Consumer/Survivor...What? by Susan L.

Mental Health Awareness Day was this past week. Bell Canada did a fundraiser towards this cause. I'm glad although last year there seemed to be a whole week geared towards breaking the stigma of mental health challenges. Early in my recovery I had to ask someone what the name consumer/survivor meant. The consumer part means we have used medical services geared to mental illness: psychiatrists, hospitals, pharmeceuticals and the like. The survivor part means we have lived to tell about it. We have been able to overcome the often traumatic, over medicating, mass production, contemptuous attitudes rife in the professional world of psychiatric medicine. We survived what amounts to bully tactics by those same professionals. The stories I could tell of human rights violations. Those of us who use this label have recognized that traditional medicines or clinical approaches to recovery are not the whole answer. We have learned that although medications and doctors play a role, it takes a community to help us recover. It takes family, friends, peers, therapy in many forms and yes, faith. Mental illness is often rooted in traumatic events. Ignoring that truth or minimizing our experiences is incredibly detrimental to our well being. It took me a long time to recover from the brutal trauma of being hospitalized. I also had to learn for myself that doctors don't have all the answers. I don't necessarily identify myself as a consumer/survivor simply because I want so much more. I want to thrive! "...and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse." Mk 5:26