MFNews: Mental Health Human Rights 9 brief items- UN, prison, history, humor, more

Mon Dec 10 17:58:06 CST 2007

MindFreedom International News - 10 December 2007
Mind Your Human Rights in the Mental Health System
http://www.mindfreedom.org - please forward

    Today, 10 December, is International Human Rights Day. Celebrate!

    BELOW: Nine (9) *brief* news items on human rights & mental health:

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1) Ratify UN Treaty on Disability Human Rights!

MindFreedom International had a team led by MFI board president Celia  
Brown inside the United Nations for several years worked in a spirit  
of mutual cooperation with disability groups from all over the world.

The result was a United Nations treaty on disability rights that  
could also help people in the mental health system. But now that  
treaty needs to be ratified by nations all over the world. Disability  
activists have created a campaign to win that ratification. Here's a  
news release for the campaign and web site, RatifyNow.

More info:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-global/united-nations/ 
disability

Or go directly to: http://www.ratifynow.org/

Today, 10 December, is International Human Rights Day! More info:

http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/2007

Last week, 3 December, was International Disabled Persons Day. More  
info:

http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?navid=22&pid=109

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2) Federal prisoner says he is forced to take psychiatric drugs

Mike Heston says he is a prisoner who is experiencing involuntary  
psychiatric drugging. He is locked up in the Federal medical Center  
in Rochester, Minnesota. Mike asks people to make civil complaints on  
his behalf.

Mike writes, "Dr. Hart won't let me out of the hole unless I take  
pills... it only makes me sicker and even more nervous. My nerves are  
shot as I have claustrophobia and need I tell you how I feel right  
now: my heart is racing."

More info:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/prison-mental-health/forced-psychiatric- 
drugs

or use this link: http://tinyurl.com/yocwcs

~~~~~~~~~~~~

3) NY Times: Willard Suitcase Project Exposes Psychiatric History

The New York Times ran an article about a special exhibit in New York  
that exposes the history of the psychiatric system in a very personal  
way.

MFI board president Celia Brown lives in New York said, "I'm so proud  
of the work that Darby Penney and Peter Stastny did. I remember when  
they were researching the suitcases from WIllard. I also think the NY  
Times did a great job in reporting and nice quotes from Darby. This  
is the kind of story that can educate the public on the horrors of  
the mental health system."

More info:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/history/ny-times-willard-suitcase

Or go directly to:

http://tinyurl.com/27clzh

~~~~~~~~~~~~

4) Power of a small group: Leafleting World Psychiatric Association

Even a few people can make a difference. When the World Psychiatric  
Association held a meeting in Melbourne, Australia, represents from  
three psychiatric survivor groups were there to speak out and  
leaflet. We are everywhere!

See a photo and the historic document that the Australians handed out  
here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-global/wpa-dresden/ 
australians

or use this link:

http://tinyurl.com/2kkbae

~~~~~~~~~~~~

5) Martha Rosenberg on the Common Dreams website explores the  
pharmaceutical industry's reach:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/psych-drug-corp/many-faces-of-big-pharma

or go directly to:

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/05/5622/

~~~~~~~~~~~~

6) Wall St. Journal examines neuroleptic psychiatric drug abuse of  
seniors in nursing homes:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-abuse/nursing-home- 
prescription-abuse

or go directly to:

http://tinyurl.com/3ao2jj

~~~~~~~~~~~~

7) The largest daily newspaper in Oregon exposes psychiatric drugging  
of youth in foster care:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/youth-mental-health/foster

~~~~~~~~~~~~

8) Bruce Levine, author of the new book _Surviving America's  
Depression Epidemic_, has several new articles challenging  
psychiatric industry oppression:

http://www.brucelevine.net/recentarticles.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~

9) Care for some humor?

The satiric publication Onion has been skewering the rampant use of  
psychiatric labeling, drugging and abuse for years. Find a link to  
the most recent piece along with more than a dozen other examples here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-arts/humor/onion

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More news at the MindFreedom News Web Site:

http://www.mindfreedom.org

Don't see a news item? Submit it to news at mindfreedom.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Build united strength in numbers!

JOIN MINDFREEDOM INTERNATIONAL!

http://www.mindfreedom.org/join-donate

* Win human rights campaigns in mental health.

* End abuse by the psychiatric drug industry.

* Support self-determination of psychiatric survivors.

* Promote safe, humane, effective options in mental health.

MindFreedom is a nonprofit human rights group that unites 100 sponsor  
and affiliate groups with individual members.

MindFreedom is one of the very few totally independent activist  
groups in the mental health field with no funding from governments,  
drug companies, religions, corporations, or the mental health system.

All human rights supporters are invited to join or donate here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/join-donate

For hard-to-find books and gear go to:

http://www.madmarket.org

MindFreedom International Office:

454 Willamette, Suite 216 - POB 11284; Eugene, OR 97440-3484 USA

web site: http://www.mindfreedom.org
e-mail: office(at)mindfreedom(dot)org
office phone: (541) 345-9106
toll free: 1-877-MAD-PRIDe or 1-877-623-7743
fax: (541) 345-3737

Please forward.

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