Mental Health Support

Last edited Sun Dec 30, 2012, 10:51 AM - Edit history (2)

with a mental health issue--it needs to be a safe haven

As I've suggested several times, I think there needs to be a separate forum on psych information and mental health policy.
most recently: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1240194674

Bringing everything about mental illness here might have the salutory effect of helping some DUers find support, but it would also bring discussions of topics that would have the potential to be arousing and unhelpful.

For example, not everyone would do well with their particular dx tossed around as a cause of crime or how said diagnosis breaks up families, etc. MSHG already has the challenge of balancing the opposing points of view of dx's and family members of dx's. Being on the wrong side of 'support' and stumbling across anecdotes of how 'may family member with ___ was a terrible ________', can be arousing in a bad way. Bringing every story about mental health in here, would just cause everyone interested in arguing over such stories in here. I can imagine many of those arguments being contrary to the mission of support, and also stifling to the discussion of controversial topics...such as why it should be ok for people with grief to seek out a Dr and get an rx to help with it, or why it's a good/bad idea that pre-menstrual syndrome is in the DSM-V.

The new DSM brings some controversial changes, federal and state budgets are going to impact medicare and mental health access to millions.

The news, brings out all sides of mental illness...from new research and treatments, to new accusations about the role of mental illness and treatments for mental illness with crimes, as well as editorials about pathologizing and pill-pushing. News is what feeds commentary in GD. Need for support is what runs MHSG.

IMHO news about things psychological are things people are interested in discussing, but, again imo, MHSG has a mission and that mission would be compromised. A new group would have several advantage it could put a lot of these stories in one place where they are easy to find, followers of the group would share understanding and build a base for 'informed' discussion of the hot topics when they come out of the news. And it could be an arena where the raised level of awareness of its followers is prepared to dismiss the rage of an uninformed prolitariat when news stories confront their biases, fears, and prejudices.