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Mental Health is caused by 'People Abuse'. The experience of abuse is a 'personal' tragedy, wherever it is, whatever its scale. These abuses happen every day, on our home ground. We are a part of it.
We have in the UK what is often called a Nanny State. In fact UK Central Government is very pro Individual & Family Rights. It is at the local level and in Courts that things become disturbing in the UK.
Bullying Humiliation Abuse and Prejudice - 'The Put-Downs'? Are you experiencing these social humiliations and deprivations? These experiences are frighteningly common and yet we keep silent. There are good reasons; Failure of professional insight is one reason.
Children are being abused, often along with parents. Even trained professionals are often incompetent to identify and deal with this. Managers are worse. It is mostly about covering their backs.
There is Expert Collusion with Child Abuse Custody Cases Many Expert witnesses in Court Proceedings operate from professional assumptions with little 'material' forensic evidence to support them. They presume 'weakness of mind & incompetence'.
Critical Professional Perspectives & News on working with people. Links to other Radical Sites will follow. The assumptions upon which many Clinical Psychiatric judgments are made are proving unsound.
Clinical Assessments devalue the learning styles of some people. When people find their voice, we see another side of 'The Problem'. Again; assumption and low expectations damage people's lives.
Next year will see the 40th Anniversary of the beginnings of Anti-Institutional, Anti-Discriminatory Practices and introduction of Community Care. What has happened? Back where we started.
Australian pastoral care worker Tiger Anderson and 'Citizen of the Year', was locked out of the hospital because of his dress code. This colourful helper was supported by a Facebook campaign.
Anger & aggression are misunderstood in professional circles. Bad attitudes are 'maintained' and sometimes anger is induced. In mental health, this is sometimes used to 'evidence' mental breakdown. Assertions can actually be more abusive than natural human anger.
"We want to see greater transparency concerning the poor availability and late provision of services to those in need. People are left until they get to crisis before being helped.
The excuse that there are only enough funds to provide support to Critical & Substantial needs, hides many engrained management failures and inefficiencies. This is avoidable.
The fact that time & resources are wasted upon inefficient systems for recording information to justify the service funding (including costs of justifying the high costs) is hidden.
The services are also provided in very inefficient ways and staff are grossly overworked and stressed. Because of the need to purchase services at high cost, staffing has been reduced.
The reasons for these exceptional costs is 'risk aversion'. Health & Social Care Institutions are fearful of criticism and pay a high premium for 'risk safe' services (Institutions).
These 'safe' services actually mean 'highly restrictive' to those who are deemed to be at risk. The risks generated are worse than those that they pretended to be protecting.
Institutions are protecting their own interests, not vulnerable clients. It is an Institutional scam and is now quite delusional. People become agitated and aggressive as a result".
New Interactive Magazine
Publish your own Stories; Set up or Join a Forum and create your own Blog Space. Read and contribute to the latest accounts of real life experience. Tell us your story (with or without your real name) and choose how you want to do this (even send articles by email).
We are interested in Professional's and Service User's accounts of the Highs & Lows of Life, about Professional Services and Voluntary & Community Experiences. We are all in the same boat. Sharing experiences is therapeutic. It informs and inspires others. It informs & challenges Service Providers:
Also visit our VISITWEB Magazine Check out the Features via the Links on the right ->>>>. Headlines and Articles are in the links at the top right column. Some of these stories will 'be transferred to the 'Your Choice' Magazine.
This site will eventually focus upon the Health & Social Care Issues, Advice, Therapies, Techniques, Recoveries & Theory.
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Because of technical problems and hacking, we have had to re-start our Forum Pages. We are keeping it simple. If you want to chat about problems on-line, use our chat space. You can open your own chat-room & book counselling.
If there anyone able to help us in these areas would be appreciated. I do not have the time to keep these areas working properly on my own. Fund raising would also help.
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Back to Basics - Abuse of Human Rights is a 'Local' issue. It is all about Money and Control.
Some say that the word 'Abuse' is overused. I have to agree. It's distorted overuse has tended to dilute the attention to the real issues of institutionalised abuse and prejudice. Few but the most ignorant and deluded people, would suggest that the Nazi, Pol Pot, the Cosova Conflict, the Congo War and other atrocities were acceptable. Most agree these were seriously abusive. (Scroll down or click here to open in New Window)
(Scroll down or click here to open in New Window)
OK - Should we be worried in the UK?
You can bet your cotton socks. The trend is very clear and has been the growing trend since the 1980's. It is a very commercial in character and has grown as the trend towards 'purchasing' child and other specialist health and social care services has been extended. Both in the USA and the UK.
Some call it the Nanny State, but that is a little unfair and inaccurate. The Governmental Laws, Directives, and Guidelines are very good. They are well considered, well written and have positive, Human Rights intentions.
It is others who have the vested interests, at State, Local Authority and contracted services levels: Lawyers, Guardian ad Litem and Service Providers, who often abuse the Lawful purpose and put forward convoluted intellectual argument to justify unjust restrictive actions.
Children and Vulnerable Adults suffer in their own names, taken in vein; 'In their best interests'. But who's interests are really being served here?
Senator Nancy Schaefer was Murdered under strange circumstances. It is not the first case. The system is abusive and is more about power and selfish interests.
Are you being Bullied, Humiliated, Abused, or Prejudiced Against?
Whichever Way, Where Ever, Whatever Sex, Job, Faith, or Culture and at Whenever Age. Abuse of any kind is completely unacceptable? Stop it now!
Lots of people are abused and most just sit, or lay and take it. It causes serious mental and physical ill health, now and later. It disrupts your life and stops you progressing and thriving. Men are also abused; almost as often as women.
There is some hope, there are resolvable problems; recognition of alcoholism, or a mental health problems, etc., but the person has to be willing to look at themselves and acknowledge that a problem they have affects the lives of those close to them. They also need to have the capacity to appreciate others needs and responsibilities they have to others. Check out this site Narcissism Cured. But don't be fooled.
Much of what you will read on this site could apply to you in some way, now or later; Recognise what is happening and get it stopped. It is people with the Strongest Wills, the Most Caring, Socially Aware & Thoughtful, that become 'victims'.
It is the self-interested, bombastic, least considerate people & the weakest willed, who become Bullies, Abusive & neglectful. Size & strength makes little difference. Stay as sweet as you are, but don't remain an easy target. We are lucky in many ways, we survived our childhoods, some didn't; the survivors have answers.
Kelsey's Law: These issues are not just responsibility of Parents. Parent have their baggage. Some were damaged, distressed and neglected. We need positive help at times in our lives. Others are just selfish and indifferent to suffering, like some people will always be.
It is too easy to assign blame and judge. In the end it is children who suffer. Some live on to suffer in adulthood. It is everybody's business to make this all work and we must regain the trust of ordinary people. Human Right bring big Responsibilities.
Nothing is as simple as it seems, Stop the cycle of neglect and abuse - listen past the anger of survivors - Videos.
Are you feeling Distressed, Depressed, Anxious, Fearful, or Paranoid?
These fears can take over and rule our lives. They are the social consequences of abuse, neglect and institutional prejudices.
These are usually quite natural reactions to distressing circumstances. Recognise these 'symptoms' are your head telling you to get something important sorted out, or that you need a break from something, before your body suffers.
This is a very informative video from the USA. The Laws in the US are not so different to our own. These often rely upon often very dubious interpretations of Human Rights, Disability Rights and the Rights of the Child.
The Professional attitudes and responses towards the recognition of abuse and the bogus attempts to cover up abuse, are not that dissimilar to UK experiences.
The typical style is to 'deflect' culpability from Abuser, towards the 'distress' & abused parent (even an agitated & distressed child). It is very similar in the UK.
The assumption that we are operating 'in the child's best interests' is not much different and open to the same conceptual, logical & legal errors on both sides of the Atlantic (and Pacific). It is a fixation on Justice being 'seen' to be done
In the US there has been a strong influence from PAS 'Parental Alienation Syndrome'. This influence is not so strong elsewhere and yet the same culpable errors are made in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
This is a much deeper problem. It is an over reliance upon expert opinion and 'dodgy' empirical evidence, supporting some very unsound Theories, based upon gross assumptions with cultural biases. 'Psychiatry' and Social Science rarely assist Justice. See: Visit Web Academic
Mental Health and Safety - A Serious Employment Issue; with responsibilities ignored.
'Mental Health and Safety', at work, play & just going about your business. Work Stress can be enjoyable or Disabling. Watch for the sudden switch. Sometime it can creeps up on us, especially when working under emergency conditions. Highlighting The Psychological & Emotional Components of Health & Safety
Like so often, in so many circumstances, there are many misunderstandings of issue like those of Health & Safety. In Civil Law, we all have entitlements and obligations to help ensure our own and other people's health and safety.
We usually understand these entitlements to a reasonable degree, unless we are vulnerable for some reason of health, or social circumstances. However, there are some areas of risk where we do not fully appreciate these entitlements. People can then suffer serious consequences, which no amount of financial compensation can correct. We are educated to be embarrassed about mental health issues.
The costs, to ourselves and to others (through taxes), for these 'failures of duty' of various kinds, are quite considerable. These costs are not just in terms of processing and payment of compensation claims they generate (which are directly, or indirectly paid by us all). Some costs arise out of the wide range of disabilities created and the subsequent absences from work. These have to be compensated for, in terms of expensive support and therapeutic services; the cost of person-hours lost and work impact on the remaining employees.
How to Proceed (Scroll down or click here to open in New Window):
These 'risk' factors overlap with issues of abuse and prejudice at work and are covered by further Employment Law. Make your stand, even if you have to use 'constructive dismissal', or 'unfair dismissal', as your escape routes, in order to protect yourself more fully; but - Get good legal advice. Search for someone with the skills to do an effective job, but always remember; it is your own and others, life and wellbeing and therefore it is ultimately your Human Rights and Responsibilities that at are stake here.
There’s another storm brewing in mental health – this time in the name of Marion Aslan. It’s time to speak out against the “bastardisation” of the recovery concept. Every NHS trust, mental health organisation and user group has embraced recovery. Marion has worked in mental health for 15 years and argues that not only have any emancipatory aspirations to recovery been lost, but that radical service users have “sold out” to a diluted version of recovery.
ON QUASI-INTELLECTUAL ELITISM (Intellectual Stigmatism we call Autism, ADHD, LD, MH, etc.):
There is still so much misunderstanding, even amongst some professionals, concerning what causes psychological and social problems. Because of a relatively small number of successful identifications of 'organic' causes (of rare conditions), the assumption is that all 'irritating' differences that people have, are the result of physical abnormalities, individual incompetence, or genetic weaknesses.
What is often not realised is; the frustrations that we feel are often repercussions of the distress we collectively generate for others, through relative ignorance and general prejudice. There are 'optimum' levels for human beings to function. Push the limits and there are social consequences. The Environment overrules Clinical Judgments (Click here to Full Text in a New Window).
First Law of Relativistic Psychology: Frustrate any person's initiatives and abilities to express their intuitive skills and intellectual competence, positively in the social world and they will either: Express these inwardly, within their own world (Autistic Features, Psychosis & Schizoaffective Disorders, etc.). Or; They will express these negatively in your world (Violence, crime, aggression, antisocial behaviour, terrorism and other, variously destructive individual and social behaviours. There is always an outcome.
Second Law of Relativistic Psychology: We recreate our social world every day. Short term selfish benefits replicate themselves and create long term social distress, which eventually affects everyone. Like the existence of gravity, this has always been the case and has been recognised by the wise for hundreds of generations. These Laws are as fundamental as the laws of Thermal Dynamics and Relativistic Theory. Like Tumbling Dominos, Stacked Dice. or a House of Cards - There are knock-on effects.
A PERSONAL STORY: ADHD, Dyslexia, Autistic Spectrum and Schizoaffective Disorders.
My son has not been diagnosed, or assessed as having Autism, but he would have been if others would have had their way. I strongly resisted him being statemented, because I have seen both the advantages and the disadvantages of this (and the outcomes in adulthood). Being Statemented can carry a very heavy price, affecting a person's entire life. Its not all positive.
I battled to resist any clinical diagnosis and 'belligerently' refused to co-operate along that route, sometime being criticised and even accused of being negligent, or abusive. These label was not available when I was a child, I was described as socially withdrawn and a slow learner - I was lucky. My younger Brother was also physically & sexually abused, developed a drug habit and was then identified as schizophrenic. (Click Here to show text below in New Window)
How often do we ask of a child (or Adult for that matter) "Why did you do that?" in the 'anger frame' of "Don't you dare do that again". These days, we often don't really want to know 'why'. The question used to be a genuine desire to know. It springs from our lips so easily. It is so deep rooted and feels such a natural question to ask. Why has it become (like so many things) distorted in this ugly way? FEAR! When Social Scientists ask a question, they often ask; "What is wrong?" not "Why the differences?"
We no longer want to know the answers which may undermine everything we have been lead to believe. As professionals and as researchers we do not challenge the politically incorrect 'quick fix' answers we have been given. Fear that our children may be seen as different and in being different they challenge all that we have come to believe and rely upon. Albert Einstein, Florence Nightingale, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Spike Milligan and many others were 'different'. They were 'bullied' for it.
As a Parent, as a Professional and as a Social Researcher; I insist on asking the genuine question, "Why?" I am interested in why people can be so different and why cultures can understand 'difference' in such varied ways. Mostly, I am fascinated by the fact that some were positively 'inclusive' of differences, while others were so fearful of it. Cultures (historically), when they are most inclusive and tolerant, are those that succeeded best in advancing and expanding knowledge across many cultures.
Further more, we only now just becoming aware how putting too much pressure on kids can cause disabling distress. We are just beginning to recognise how the pressures of 'high expectation' are causing poor health in employment. What educators, professionals, researchers and employers are even less aware of, is the distress and ill health that results from have 'very low' expectations of children and adults. We assume 'a problem' and then assume 'less expectation' will protect them.
"Wrong", like all things (in the end), it is all about balance and positive expectations. It is about treating people as 'normal' even in their differences. It is as much about adjusting to others, as it is requiring them to adjust to us. It is about being 'open' to differences, looking for positive meaning and 'actively' listening. Where parents and professionals do this they most succeed. Unfortunately, they are often most criticised by the 'One Size Fits All', institutionalised and powerful, bureaucratic minority.
Institutionalisation is still with us - In our Residential & Nursing Homes and even Families.
Since the Ann Shearer and others first started her Campaign, in the early 1970's, we have seen a serious advance in Community Care. The concept began to take root when people with learning difficulties became 'organised' and though their Advocates, Friends and directly from themselves, they spoke up at National and Local Conferences. Local Authority representatives and media were astounded at their eloquence.
It was a time of challenge and for change. Many people with learning difficulties and Autism had been incarcerated in special hospitals for many years, often for very minor problems and 'moral' issues. Some were surprisingly outspoken. Others found their voice and through the process of Self Advocacy and Advocacy, their wishes were made known. They still need to be heard. (Click Here to read text below in a New Window)
Many of the difficulties that professional's and carers are calling 'Behavioural Problems' have been generated because of these rather ignorant practices and attitudes, incorporated into the more modern ways of thinking. This completely distorts the original concept of Community Care and appears to invalidate its benefits. People's Rights and Entitlements are once more restricted, often using 'clinical' justifications that are not fully understood, with poor appreciation of the 'social' causes. The person's intelligent challenge, generates the conflicts that professional's identify as 'a problem with the person'. Sometimes, in some measure, this may be true, but the problem is mostly with how we think and behave. Sometimes it is our thinking capability that is severely limited and our behaviour that is out of order. Don't get so cocky.
Bureaucratic Madness - Australia, New Zealand & USA - Institutions miss the point entirely:
Bureaucratic, Risk Averse Institutions are not limited to the UK's 'Nanny State' Culture.
There seems to be no limit to the stupidity of of Institution's 'overreaction' to complaints and concerns. Why is it, with our increased understanding of the impact of Prejudice and Discrimination and the hard work in creating internationally agreed Treaty of Human Rights, and Disability Rights, that our institutions can so very badly misinterpret these 'obligations'?
In Australia, as in the UK, Institutions are interpreting Human Rights in highly restricting and 'disabling' ways, which severely restrict people's lives and the opportunities available for all. In the case I am referring to here, we have a Hospital that is so concerned for the sensitivities of a very few that they have effectively 'Sacked' a popular Voluntary, Pastoral Care Worker. Madness!
HUMAN RIGHTS: 'ANY' CULTURAL DISCRIMINATION IS UNLAWFUL (Article 8 esp.).
Self Willed, Tattoos, Long Hair, Outspoken, Disabled, Fiercely Independent with a healthy Kick Ass attitude to Personal Care? You may do better playing a Pathetic Victim. Read about Enablement (or is it 'Disablement') Services. Hopefully not typical, but this is Appalling, Victimising practice, which we challenge. A case of ignorant reactions producing predictable results. A Failure to recognise effects of Brain Damage. Anger is the normal expression of prolonged frustration & is not 'violence'.
This debate is about keeping safe while working with angry, distrusting and frustrated people; those with some forms of brain damage, serious, distressing mental health problems, post traumatic stress reactions, learning difficulties with' behavioural issues', and attitudes and philosophies alien to the average social worker or care worker.
. . . . .(Click here to read the text below in a New Window)
After more than three decades of working in the most challenging, specialist, social work fields - Serious Mental Illness, Learning Disability, Alcohol & Drugs and Community & Youth Work; I have had 3 attempted assaults upon me (minor), while doing my work. This is in spite of my direct intervention in very distressed, aggressive and often psychotically charged situations.
By contrast, while employed in less challenging work and while going about my daily life, I have been threatened and assaulted, by 'normal' people, usually after they had a few drinks. I have been sexually assaulted by 'normal' people, I have been robbed, humiliated, 'cut up' by aggressive drivers, lied to, cheated and condescended to, by a number of 'normal' people; from every class and background and all walks of life.
That is also the general experience of most of the clients I have supported. I really think we need to put things in perspective. Before the usual judgment about how come I found myself in these situations! Well, I am the product of childhood abuse. I refused, any longer, to tolerate any form of abuse, by anyone, to anyone. I accept the price; I am still here though, I will not give in to any form of Bullying, the price for this is fare too high. I'm a survivor you see. I know of these these ignorant reactions
Let me tell you a recent story of someone who will not give in to condescension, prejudice, abuse, or neglect:
On Anger, Aggression and Assertion. (I suggest you enjoy this dissertation before I tidy it up too much)
Why are we so surprised that some people become angry, that others tend to be particularly aggressive and that still others develop a style of anger and aggression that they camouflage as 'Assertive' Behaviour. Of course, there are those other 'identified' individuals and groups who are labelled as 'passive-aggressive'.
The tendency is to contextualise these expressions of emotion and forget that they are powerful, natural mechanisms for self protection and for advancing our species at times of personal, environmental and social need. I have experienced more personal and social distress cause by 'Intellectual Assertions' than by 'verbal or physical aggression'. Give me anger any day. (Click here to read text below in a New Window)
Take the confident 'offensive', try not to be 'defensive'. By being defensive you are accepting a battle on 'their' terms and on their' grounds. By 'reactive assertion' and being more on the offensive, we have more control over the field. We are not interested in a battle, this is our ground and they are not coming onto it, unless invited. Sometimes it can be as simple as putting up one hand, palm forward and stating very firmly, in a low pitch. 'Stop, don't even go there!'. 'No' - No, No... Then assert you conditions and requirements and turn away.
The Web Search link below will provide some good insights but you may want to take some of the basic assumptions with a pinch of salt.
Have fun but become skilful at to ducking and diving. Have a little think about it for a moment. I will be back with more.
Try a protected search on the subject, on our dedicated Google search engine:
Childhood Abuses can lead to Vulnerabilities in Adulthood. These are Survivable.
Most of us who have been abused by a parent, or a partner, feel ashamed for what has happened. This is often because we are judged as being weak, stupid, or just plain dishonest. This has been a problem for women for generations. The abuse of men, by men, has also always been there. It is institutional and cultural.
Now, with gender emancipation; rather than simply seeing a prevailing move towards more nurturing qualities in men, we see increase of the varied abuses of Men by Women, often using the relationships with children as a means of manipulation, or other people and institutions as their agents. We live in abusive cultures.
I have since set up a website to highlight all forms of abuse, neglects and prejudice, including extensive institutional neglect and abuse. (www.visitweb.org). The problems we are seeing in our Communities are the wider consequence of what are essentially abusive and disinterested cultures. This is completely unacceptable, in supposedly civilised societies. All bullying & abuse needs to stop – there are no valid excuses. Cultural attitudes have to change in industry, commerce, all institutions and communities. Valid means of expressing aggression and 'control' exist.
Please feel free to contact myself on any Health & Social Care issue, Personal, therapeutic, or counselling matter. The level of confidentiality and/or disclosure will be restricted to your choice.
We are interested in Professional's and Service User's accounts of the Highs & Lows of Life, about Professional Services and Voluntary & Community Experiences. We are all in the same boat. Sharing experiences is therapeutic. It informs and inspires others. It informs & challenges Service Providers:
Are you being Bullied, Humiliated, Abused, or Prejudiced Against?
Are you feeling Distressed, Depressed, Anxious, Fearful, or Paranoid?
'Mental Health and Safety', at work, play & just going about your business. 
There is still so much misunderstanding, even amongst some professionals, concerning what causes psychological and social problems. Because of a relatively small number of successful identifications of 'organic' causes (of rare conditions), the assumption is that all 'irritating' differences that people have, are the result of physical abnormalities, individual incompetence, or genetic weaknesses. 
My son has not been diagnosed, or assessed as having Autism, but he would have been if others would have had their way. I strongly resisted him being statemented, because I have seen both the advantages and the disadvantages of this (and the outcomes in adulthood). Being Statemented can carry a very heavy price, affecting a person's entire life. Its not all positive.
Since the 
Why are we so surprised that some people become angry, that others tend to be particularly aggressive and that still others develop a style of anger and aggression that they camouflage as 'Assertive' Behaviour. Of course, there are those other 'identified' individuals and groups who are labelled as 'passive-aggressive'.