By: VC

VC — Sat, 14 May 2016 23:56:39 +0000

My apologies for the passion in my response. It springs from deep deep trauma of the labeling (not from my treating professionals, I have to clarify…) by a culture and a system that perpetuates stigma through language and ironically, through silence… The system and our culture of individualism is what deeply let us down as a community, I believe. Thank you again for posting the article. I was so grateful to discover it.

By: VC

VC — Sat, 14 May 2016 23:50:23 +0000

The rest of the article…I must say…brought deep healing and affirming to my heart. Thank you!!!!!

By: VC

VC — Sat, 14 May 2016 23:47:33 +0000

I am wondering why the very last part of this article goes back to ‘developing new therapies’ with the help of drug companies. I am training in the field of creative arts therapy, have had severe depression myself, have had the medication, have struggled with debilitating anxiety, and yet it is poetry, the support of those who unconditionally love you, my own faith, and the desire to not be ‘judged’ and ‘labeled’ as weak and defective that have been the driving force of my recovery. I no longer take medication. I am training to become a poetry/creative arts therapist and I have reaffirmed by commitment to fight the stigma associated with mental and emotional anguish because it is mostly, sadly, based on a medical model of diagnosis. Anything less than a holistic view of human suffering WHICH MUST INCLUDE socio-political, cultural and economic forces is a deep and shameful betrayal of what it means to be human and to extend empathy beyond the offering of ‘drugs’ to ease what in many cases is, I believe, existential suffering. I have suffered. I have weaknesses as a human being. But I am not so defective that these external forces can sit by and allow me to suffer, whoever I am, and not be held to account.

Comments on: Mental illness mostly caused by life events not genetics, argue psychologists

By: VC

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By: VC