Elyn Saks: A tale of mental illness — from the inside

“Is it okay if I totally trash your office?” It’s a question Elyn Saks once asked her doctor, and it wasn’t a joke.

A legal scholar, in 2007 Saks came forward with her own story of schizophrenia, controlled by drugs and therapy but ever-present. In this powerful talk, she asks us to see people with mental illness clearly, honestly and compassionately.

‘Human Rights Are Fundamental to Good Mental Health Services’ by Paul Farmer

Unknown-2It’s good to see a reminder about Human Rights, in particular in relation to mental health services. This article which appeared in the Huffington Post is from the Chief Executive of the mental health charity Mind.

‘Thankfully most people never have to worry about their human rights. For many, they can seem fairly distant: something for lawyers and politicians to worry about, with little impact on our own everyday lives.

When we do hear about human rights in the media it’s usually via a story that links them with supposedly ‘undeserving’ groups or used as a proxy for anti-European views. But this picture hides the uncomfortable truth that people in the UK do still have their rights abused.

People with mental health problems often fall through the human rights safety net. The mental health system has extensive powers to detain people, to deprive them of their liberty, to restrain them and to force people to take life-changing drugs.

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