They are somewhat in order
of relevance and importance.
Email groups:
1.
Veracare and AHRP (Alliance for
Human Research Protection)
Tops
in research and latest news about problems with psychiatric and other
medications
a.
Write to "Vera Hassner Sharav" and ask her nicely to subscribe you to
her email announcement lists.
There's also a web page at: http://www.ahrp.org
2.
Parents against teen-screen
One
of the best researched and more outspoken groups protecting kids (and others)
today from bad drugs and bad psychiatry.
a.
Go to http://groups.google.com
b.
Search for "TeenScreen"
c.
Follow the instructions for joining the group
3.
Justice for All
One
of the best national newsletters about all sorts of disability rights issues.
a.
Go to http://www.aapd.com and subscribe or,
b.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an email to majordomo@JFAnow.org with
subscribe justice OR unsubscribe justice in the body of your email message.
4.
CMHS National Consumer Affairs E-News
Grant
announcements and other news of interest from the feds.
a.
List-Subscribe: mail to:
CONSUMERAFFAIRSENEWS-subscribe-request@LISTSERV.IQSOLUTIONS.COM
5.
SPSCOT - State Public Systems
Coalition On Trauma (a network to share ideas and support the development of
trauma-informed systems of care)
One
of the best groups connecting the most knowledgeable people in the world on
trauma issues.
a.
Contact "Ann Jennings" afj@gwi.net with a polite request to join.
6.
NYAPRS - New York Association of
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services
One
of the best for national issue updates.
Sort through the local stuff that only applies to New York however,
there's often useful information there too.
a.
Send an email to: nyaprs-request@kilakwa.net with the Subject: subscribe
b.
Any problems write to Executive Director: "Harvey Rosenthal" harveyr@nyaprs.org
7.
MindFreedom USA
Great
e-news about what's happening around the country in the consumer/survivor
movement.
a.
Send an email to: mindfreedom-usa-request@intenex.net with the Subject: subscribe
b.
Any problems write to Executive Director: "David Oaks" oaks@mindfreedom.org
c.
Check out their website at: http://www.mindfreedom.org
8.
MADNESS
One
of the evolutions of the original email list for mental health
consumers/survivors.
Sometimes good information.
a.
Go to http://mail.actmad.net/mailman/listinfo/actmad_actmad.net and follow the instructions to subscribe
I'm
sure there are other good ones but these are free and chock full of good
information.
On the web:
http://psychrights.org/index.htm
This site is operated by my
friend Jim Gottstein. He's an
attorney with a heart who is leading the charge to protect people from
psychiatric oppression. He updates
this site with the latest and best information available. I highly recommend both the site and
donating (if you can) to the cause here.
My friend Kathi's site. The best on the web on
"borderline", "infantilism", and many other topics. She's written a great book that I
highly recommend. I wrote the following
review for Amazon.com where you can purchase this book:
"A true story about a
woman caught in a life or death struggle with a psychiatrist whose ego feels he
must defeat her at all costs. The psychiatrist forgets all about healing and
enters into combat with the patient -- it's his will versus hers. The battle
scenes are vividly captured through Kathi's eyes as well as through the chart
notes that reveal the terrifying specter of the thoughts of the staff as they
try to force their will upon Kathi."
"Kathi sought healing
and instead found a system corrupt with ego, force, coercion and just plain
insanity. Cuckoo's Nest had Nurse Ratched and 5150 has it's Dr. Mason. Both are
frightening but Ratched is fiction. This book is a must read for anyone who
wants to understand the oppression of the psychiatric system and the egos that
drive that oppression. Thank god Kathi survived to tell the story."
http://www.amazon.com/5150-Flew-Into-Cuckoos-Nest/dp/0615153593/r
A comprehensive site for
freedom fighters all over the world.
David Oaks is the Director of MindFreedom and a personal friend for many
years. I highly recommend this
site for it's great activist information.
The National Association of
State Mental Health Program Directors is an organization of all the heads of
mental health in the states.
They've done some excellent things including research and they are
generally pretty supportive of consumer/survivor activism. They have a well designed web site
that's loaded with information.
http://www.antipsychiatry.org/
A great site that is chock
full of terrific information about the problems with Western Psychiatry and
psychiatric diagnosis. It hasn't
been updated in a few years but is still a great reference site.