Posted by Emily Elizabeth on July 3, 2005, at 23:41:55
In reply to Re: How does one help people if we are not therapists?, posted by alexandra_k on July 3, 2005, at 16:48:38
I don't have a sense of how this varies country to country, but some thoughts from my corner of the world (USA)...
It seems to me that there is a huge need for mental health advocacy on a number of different levels. At the governmental level, we need people who can make themselves heard so that mental health needs can be given the respect that they deserve. MH probs are medical illnesses, not character flaws. People with MH deserve quality treatment and certainly that doesn't happen for far too many people.
There is also a need for advocacy at the individual patient level. People need help on how to talk to their docs about what they do and don't want/need. People need help addressing stigma in their own families. People need help standing up for themselves when they are being discriminated against b/c of their MH probs. People need help locating resources in their communities. I think figuring out how to do the stuff in this paragraph takes some creativity (and some knowledge of your own community). I'm sure that there is a way to use your own talents to help others.
This is a great idea for a thread. I'm interested in what ideas folks have...
Best,
EE
poster:Emily Elizabeth
thread:522803
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050628/msgs/523172.html