“Mental Health” Liberation for the Netherlands
Last September Jenny Martin (the International Liberation Reference Person for “Mental Health” Liberation) led a “Mental Health” Liberation Workshop for the Netherlands. There were classes on language liberation, ending anti-Jewish oppression, ending racism, the nature of “mental health” oppression, opposing the use of psychiatric drugs, and telling our stories. Throughout the workshop we were treated to translations into Papiamentu, Sranan Tongo, Gujarati, and Frisian, as well as Dutch.
The class on “mental health” oppression was built around questions from the group, ensuring that the participants felt involved. Jenny talked about psychiatric drugs and their purpose in an oppressive society. Drugs make it seem as if problems are the individual’s fault, not due to problems in our society. They impede discharge and re-evaluation, lead to numbness, and create billions of dollars for capitalist shareholders! She described the work of the Sunrise Center, the wide-world project rooted in RC that aims to help people come off drugs safely. See .
We were encouraged to tell our stories in our support groups. Everyone has a “mental health” story, whether as an ex-inmate, relative, friend, therapy survivor, or someone who has lived with addiction. People of the Global Majority and men then shared their stories on panels.
There was a strong group of parents. They and their children are facing huge ongoing struggles with the system. This is an important aspect of “mental health” liberation work.
Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Reprinted from the RC e-mail discussion list for leaders of “mental health” liberation
(Present Time 203, April 2021)