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Another Modest Proposal.  

Posted by kw in , ,

I'm working on a concept that could be quite big.  I've noticed that we all take care of each other on-line, maybe more than others in our real life.

So, based on the model of Chicago's Mad Tea Party, I hope to create a virtual support system.  One that is based on trust, like Facebook, that is regional like Freecycle, that is invested like Mad Tea Party and is driven by people like you and me.

I want to stop the use of the phrase "Mental Health Consumer", which is patently absurd.  None of us shopped for our diagnoses.  No one diagnosed with, say, cancer, is labeled as a "Cancer Consumer".  The phrase has been created in a terrified world.  A world too terrified to face the truth about ourselves.  A world where we think it is better to hide illnesses behind pat, comfortable and softened words.  A world where shopping is implied within the mental diagnoses.

As I've written before, I'm willing to take any insights you might offer.  I plan on contacting the site-builder this week.  My therapist suggested that I apply for a Government grant.  I guess I need a business plan first.  LMAO!  (Laughing My Arse Off)!

Wish me luck.  This could become a fantastic tool in the fight against mental health ignorance.  I hope that it will help readers become informed, whether it be about symptoms, medications, hospital stays, links to pet and plant care for those in hospital, forums and support.

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 13, 2008 at Saturday, December 13, 2008 and is filed under , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed .

5 comments

isabella mori  

yes, i've been wracking my brain about that one, too. of course we know where the term "consumer" comes from but that term is an unfinished attempt at trying to get out of the ghetto.

"people who have mental health challenges" is a bit long, isn't it? PWHMHC. hm. but maybe a catchy acronym would work. (remember yuppie?)

Saturday, December 13, 2008
susan  

Hello Dano,

Tagging you on a Christmas theme!

See blog and follow

Saturday, December 13, 2008
kw  

ISABELLA~

Actually, I'm not sure about how "consumer" became an accepted description! I'd love to know.

In the art class I'm taking with nine other adults, the teacher talks of "living with a mental diagnoses". It's no more successful as an acronym! But then again, being successful was an integral part of a yuppie, by definition.

Clearly, we'll struggle for a long time before we create a nice catchall for us, although, L-WAMD does have a certain je ne sais quoi!

SUSAN~

Thanks! I spent the whole night trolling YouTube for links to my picks. I wasted a lot of time and thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Sunday, December 14, 2008
Immi  

Whatever happened to patient anyways? Go to a doc or physical therapist or somesuch, you're a patient. Unless, of course, it's a mental illness that you go to a doctor for, then you're consuming mental health. Um, ok. If it's no more damning to have a mental illness than it is to have diabetes, why cover it up that those of use who go to a doc for it are patients? I never got it.
I'm all for the Mad Tea Party - holler if there's something you imagine I can do to help.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008
kw  

IMMI~

My sentiments exactly!

Let's put the mental back in sentimental,

Give ill back to illusions and illustrations,

Make mad as loved as Madonna,

And as we're getting rid of Bush finally, let's stop beating around it and say it out loud:

"I'm mad as Hell and I'm not going to consume it any more!"

Thursday, December 18, 2008

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