On March 16, 2021 the hearing on “Deinstitutionalisation of persons with disabilities” by video-conference was organised by PACE’s Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development. The hearing was focused on deinstitutionalization, but also on coercion and the necessity to use “voluntary measures”. ENUSP’s two representatives were listed on the program, unfortunately Jolijn Santegoeds couldn’t participate because of the last minute technical problems. Stephanie Wooley,...

On May 24 the Committee on Bioethics approved the Draft Additional Protocol and decided to send it to the different committees/bodies of the Council of Europe for consultation, namely to the Steering Committee on Human Rights (CDDH), the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights, the CoE Parliamentary Assembly as well as the conference of INGOs. These bodies...

On April 11, 2018 ENUSP sent a call to its members to encourage them to address the national stakeholders and raise awareness about the danger the Draft Additional Protocol poses for the rights of (ex-)users and survivors of psychiatry. Our members from 15 countries has already started action, by informing other national actors and addressing the Members of the Bioethics Committee. For more information see: ...

ENUSP published an article “Perspectives for public policies in mental health. Sick or well – a citizen first: The (Ex-)User/Survivor Voice in Democracy” in L’Information psychiatrique in 2016. We've just got the permission to share it. Authors: Guadalupe Morales and Stephanie Wooley. The article in pdf format is accessible here, see: "Perspectives for public policies in mental health. Sick or well – a citizen first: The...

The article, published in BJPSYCH INTERNATIONAL in August 2017, reports the findings of a survey of service users regarding their experiences of coercion and restraint in the UK and embeds this in the wider international and institutional environment. The article mentions efforts of ENUSP with regard to the UN CRPD: "The European Network for (ex-) Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (ENUSP) has provided a point-by-point...

Research published on 22 June 2017 by the Mental Health Alliance shows that Mental Health Act isn't working. The research includes the views of over 8000 people who use mental health services, carers, and professionals. Half of those who responded did not think that people are treated with dignity and respect under the Mental Health Act. However, according to the National Survivor User Network (NSUN),...

Recovery, empowerment and experiential expertise. In this documentary (ex-)users and survivors of psychiatry speak about their lived experience from hospitalization to recovery. They discuss what is helpful and what is not helpful at all. Among the most brilliant phrases are: "Insanity is a perfectly sane reaction to insane circumstances", highlighting the largely forgotten social and psychological background of mental issues, and "There is professional distance,...

The picture illustrating this post is not taken in a mental institution. It's from a TV show. A French popular and long-standing game show "Fort Boyard" broadcast in 30 countries has decided to organize a show based on isolation and contention in psychiatry. Candidates are put in a straightjacket, enter a padded isolation cell in very bright light and play games with balls in their...

According to the study published in CNS Drugs on June 16, 2017, 37 out of 10,000 clozapine users have serious gastrointestinal hypomotility with clozapine the suspected cause, and at least 7 of them actually die (case fatality rate 18 %). Researchers say actual numbers may be bigger due to underreporting. However even the reported prevalence differs significantly from clozapine prescribing information issued by regulators and...

Not so long ago two Lithuanian businesswomen were caught organizing "training sessions" during which they would take heads of companies to interact with psychiatric patients. Course cost around 7.700 Eur, and participants of the course were not informed that they are going to psychiatric hospital in order to "get them out of their comfort zone" and enable them to undergo "very emotionally charged" experiences. During...