On January 6th, 2014, a teenager with a diagnosis of schizophrenia died in North Carolina. He was shot and killed by the police that his parents called for help after he wanted to fight his mother.
It is said that he was “having an episode.”
Responding to the call of a family altercation involving a young person with a diagnosis of mental illness, police from several different precincts showed up. One of them, after a burst of escalated aggression, shot and killed the young man.
The CNN report on this tragically avoidable act of violence can be found here.
It can be summed up as an astounding outrage, an utter loss, a grievous accident of circumstance and person.
As a resident of the state of North Carolina, a peer advocate, and the mother of children, as well as a variably mad person and a radical mental health activist, I am processing my (totally overwhelming) response to this disgusting and completely unnecessary loss of human life at the hands of ill-trained men bearing guns.
The very first thing I did upon hearing about this killing is send out a few emails and post to facebook.
I didn’t “rant.”
I asked what the response was going to be.
I haven’t checked back to see if anyone has said anything.
The next thing I might do is write a letter to the editor.
I’m not sure I’ll be able to be articulate enough though.
To be honest, I’m outraged.
There is not much else to say, except that I’m also sad . . . and a little scared.
The part of me that is a little kid shaking her head just says, “No. Things like this aren’t supposed to happen.”
“They aren’t supposed to kill kids.”
“His parents thought they were doing the right thing.”
“They didn’t know what else to do.”
“The policeman is probably feeling sick.”
“I feel sick.”
Sometimes it’s hard to write words that will appeal to newspaper editors and legislators when one feels like vomiting over the utterly insane tragedy of the world.
It seems to me that this young person should not die in vain.
In solidarity with the masses of young people who struggle and die by the hand of adult authority, I’d like to see some significantly proactive uprising around the issue of this “mentally ill” young man being shot and killed in the state that I live in, and the issue of all the kids in all the states who have been killed by frightened adults.
Insult is added to injury in that it’s all so damned avoidable.
That young man didn’t have to die.
Right now, my biggest fear is that nothing will happen.
The case will quietly be resolved. People won’t talk about it, the same way they don’t talk about other unspeakable tragedies that are complexly close to home.
There may be a flurry of emails. A few exchanges on Facebook. Maybe someone will start a petition. A letter to the editor will be posted. There may be an article or two.
Some meetings will be scheduled.
Nothing changes fast.
It’s not like all of the sudden there is going to be masses of young people and families on the steps of the courthouses and in the streets, saying, “No more! Not in our state!”
. . . or something amazing like that?
What could even be done?
Could a bill be written, a law be passed? In three years time, will there be peer first responders?
Will police take trainings from middle-school students?
Will there be a family support network so far reaching and inclusive that caregivers had more places and people to call for help?
Would kids start talking with eachother about some of what they go through, what it’s like to be them, how they cope?
Would people be more kind to one another?
Maybe it would be understood that police are probably not the best people to respond to people experiencing what may appear to be a mental health crisis?
Who knows . . . ?
I don’t even know where to begin.
I do know that regardless of what happens, that kid isn’t walking and talking anymore. He didn’t get to meet all the friends he has out there, all the other kids with diagnoses of severe and persistent mental illness.
I wonder if that kid had any friends?
I hope that he did.
He probably had friends. Most kids do. Even if they don’t talk about them or even to them. Sometimes they’re old people.
I feel bad for that kid’s friends.
If they need support, I hope they’ll reach out.
Wow. My heart is breaking over this . . . those people over there, that mother…she lost her son.
. . . and they wonder why people lose their minds.
I’m so sorry for kids, that things like this happen.
It must be terrifying to be a young person today.
I’m so sorry for old people/elders, that things like this happen.
It must be so wrenchingly sad, all of it.
I don’t know if that young man had grandparents, but if he did, I don’t know what to do other than say a prayer for their hearts.
Sometimes there are deaths, usually senseless, that pull into my heart all the everyday grief that I cannot afford to bear much mind to and for a second I just feel sad for everybody.
What does one do with this feeling?
If anyone knows of any unified response to this, either in Brunswick Co., NC, or nationally, please let me know about it by posting to the comments or sending an email to faithrhyneATgmailDOTcom.
Thanks…
* * * * *
Of further interest:
Impatient NC cops allegedly shoot mentally ill teen: āWe donāt have time for thisā (The Raw Story)
Two Of Three Officers Cleared In Fatal Shooting Of Mentally Ill NC Teenager (24 All News)
NAMI parents get there child killed, nice job !
Here at NamiDearest, we want to be sure you know how to have your mentally ill loved one arrested and incarcerated in a psychiatric facility any time you feel the need or desire to do so. Our greatest piece of literary genius on the topic, to date, is a tip sheet written by our beloved friend, DJ Jaffe. Thanks DJ!
The tip sheet contains everything you need to know to effectively break the law in order to get the relief you want. Human rights are constantly wasted on the mentally ill. No more sleepless nights trying to hog-tie your crazy relationā¦unless, of course, youāre both into that kind of thing.
How to prepare for an emergency
by
D.J. Jaffe
Sometime, during the course of your loved oneās illness, you may need the police. By preparing now, before you need help, you can make the day you need help go much more smoothly. There are three things to do.
First, you should establish contact with your local precinct, before you need help. (Thatās right. Violate your loved oneās privacy and get them flagged by the local cops. This way, they will know to show up with one hand on their balls and the other hand on their tasers.)
Secondly, you should have the attached info sheet filled out in duplicate, ready at all times.
Thirdly, you should read the article at the end of this page on how to make 911 respond to your calls. (The part where we explain how to make a false report and support it with āevidenceā such as furniture we turn over ourselves to make it look like our loved one is violent.)
1. ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH PRECINCT
Someday your loved one may be missing from home or hospital. Normally, the police will not fill out a missing persons report & start looking for them until they are gone 24 hours. But by making arrangements beforehand, you can insure that if this happens to you, they will start looking immediately. Or, letās say your relative is becoming increasingly agitated & uncontrollable & you have to call the police to take them to a hospital. It is very likely that the police will go to the hospital of their choice, not yours. But by making arrangements beforehand, you can have a say in where that person is taken. In addition, if your relative is picked up for some crime (drugs, letās say); by making prior arrangements, you can help see that they go to a hospital instead of jail. Finally, it may make it easier for you to get someone involuntarily committed, if & when you have to do that.
The way to make these arrangements is to call the āCommunity Patrol Officer Programā (C-POP Officer) at your local police precinct, now, before you need help. If you do not have a C-POP program (i.e, outside NYC), call the station commander.
Tell them that you have a MI relative at home & that you want to make the police aware of it, in case you ever need help. Tell them you are worried that if they are ever missing the police wonāt start looking until after 24 hours; or that if you need police to take your relative to a hospital, they wonāt go to the one you want; or that if your relative is busted, they will go to jail, instead of to a hospital. Tell the C-POP (pronounced, āsee-popā) officer, that it was suggested that individuals with MI relatives contact the C-POP officers, before help is needed to make them aware of the situation, & that is why you are calling. The officer may think this is unusual, but you should do it anyway. FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION UP, WITH A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE C-POP OFFICER & SEND A COPY TO THE PRECINCT COMMANDER.
If you ever do need help, call 911 if itās an emergency. If not, call your local precinct. When the police come, mention the C-POP Officer & Precinct Commander by name. The police who come to your door do not know what to expect. By mentioning these names, you help calm them & help identify that it is not you who needs help, it is your relative. They will also be more likely to listen to you, & may even get the Commander on the phone or walkie talkie. Because you have prepared ahead of time, they are more likely to take the person where you want them to be taken, & to listen to you carefully. Be calm. (and bring donuts)
2. PREPARE INFORMATION & HAVE IT READY
If your relative needs emergency hospitalization, it will be extremely stressful to everyone. It is made more difficult by the myriad of questions that need to be answered. By having the answers to these questions written and ready, you can insure that the emergency hospitalization will not only be less stressful, but that your relative is more likely to get proper care. For instance, identify his doctor, & what medicines he is currently on, so those medicines can be continued, increased, or removed as appropriate. Indicate what hospital you use. Below is a form you should fill out. After filling it out, make two copies & keep one on hand (in your wallet) all the time. One for you, one for the police, one for the hospital.
FILL OUT THE FOLLOWING FORM AND KEEP DUPLICATES HANDY
CRISIS INFORMATION PAGE (FOR POLICE/HOSPITAL/EMS)
Please take this person to _____________________hospital.
This person is not a criminal. He/she has a mental illness. Please treat with compassion and dignity. Thank you. (That part is to assuage your conscience, so you can sleep without concern that your loved one has been arrested, hand-cuffed, four-point-restrained, or coerced under threat of physical force to remove them from their home to a locked facility where they will be drugged and, perhaps, restrained to a bed, placed in an empty room with a mattress on the floor, or even electroshocked against their will with your consent. Better yet, just invent your own definition of compassion and dignity to include these degrading human rights violations.)
http://www.namidearest.com/2011/05/keeping-up-with-state-of-the-art-human-rights-violations/
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Story # 2
Man Tased By Suffolk Police Dies Following Altercation
“But when they told Simmons they were taking him to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, he began kicking and punching them, Fitzpatrick said.
All three officers wrestled with Simmons on the floor while trying to handcuff him. Two of them used a Taser on the resident; he also was hit with pepper spray.”
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/07/25/man-tased-by-suffolk-police-dies-following-altercation/
Again this man also resisted police cause he knew what “psychiatric evaluation” really means, a locked facility where he will be drugged and, perhaps, restrained to a bed, placed in an empty room with a mattress on the floor, or even electroshocked against his will…
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Bill Moyers on his bps show – Moyers and Co. – just completed an episode on the state of North Carolina in regards to where it was headed via politics and social justice issues. Maybe he would be willing to work on this story as a continuing addendum on your state. I am truly sorry.
When I was on the professional side of the Mental Health field I had a young man come in with an altered mind state who was sexually acting out and very very confused. The hospital seemed the only way to go . There were no other choices. He had young siblings who were seeing him and I was concerned about them as well. The MH two crisis units for the county were unavailable and safety was an issue. Police were called but the innate and repressed anger I felt coming from the officers – my young fellow was the wrong race and was verbally calling me names – was very clear to me. I strongly felt fearful for him to be in their hands. I negotiated a plan that the family with the small siblings in tow would take my guy to the county psych er with the police following in case there was any abuse going on in the van. Officers were not happy but they agreed to do it.
Best I could do at the time. Now understanding what he had come from – the hospital – and where he was going back to _ I feel even more unempowered about my time spent with him.
As another of a young adult male son with special needs , I am acutely aware that he fits the profile that scares people. He tries to “pass’ but sometimes just can’t do it. Poor eye contact and mumbled words with poor handwriting put him in a not safe place for many things like volunteering and if he ever was to begin to act out in public.
There is such a disconnect between NAMI and folks like us. I really don’t think they mean to be as troublesome as their agenda seems to us. They are just ignorant of our voices. Whether by choice or not. Not sure.
Like in everything I have found some police to be kind and compassionate – the trouble is there is no guarantee that when the situation arises they will be there for you or for friends or family members. I have seen them do good work.
As long as there are no safe havens for folks in altered states where all there is is locked wards with medication as the only treatment and there is deliberate non listening and respect to our views this will continue to happen and I fear may be getting worse.Just at a time when we are allowing our voices to talk the system is broken and fear becomes the motivating factor for many people and professionals. It doesn’t have to be this way!
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Check out the google results for “Police taser mentally ill man”
http://www.google.com/search?q=police+taser+mentally+ill+man
Lets try adding the word “death”.
http://www.google.com/search?q=police+taser+mentally+ill+man+death
Look how often this is happening, pages and pages of results.
This story only made the news big because of the gunshot.
Death by taser or death by gun, death is death.
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Hi CatNight – I ‘ve got an idea for you here. Remember the word “posers”? In the land of compassionate intentions and good deeds, the NAMI types look at all costs to include posers, whether or not they are like that themselves, in ordr to help them get their own way from all available authorities and keep their “sick” loved one (sicko, obviously to the honest person) isolated from empowering connections, to look “serious” to their neighbors, “modern” to their local officials and judges, and “benevolent” to their reverends, and so on.
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Listen to the CALM COOL “distressed call” to police by the step father.
http://www.heavy.com/news/2014/01/keith-vidal-cops-shoot-schizophrenic-teen-nc/
“we had to put him in before”
“wont take his medication and stuff”
WHAT IS A COMMITMENT PLAN?
A commitment plan is a list of sneaky strategies and social manipulation techniques that family and friends can use when they are tired of dealing with a mentally ill loved one.
http://www.wect.com/category/240209/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9700760
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NAMI tells families to agitate the police !
While AMI/FAMI is not suggesting you do this, the fact is that some families have learned to āturn over the furnitureā before calling the police. Many police require individuals with neurobiological disorders to be imminently dangerous before treating the person against their will. If the police see furniture disturbed they will usually conclude that the person is imminently dangerous.
http://www.patrisser.com/family/JaffeTurnOverFurniture.htm
“Not suggesting” ? Then why did you say it at all ?
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Police are like hammers , everything they see is a nail.
You do not call them on your own “loved ones.”
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True (from what my ex-wife told me) but that doesn’t excuse the parents from knowing better. As far as I can tell, this is yet another instance in which a NAMI parent attempted to game the system to force drugs on a child. Once the police came, things went awfully wrong. The villains in this story are the parents.
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Faith,
Your blogging this morning has brought me what I’m thinking of, as ‘my first taste of this morning’s news.’
Of course, it’s not ‘good news’ by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s good that you posted on it; I’m glad you are the one to have brought it to my attention, because, from previous experiences, reading your blog posts, I trust that you’ll always have a way of writing, which brings your own humanity to whatever matters (including ‘news’ matter) you may addressing, no matter how challenging…
(“Challenging news” is what I call ‘news’ that’s hard to look at, usually because it’s ‘bad’ — in the worst sense of that word, “bad”.)
In fact, feeling ‘challenged’ by all kinds of ‘bad news,’ on the Web, I had gone off-line for a week — trying to get away from all such stories.
Now, the first moment I’m back online, I gather, from the details of what you’ve written, that the events you’re reporting on, happened, actually, the day before yesterday.
Hence, I instruct myself: ‘Technically, it’s “old news” that’s being discussed here.’
Why do I do that, I wonder???
That particular line of thinking (that one thought alone, minus any thoughts of what you’re discussing) disturbs me.
(I mean to say, there, I am feeling distressed now, at this moment, primarily by this one fact: I can think of certain events, of only two days ago, as ‘old news.’ …That’s really horrible of me, yes?)
‘Old news’ implies now (to my mind, at least) ‘events that are no longer vitally important, so we needn’t discuss them any further.’ Yes?
Observing my own mind, I see… I’m labeling the ‘news’ you’re reporting on, as ‘old news,’ because some part of me wishes to just sweep it under the rug and move on…
‘Yes, it’s a dead body, just a boy; move along now.’
(That’s the thought now coming to mind.)
Meanwhile, your way of blogging about that ‘news’ story is calling upon us (readers) to think about precisely how ‘news’ of this kind typically gets swept under the rug…
Society probably won’t come up with any good answers to it (i.e., it’ll inspire no great way to deal with conflicts between teenage sons and their mothers).
Surely, this story won’t inspire society to prevent the labeling of kids, with devastating pseudo-medical “diagnoses” …by so-called “mental health” professionals.
Kids who ostensibly have “mental health” issues, will continue to be labeled and drugged, by psychiatrists (and by ‘primary care’ physicians), in all sorts of horrible ways…
(Right now, I think to myself: ‘This is no way to start my morning!’ …Truly, far too many of my mornings begin with thoughts of how much I hate Psychiatry. For my own good, I think I should deliberately find happier thoughts, to get me started, beginning my days. Yet, this morning it continues. Here is my charge..)
(Now, I am thinking, ‘Really, I should meditate…’)
Suddenly, I am back to observing my own mind, and what I see there, is, that: some part of my mind (a part which labels certain events “old news”) is wanting to think no further about the ‘news story’ that you’re discussing here, in your blog.
Why is that?
Is any other ‘news’ story more important than this one, really?
I think, ‘No, actually…’
But, maybe I have practical matters in my own life, which require tending to…
I am feeling torn, wondering what’s my highest priority, at this moment?
Maybe I should click on the links, you’ve offered, that ‘news’ story.
However, it is such a hellish story, just too much, too painful. I can’t deal with it. Not now, at least.
(Part of me — a big part of me — feels I can’t think any more about this ‘news’; it’s just more than I can go on considering now.)
(So, of course, no way can I follow the links in your blog. Not now at least. I cannot view any ‘news’ videos on this matter. Certainly not. No way. Not now. Maybe never.)
It’s all too much. Much too much.
Why is that? Why do I feel that way? Why am I so overwhelmed?
I think, maybe that’s because I awoke this morning with thoughts of mothers and sons on my mind.
In particular, I was thinking about my own mother (may she rest in peace) and about myself — and how I loved her — yet how, as a young adult, I often ‘fought’ with her, intellectually…
I was thinking of how, as I moved through adolescence, I had come to feeling a ‘need’ to create some certain ‘separation’ between us.
I had been, as a child, very close to my mom and strongly influenced by her views…
So, as a teenager, I would start arguments with her, over the smallest matters — really, incredibly small matters.
Most often, it would happen before I even knew it was happening.
I would find myself arguing with my mom just to argue — which was ultimately about wishing to create some basic ‘separation’ — an intellectual buffer zone.
Some part of me dearly wanted to become a man and felt worried, that ‘Hey, I cannot become a man…’ as long as I remain stuck to my mom’s way of viewing the world.
Without really thinking about it, some part of me apparently felt, that, I was going to be forever stuck in boyhood — unless or until I build the perfect intellectual buffer zone, between my mom and myself; and, apparently, I had to keep it constructed…
There was a ‘separation’ that I craved — intellectual division, but more than just intellectual… a cutting of the umbilical cord.
I needed distance — or boundaries.
By the time that I turned 20 or 21, I felt as though I had to work on a constant upkeep of boundaries — at least, as long as I was around my mom.
Was my mom a ‘bad’ person in any way? No.
But, I needed a buffer zone, a wall…
I relate that buffer zone to a wall. I was hopefully building a buffer zone, like a wall, with so much obstinate objecting to things my mother said.
Eventually, there came a point, whereupon, I found that… if I was not continually arguing with my mom, then I was not feeling ‘myself’; so, at the very least quietly, I would argue with her, in mind…
(This is something I have never discussed with anyone. Why am I discussing this now, here, with you.. and in a way that anyone can read? I don’t know. Will I post this comment? I don’t know.)
Faith, your writing is inspiring me now, at this moment, to write in a way that is more and more frankly personal…
At age twenty or age twenty-one, I was thinking I might not ever become that man, who, I dreamed, at best, I might eventually be able to be… if I did not define myself and my views as separate from my mom and my mom’s views. (That was my feeling… nearly three decades ago.)
By the end of my mom’s life (which came abruptly, more than five years ago, as the result of a stroke), I was no longer arguing with her; thank God.
I had — actually, many years prior — created the intellectual separation from my mom, that I’d longed for…
Sadly, I have, by this point, nonetheless, failed to become the man I’d dreamed of becoming.
I am not even half the man I’d hoped to be (not by a long shot).
I am so far from being fully a man…
Only, I must be a man, as I have a sixteen year old daughter who needs a father — who would be a man… who can be a man.
I love my daughter.
But “love” is just a word; the word itself is just a word, like “moon” is just a word, a finger pointing at the moon.
Somehow, I must become a man — in the sense of growing up, becoming fully self-sufficient and responsible, financially.
This area of my life (the realm of finances) has long been shaky — as I never developed a career and, after a brief time supporting myself, came back to depending on my parents’ financial support, then became a dad.
Now, I live with my aging dad and my daughter and our dogs.
My dad won’t be around forever, of course…
I need to step up to the plate — be fully a man — developing a viable income.
Even if my dad is around for years to come, I can’t continue to be supported financially by him forever.
You see, this is why I was desperately needing separation from my mom: She had become somewhat crippled by bad medicine — and had only so much energy to spare; she wound up putting all her energy into parenting and failed to develop the career that she’d wished to create.
Truly, she had done her best, as a parent and long worked alongside my dad, helping to put his books together…
But, she never became the successful writer that she’d dreamed of being. She was no J K Rowling…
Faith, I am blithering on, and this is sort of changing the subject, but not really…
Last summer, my daughter went on a trip, to a Harry Potter convention, with a friend’s family; she felt she was probably too old to be celebrating Harry Potter; and, she reported, upon her return, that: In fact, the trip had not been great.
Apparently, her friend had spent a lot of time arguing with her mom — for no reason (seemingly).
Just a couple of days ago, I recalled my daughter telling me about that; I recalled her telling me about that… as I noticed she was arguing with me about something that seemed incredibly pointless.
(It was two days ago. We were in the car, at the time, on the freeway. I can’t even recall what it was that my daughter was critiquing — something I’d said in passing; all of it was just so meaningless, to trivial — seemingly. Now, I feel surely it was nothing; I am thinking, whatever I was saying, that she was criticizing, at that moment, was pointless. What I was saying was pointless. Her critique was pointless. It was all so pointless. I am thinking that way, now, as I’m realizing, that, it was the day of the above-mentioned ‘news’ story, the story about the body supposedly afflicted with “schizophrenia,” who was killed by police after wanting to fight with his mom; that was assuredly ‘fresh news’ then.)
After she’d offered her critique, there was silence.
As we drove down the freeway, I considered my sense of our exchange, and, after a minute or two of silence between us, I asked my daughter, “Do you recall describing for me how, when you took your trip last summer, your friend was arguing with her mom, just for the sake of arguing?”
I needed to say no more — not even a word — as my daughter instantly got what I was saying.
She got what I was saying, in a way much better than I’d expected she would; she said simply, “I’m sorry,” and that was that…
Wow. That was very big of her — quite genuinely mature, I think.
Honestly, I don’t ever recall myself letting go of any of those pointless arguments, that I’d had with my mom, when I was just sixteen…
No way.
I would argue a lot, back then — and not just with her — especially about the ‘news’ (and, usually, about matters so ultimately huge, not in a zillion lifetimes could I have ever seriously affected their course, realistically speaking).
I was most concerned with ‘news’ of the Cold War — the latest developments in ‘arms reduction talks’ and what not.
That was back when I first became addicted to ‘news’ stories…
[Note: Right now (or, more accurately, exactly as I wrote the last sentence, directly above), I’ve found myself speaking my first vocalized words of the day; I spoke aloud, to my dad, who is in the next room, the kitchen. He’d turned on the radio, there, and it was offering a ‘news’ report, which was rather loud, for my dad had the volume up, because he’s ‘hard of hearing’; so, I said, “Dad, do you think you can close the door? I just can’t listen to the ‘news’ right now.” I didn’t even say “please” — really lame of me.]
Really, I get bothered by the ‘news’ and don’t know if it’s at all possible to avoid ‘news’ reporting — for any considerable length of time; many people complain of this same problem…
But, I have experienced real ‘addiction’ to the ‘news’ — in fact, I think it may be a genetic problem (I say that only half-kidding).
My dad collects newspaper clippings — and has done so for many years.
He has boxes of ‘old news’ stacked in his study.
(He actually publishes books, which are based on those clippings; and, so, there’s a practical use for those boxes… even as I wish he could have, years ago, figured out how to access and store his ‘clippings’ on a computer.)
In college, there came a point that I was reading four or five different newspapers, daily.
I would eventually become an assistant editor on my college paper, writing and responding to ‘opinions’ (which is to say, I was arguing in favor of my views of certain ‘news’ stories). That was such a long time ago (more than thirty years ago).
I still have a tendency to argue over ‘news’ stories, at times; probably, most people do that sometimes?
But, always, there comes a point, when I can’t argue any more — as I become totally overloaded with ‘news’; I O.D. on it.
It happens quite often.
This is especially true of me, now that (in recent years) I am so drawn to ‘news’ of what’s happening in the world of psychiatry and so-called ‘mental health’ issues!
Really…
Truly…
Not infrequently, I become so totally overloaded with these sorts of ‘news’ stories (in particular, with ‘news’ reports of utterly pointless violence, perpetrated against people who are called “mentally ill” …by ‘authorities’ who are supposedly working to protect society, at large, against violence).
Come to think of it, almost any report of violence that’s perpetrated by kids can become, quickly, very overwhelming for me — regardless of whether or not those kids are officially considered “mentally ill.”
Why are some kids so violent?
And, how many kids are seriously violent?
I guess it’s impossible to deny, some kids (or teens) do become, sometimes, terribly violent.
But, how often does that happen, truly? I suppose it’s happening more often, in recent years, and many people say it’s a result of “untreated mental illness”; I cannot stand that ‘reasoning’ — it’s just so stupid.
It irks me to no end, that’s the primary cause for my feeling so driven to distraction by stories such as this one, which you’re presenting.
I’m glad you’ve presented this story, but…
It’s a terrible story, it’s going to become fodder for fools like E Fuller Torrey, who are always clamoring for more forced drugging, etc..
Here, amongst those who read MIA blogs and comments, we know there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that kids who are prescribed psychiatric drugs are more inclined to become violent — because they’ve been prescribed those drugs; they are being driven crazy by psychiatric drugs; but, that’s not how the world at large views the situation.
Such kids are viewed by most of society as ‘needing’ more ‘treatment’ (which usually means more psychiatric drugs).
The best question for society thus become: Isn’t it possible that those kids would have been better off, without psychiatric drugs?
But, was it really just the drugging that led to their violence?
Some kids (mainly teens) become extremely violent.
It happens only rarely, but it does seem to be happening more frequently, in recent years.
I attribute this not only to psychiatric drugging; I also attribute it, largely, to the popularization of extremely violent video games.
Only, I do suspect that kids who are ‘treated’ with psychiatric drugs are, generally speaking, more inclined to become violent — because the psychiatric drugs have a suppressive effects, ultimately. And, all life naturally seeks ways to overcome suppressive effects.
Quite naturally, most kids are not mature enough to know how to creatively overcome their sense of being suppressed; most of them will reject their psychiatric drugs, at last, without knowing how do deal with the ‘withdrawal’ effects…
As teens, they will find some separation from their parents, and they’ll stop drugging themselves.
And, such teens will typically not know how to manage their emotions. they will be much less capable of managing their own emotions, having had their emotions suppressed for years with psychiatric drugs…
Some will become violent.
But, isn’t such violence, in all reality, still relatively rare? (I think it is, but I think it is going to become more and more common — because there are more and more kids, entering their teens, who have long been on psych drugs.)
In any event, more and more, we’ll hear in ‘news’ stories, about kids (and teens) being perceived as quite threatening, who are described as “mentally ill.”
Simultaneously, we’ll find that more and more kids are being labeled by psychiatrists and ‘treated’ by them (with psychiatric drugs).
Though we can object, we must realize that this is what’s happening — because it is what’s happening.
Also, there are a lot of ‘primary care’ physicians who are prescribing psychiatric drugs, to kids and to their parents.
Surely, whatever short-term ‘relief’ that such drugs might bring, is far outweighed by long-term negative effects.
We know that — as we’ve studied all the best science regarding these matters…
But, the drugging continues, unabated…
Why must this sort of thing happen? I mean, existentially, I am now thinking about this ‘news’ that you’ve brought to our attention, this morning, and I’m asking myself, why must kids be harmed by certain people (called “police”) who are supposed to be protecting society — and why must kids be drugged by people (called “doctors”) who are supposed to be physicians/healers?
Why must some kids become terribly violent, at all? Really, a large percentage of those kids (mainly teens) in the ‘news’ who’ve become extremely violent, have been kids who whose behaviors were being ‘treated’ with psych drugs.
They were considered “mentally ill” kids.
So, why must kids who are called “mentally ill” be suspected of violent tendencies?
The heart of the problem is in the paradigm of “mental illness” itself… the ‘medical model’ of Psychiatry.
Of course, you must realize, I am going in circles, by this point…
I am like a dog chasing it’s own tail, considering these gawd-awful ‘news’ stories, which seem to be more and more prevalent.
I don’t know if these things ‘have to’ happen — nor why things of this sort this happen at all.
I don’t know, existentially speaking, why a very small handful of kids (and teens) are seemingly bound to behave as though demons… nor, existentially speaking, why so many kids (and teens) are to be called “mentally ill” and ultimately demonized and, thus, feared, by society.
But, I do think, basically, serious problems shall arise when kids are deemed “mentally ill” and are stuck with psych labels that suggest they are “mentally disordered”; those problems are compounded horribly by their subsequent ‘treatment’ with psychiatric drugs.
Now, at last, I wonder what exactly was going on, with that kid in the two-day-old ‘news’ story that you’ve brought to our attention, this morning.
Now, suddenly, I’m inclined to click on those ‘news’ links you offered, to find out more details of what happened…
After all, I can’t even begin to imagine, why he would have been killed by the police?
How did that happen, I wonder?
Faith, thanks for your blogging.
To you and to anyone else who might have read this very long comment of mine: Sorry if it seems I’ve gone on and on here, without clear rhyme or reason…
Chalk it up to a sudden, unbridled fit of ‘hypergraphia’ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypergraphia
Of course, I could choose to resist posting this comment, but I won’t…
I will click the “Post Comment” button despite my sense that, part of me feels I may be offering far too many words.
Thank you again, Faith… for just being yourself, while blogging.
I am inspired by your way of writing — especially, on the above ‘news’ story.
Tragic as that ‘news’ is, you have brought your own humanity to it, so you have made a difference, in how I’m reacting to it.
Had I seen only a headline mentioning it, almost certainly, I would have avoided it altogether (as I’m feeling overloaded with ‘news’ of all kinds).
Sending much love to you and yours this morning…
Respectfully,
Jonah
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NAMI brainwashes parents to make false police reports against the vulnerable they seek to suppress. Their own brochure they hand out 2003-11-29 NAMI turn furniture instructed parents to repeatedly call the police with a detailed instruction list on how to handle the so-called mental patient should they ever ring up the pig sty again with a supposed real emergency. Then the brochure instructs parents to flip over furniture, break lamps, and call the police and tell them that the so-called mental patient is dangerous and tell the police to forcibly take the so-called mental patient to the quack pHARMa rape prison to get so-called help. The law, as it stands now, is that a person has to be clearly dangerous for the police to take them. The police cannot just show up and take people because control freak yuppy parents worry that the kid has depression or is too energetic. NAMI thinks the law is the problem. The law is getting in the way of sending more victims to quack phARMa rape prisons, so NAMIās solution is to teach parents how to break the law by making false police reports. NAMI isnāt grass roots as they claim to be. It is entirely run by pHARMa. Who else could be evil enough to promote that scam?
http://web.archive.org/web/20050321234501/http://www.seorf.ohiou.edu/~xx091/911calls.html
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Above Text pasted from http://survivortoday.net/
I should mention that I got the taser treatment myself when I had those wonderful suicidal thought side effects from psychiatric drugs and police were called.
Guess that’s why I am posting so damb much on this.
Anyway after psych drugs MADE me suicidal they coerced more psych drugs and called it help, gee thanks.
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I am all better thanks to walking away from psychiatry forever.
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My take is that unless you’ve been in a similar situation of having to call 911 because you feared for the safety of your child and family, you have zero right to judge the parents. I know that a lot of the commenters on this site never waste an opportunity to blame NAMI and the parents, but this is a new low. Can we instead have a productive conversation about how we can keep this from happening again? Not just a theoretical debate about dismantling psychiatry–what can advocates do RIGHT NOW to raise awareness about this issue and create/support efforts to address it with police departments, communities, and families?
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Did you listen to the 911 call ?
I didn’t hear any “fear” whatsoever.
http://www.wect.com/category/240209/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9700760
Do you ?
Step daddy is outside making this call wile his wife is inside with the “dangerous” mentally ill son with the weapon.
Give me a break.
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What can advocates do right now ?
Inform police departments, communities, and families as to why “mentally ill” people put up such a fight to avoid psychiatric treatment.
—
Now I know what you are thinking. You are imagining that being Baker Acted couldnāt really be as severe as I described, right? Wrong. Did you think when you Baker Act someone, or you are Baker Acted, you get a phone call by somebody with a British accent, a cordial invitation to the nearest psychiatric hospital and the notice that there will be a chaffered limousine to drive you there when you are ready and all packed and youāve called up work and your friends to tell them youād be indisposed for awhile? No way, Jose.
If you are Baker Acted, you can be detained, searched and your name run through the court and legal system electronically. The police will come to wherever you are, and insist that you immediately stop doing whatever you are doing at that moment, in order to be handcuffed, stuffed into the back of a police cruiser and delivered like an escaped felon into institutionalization. Once you are under psych lock down, the cops job with you is done.
If you refuse to come willingly, you can and will be threatened with violence. And depending on your reaction to that, they may, if you are lucky, only taze you. If you are unlucky, they may taze and beat and or choke/arm lock/wrist lock you and pepper spray you into submission.
With your mood now set properly for an accurate mental health assessment, completely outraged and trembling with indignation and possibly, even probably, crying, you now get your ride to the psych hospitalāa āBaker Act Receiving Facilityā.
Read more http://intentions.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/the-baker-act-explained/
——
Then a coerced strip search and, perhaps, four point restraints to a bed or get placed in an empty room with a mattress on the floor, or even electroshocked against your will.
Psychiatry, got to love it.
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I forgot to mention the forced drugging, the part where you are coerced under the threat of injection to swallow a handful of brain disabling pills, submit to a “mouth check” then wait as the poison enters you bloodstream as that sickly quivery toxic effect starts to shut down and disrupt the function of your nervous system… That part is fun to.
You don’t even own your own body when those butchers get there hands on you.
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I am not judging the parents in this situation at all, nor do I think Faith is judging them. It’s the police response that is disturbing. And I believe that police response reflects our ongoing belief that people with “mental illnesses” are dangerous and can’t be talked to or reasoned with. I was involved with a friend whose father called the police on him because he was being threatening. The police did an excellent job of talking to him and encouraging him to find some other place to stay for the night and did not detain him. I can tell you, he was detained before and had treatment enforced on him and he was terrified of being detained again.
And I think that’s the other issue, and the place where I take issue with where NAMI has traditionally come from – I think we need to recognize that there are VERY GOOD REASONS why people resist “treatment” with drugs, and why people fight like hell to avoid being forced into more treatment. It’s not because they don’t know they’re having problems, it’s because the “treatment” is worse than the disease! And involuntary trips to the psych ward can be incredibly traumatizing, with violence and being strapped to a table and forcibly injected with drugs that numb the mind and subdue the spirit, and being held in locked rooms and “examined” by people who don’t seem to give a crap about who you are or why you are feeling or acting as you are, and having to act a certain way to be allowed to escape. It is often a horrific experience that no one would want to have to go through. It is anything but therapeutic.
So the first thing we can do to is to raise awareness of the fact that “mental health treatment” as generally delivered doesn’t seem to work for a lot of people, and stop trying to force them to “comply” with something that they know to be destructive to their life. The second is to start supporting the development of alternative approaches that involve voluntary placement in a place where people LISTEN to you and CARE about what is happening. And the third is to stop talking about “chemical imbalances” and start talking about trauma and the confusion of roles and expectations that characterize our modern society, and drive much of what passes for “mental illness.”
A tall order, I know. I would love to see more leadership from NAMI in this direction, but there is a lot of resistance within and outside NAMI to revising the “neurobiological brain disease” view of mental/emotional struggles. This view is very convenient for those who would like to suppress dissent, but does great harm to any efforts to create improved response from police and other first responders.
How about we start with a training for police, designed and delivered by consumer/survivors and their friends and families? I think that would be a great place to get a serious conversation going that respects all sides of the issue.
—- Steve
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“How about we start with a training for police, designed and delivered by consumer/survivors and their friends and families? I think that would be a great place to get a serious conversation going that respects all sides of the issue.
ā- Steve ”
I LIKE THAT IDEA !
Maybe if police watched these videos they would see “psych med kids” as victims instead of dangerous perpetrators.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/medicatedchild/view/
http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/the-over-medication/50748274fe34445fd00001f2
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/foster-kids-meds-finding-solutions-congress-hearing-foster-care-psychotropic-drugs-2020-15077829
Things would be alot different if cops knew this side of the psychiatric story.
If this 911 call came in about a kid with a screwdriver…
āwe had to put him in beforeā
āwont take his medication and stuffā
The 911 call http://www.wect.com/category/240209/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9700760
Besides its not a police job to make kids take drugs just cause the pharma front group NAMI wants that.
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Very good comment Steve. Police do need better training if they are going to be sent on mental health calls. Fortunately we live in Canada and the police in our city do have a special unit that responds to mental health crisis. They came out to our house and were excellent with our son. Unfortunately after they persuaded him to go to the hospital the “care” he received there was traumatic and useless.
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If people don’t want to be judged , that is a red flag right there. There is no progress without judging and critical evaluation.
The first question I always have to parents is how did the child handle being angry and respond to anger in the home in the course of their development. Actually it is a question examining the parents as well.
Once I got “Oh no! Johny was always a good kid”
Yeah. Cest va. There it is.
99 percent is traced to developmental anger problems that are most probably resolvable.
They have to go the other way, to re-examine the basic values.
—-
Being “nice” can be a prohibition agaisnt growth and a blind spot for the parents. Expectation to be “normal” and not negative can be anti-growth.
…
Similarly I hear about really happy families where the child suddenly kills themselves because of living in secret depression. Why “secret” is always my question. This other aspect, of depressives which is not in my background experience is something I find interesting and would like to explore.
“Can we instead have a productive conversation about how we can keep this from happening again?”
Well if you don’t want propel to critically self-inspect behavior the only other alternatives are leather or chemical straight jackets and to shoot them when they escape their restraints.
Situation normal for a fascist society.
Nothing wrong here – move along.
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I wonder if one of the “upper” one percent in some circumstance had to call the pig’s (homage to the 1960’s or 1970’s “off the pig” demonstrations) to take one of their children to a private hospital. Is it was even possible that their child would be murdered by the pigs ?
Is it really harder than rocket science to get a person in crisis to a hospital if it ? is necessary ? or the only option ? and to get them their alive ?
Are these type of actions by the elite and their puppets against the “lower classes” just part of a modern day version of ancient Romes lining both sides of the highway with crucified human beings in order to intimidate the common human into living a life of submissive cowering until it is their turn ?
Isn’t some form of civil disobedience to the corporate will, wherever possible openly or in secret, individually or collectively, to at least gum up the machinery of oppression wherever it raises it’s ugly head, a good way to go, considering that the elite seem to have successfully shut down the massive peaceful demonstration option ? Do they want us to believe resistance is futile ? Do you believe it is ? I really don’t know but my gut says rebelthecartel. My mind does not say “I LOVE BIG BROTHER” so I must be o k. But I am getting old and fatigued and I am too poor to go to demonstrations far from home living here in government housing amongst tweakers and on government social security. But maybe I should live in a van down by the river and even go to some demonstrations .Is it possible that just my existence as a 66 year old drug free psychiatric survivor is rebellion itself ? Something is deadly wrong with so many sitting by as the young and the younger are being increasingly oppressed .Maybe they are secretly putting fluoride in the water with Abilify as a chaser.
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It is possible that even police officers are under mind control. Imagine if “we don’t have time for this” is deemed to be nonsensical and probably some sort of severely mentally ill thing to say. Now imagine if that man is under mind control and he wasn’t the one who said what he said or directed his actions.
There is a LOT of information here (will take a lot of time to read through and follow up, for those so interested).
http://www.madinamerica.com/forums/topic/new-criteria-of-diagnosis-of-psychosis/
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So what does that line mean, anyway? “we don’t have time for this”.
It’s some sort of nonsense, really. Didn’t have time for what and what was pending? It makes no sense. Was the police officer in combat mode?
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They did not listen, They did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsYB-sHugH4
Duane
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Dear Faith and fellows,
I wish we were all meeting face to face and could brainstorm more supportively. So much has to happen to stop the death, violence and misunderstanding. Faith mentioned peers as first responders. This should be essential. Essential also is learning and telling the truth about the common effects of starting, being on and getting off neuroleptics and how all three alter people’s states, change a person’s perception, cause agitation and loosens one’s grip on impulse control. Essential and absent are affordable respites that can tolerate the noise and wild movement associated with intense states, respites set up to support tapering where people can be safe while away from the provocation of heightened familial relations, especially for people in their teens and twenties.
Essential to me as a mother would be training in how to talk down an angry strong young man in an altered state, to have a list of peer responders to call for help.
What are we going to do?
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Start by getting rid of the pharma front group NAMI. Drug makers gave the group almost $23 million between 2006 and 2008, as the New York Times reported. For its part, NAMI promotes the increased use of psychotropic drugs, and even lobbies for laws allowing mental patients to be forced with violence to take drugs !
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2010/04/28/mental-health-groups-state-chapters-get-millions-from-pharma/
They simply won’t help do anything for the mentally that would hurt pharma company profits. They never ever do.
Am I wrong , has NAMI ever stuck up for the mentally ill when pharma breaks the law to push its pills and the mentally ill got hurt ????
Alot of people have been hurt but these “advocates” say NOTHING about it.
Its a joke, the pharma companies posing as advocates.
No wonder hospitals shove the Pills down everyone’s throat with coercion and brute force, the “advocates” are the makers of the pills !!!!!
A controlled opposition is a protest movement that is actually being led by the people being protested !!!
Vladimir Lenin who said “The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves.”
NAMI run by pharma …
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This is a truly tragic story and reminds me of the needless killing of James Chasse, a 42 year old man labeled with schizophrenia, here in Portland back in 2006.
After that horrible killing, the Portland Police Department changed to mandate crisis training for all police and created a liaison between police and Project Respond, a group of mental health workers trained in deescalating tense situations out on the streets. Perhaps something like that could have prevented this in North Carolina. It sounds like the third cop coming on the scene was way too gung ho and helped spark the violence.
At the same time, cops are challenged when any person brings out a weapon. When things go south, their toolbox is generally limited to tasers, beanbag guns and lethal force via a gun. When working with people who are experiencing severe emotional distress, altered states, psychosis and are agitated, this is a really bad combination.
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Keith Vidal, who was 5ft 3in and weighed 90lbs, was seemingly listening when a third officer from Southport Police Department entered the home…
If you can’t get a screwdriver away from a 5ft 3in 90lb kid without tasers and guns, turn in your badge, YOU SUCK.
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Agreed. I’m sorry- what possible reason was there for lethal force? From the story it sounded like they already had him restrained and then the third cop just shot him when he was on the floor. If this is true, the cop should do time.
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What possible reason was there for lethal force?
“Imminent Danger” I saw a show about that.
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Another relevant case, this one in Canada:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/decision-not-charge-vancouver-officer-fatal-shooting-reignites-194308679.html?vp=1
It concerns the death of a man named Paul Boyd, labeled “bipolar”, shot dead by the police while unarmed and on his hands and knees.
Incredibly disturbing.
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Reporters should say alleged mental illness.
alleged-
adj.
Represented as existing or as being as described but not so proved; supposed.
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Keith Vidal-Memphis May Fire-Alive in the Light drum cover
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqWLkKBB3jQ
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Death metal scream-o (official genre: American metalcore) is not to everybody’s liking, and it can be difficult to listen to and understand. He’s wearing a t-shirt that says SHUT UP. Saying shut up is considered to be abusive and offensive but it also indicates intolerance and frustration.
“Alive In The Lights”
From the beginning I knew I was different. I embraced it, but you didn’t. Your normal life, 9-5, it’s just not for me. I need to feel alive!
I won’t fall like the rest of them, they’ve come & gone with the wind. I hear the doubt in the back of your mind but still I’ll see this through to the end.
Maybe if you paid more attention, asked more questions & actually listened you would see this is not just a dream, but a path I’ve chosen that means everything to me.
Don’t you see the minds that have changed? Do you see the lives that have been saved? Don’t you care to see the difference I’ve made?
Listen closely, the highways call my name. Don’t you see this is my everything? It may not seem right to you & you might not approve but it’s real. This is the only thing that makes me feel.
What more do I have to do to finally prove myself to you? What is it that you need to see to finally believe this is who I’m supposed to be?
Most days I feel like your punching bag, but I will never let it hold me back. I just wish for once you knew how it felt to be brought down lower than everything else.
Don’t you care to see the difference I’ve made? Listen closely, the highways call my name. Don’t you see this is my everything? It may not seem right to you & you might not approve but it’s real. This is the only thing that makes me feel. This is who I am! This is my life. I come alive in the lights! I come alive in the lights.
What will be written on your tombstone? You sat behind a desk. You had no backbone. What will be written on your tombstone? You sold your soul, grew old alone. Would you prefer that I become a lifeless, hollow shell such as yourself? Would you prefer that I give up my dreams & lose all hope just like everyone else?
Don’t you see the lives that have been saved? Listen closely, the highways call my name. Don’t you see this is my everything? It may not seem right to you & you might not approve but it’s real. This is the only thing that makes me feel.
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Keith Vidal kicks ass at drums. I am a metal head too.
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Hey, Copy_cat…here are the lyrics to Memphis May Fire Alive in the Lights:
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE LYRICS
Play Song
“Alive In The Lights”
From the beginning I knew I was different. I embraced it, but you didn’t. Your normal life, 9-5, it’s just not for me. I need to feel alive!
I won’t fall like the rest of them, they’ve come & gone with the wind. I hear the doubt in the back of your mind but still I’ll see this through to the end.
Maybe if you paid more attention, asked more questions & actually listened you would see this is not just a dream, but a path I’ve chosen that means everything to me.
Don’t you see the minds that have changed? Do you see the lives that have been saved? Don’t you care to see the difference I’ve made?
Listen closely, the highways call my name. Don’t you see this is my everything? It may not seem right to you & you might not approve but it’s real. This is the only thing that makes me feel.
What more do I have to do to finally prove myself to you? What is it that you need to see to finally believe this is who I’m supposed to be?
Most days I feel like your punching bag, but I will never let it hold me back. I just wish for once you knew how it felt to be brought down lower than everything else.
Don’t you care to see the difference I’ve made? Listen closely, the highways call my name. Don’t you see this is my everything? It may not seem right to you & you might not approve but it’s real. This is the only thing that makes me feel. This is who I am! This is my life. I come alive in the lights! I come alive in the lights.
What will be written on your tombstone? You sat behind a desk. You had no backbone. What will be written on your tombstone? You sold your soul, grew old alone. Would you prefer that I become a lifeless, hollow shell such as yourself? Would you prefer that I give up my dreams & lose all hope just like everyone else?
Don’t you see the lives that have been saved? Listen closely, the highways call my name. Don’t you see this is my everything? It may not seem right to you & you might not approve but it’s real. This is the only thing that makes me feel.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
anthemic. Did his parents ever read the lyrics? Did they ever ask him why he loved that band so much?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqWLkKBB3jQ
This song is badass. It makes my chest feel like it’s gonna explode.
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People watching the news hear the words “suffered from schizophrenia…”
They don’t picture the kid and this video in there minds. They picture the “nuerobiolocical” stigma image.
That’s why I posted the link.
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I just sent the video to whomever looks at Memphis May Fire’s facebook messages…which is probably nobody. I wrote a good message, too. I’m going to go find them on twitter and see if I can tweet to them to check their facebook messages.
Wouldn’t it be fantastic if they dedicated a whole show to Keith Vidal, if they talked about how he died, if a whole crowd put their fist in the air for him.
They go on tour next month. Maybe I could find their tour management company’s contact?
I tried to find out if the state-wide mental health advocacy networks were doing anything and haven’t heard much. Local people haven’t been in touch.
I’m moving on to Memphis May Fire, I guess.
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Nice work.
They should play this song with him jamming on the big screen behind them.
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I called NAMI and they sent me an e-mail about the need for Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officer Training and the usual stuff about access to “care”.
A kinder gentler softer psychiatric arrest ??
Is that the plan ?
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@MemphisMayFire
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Police group: Detective who fatally shot mentally ill teen acted justly…
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/08/justice/north-carolina-teen-killed
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1073834
http://www.wbtw.com/story/24377111/nc-teen-boy-shot-killed-by-police-in-front-yard-of-home
The anti-police comments are piling up on all these online news reports but absolutely no one questions his medication refusal.
I think here on MIA we are the very very few that understand this at all.
I understand what its like to be a psych med guinea pig, bug out and have cops come and get the stun gun treatment.
My parents called the doctor who said call 911 to cover his ass. A nightmare beyond description within a nightmare.
I don’t post this stuff cause I’m bored or something.
Lets hear from Keith Vidals psychiatrist.
Lets see that med history.
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Copy_cat
Comment:
I called NAMI and they sent me an e-mail about the need for Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officer Training and the usual stuff about access to “care”.
A kinder gentler softer psychiatric arrest ??
Is that the plan ?
_____ you want to hear what a local NAMI rep. responded to me with?
“I have attached information about Crisis Intervention Team training here in Buncombe county. It begins with the deaths by police shooting of 2 young men within one week and the force of the community action.
Here in Buncombe county, this would likely not have occurred.
I have been intimately involved in CIT since its inception. 20% of sheriffās deputies, APD officers, Detention Facility officers, school resource officers and officers from other counties have been trained by us since 2007. We have another class of 35 coming up in March.
In a crisis, whether encountered on the street, in a home or elsewhere, a 911 call should request a CIT officer. Mobile crisis teams are also trained to request a CIT officer.
There is some hope and help here in our community.”
Yup. All about how good our CIT officers are, never mind that cops can still come to your house, terrify you and then stuff you into a car against your will and never mind that a person with a mental health diagnosis was shot and killed or that it took two people with mental health diagnoses being killed by police here before all these special trainings were rolled out.
Sigh.
Hey, I just sent Kermit a follow up to this post – sort of an overly long-winded advocacy process and reflection piece that ends with me tweeting to Memphis May Fire for lack of knowing what else to do.
I hope he’ll post it. It’s called “Memphis May Fire, Keith Vidal, and the Effort to #SaySomething”…
Thanks for posting the video. High fives!
Sadly, a kid playing drums with dog eared cymbals wearing a shirt that says shut up is probably the picture of the teen with schizophrenia these days.
That’s why I posted the lyrics to the song, so people would know what he was pissed off about.
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Every parent that buys the brain disease baloney and lobotomizes their kid with meds without any other efforts has already killed them anyway.
…
As for “other efforts” for I could spend a year writing about that but most shrinks and parents seem to suffer from some kind of blunted aspect in this regard.
…
If someone offered me the choice between a lifetime med lobotomy and a bullet I would choose the bullet.
…
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I think everyone lost in this story.
There were no winners:
– Nothing good ever came from a kid being given a psychiatric diagnosis.
– Nothing good ever came from a person or family accepting a psychiatric prognosis.
– Nothing good ever came from a person or family becoming involved with NAMI.
– Nothing good ever came from replacing common sense and empathy with psychiatric treatment.
– Nothing good ever came from giving a badge to a person who was unfit to enforce law, keep the peace.
Friends don’t let friends join NAMI.
Duane
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Oh, and did I mention NAMI?
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Well yes something good came – for all those who heard this story in full it’s social awareness – forearmed is forewarned.
I wouldn’t take knowing this story in full for granted – as the Pharmaprop gets stronger less and less people will know the even hear anything about these things except the “official” version. And actually even now they don’t the people here are in the minority – reality is defined for the masses by what the TV says.
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I agree that NAMI has been and in many ways continues to be an agent of forceful and coercive treatment and distorted biomedical paradigms, which have ultimately led to the harm and death of many, many, many people…and it needs to change it’s name and almost everything about it’s messaging.
It’s the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Not the National Alliance for Recovery and Support or the National Alliance of Mothers of Wonderful, Crazy Kids
It’s an alliance on Mental Illness.
It’s a shame that to be an effective advocate for policy or service in some places, a person has to be diplomatic with NAMI and some NAMI branches are really quite cool, except for the cultural indoctrination into a severe and persistent medical paradigm.
It is mind-blowing to me that I am expected, as an advocate, to be able to partner with people involved with NAMI, to walk these lines.
I like them as people. I respect them as people. I think that, as people, they make an effort to do good work.
The whole NAMI thing though…I mean, really, I have to be involved with NAMI in order to do advocacy work here? Even though NAMI contributed to the harm of my family?
Am I just supposed to act like “Oh, it was all my problem, because I’m a person with a mental illness.”
Yeah, right.
You know what I genuinely cannot stand about the whole NAMI scene is that no matter how you have recovered or what you believe of yourself and the reasons you struggle…well, you’re always a person with a mental illness in their book.
It’s terrible.
Nonetheless, I don’t, as most people know, take an oppositional position to individual people – especially those who believe – because they have been told – that they are doing the right thing.
Update on trying to get a neo-metal band to honor Keith Vidal, three other metal bands have followed me on twitter recently.
So, that’s interesting…
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IMO, this is *all* anyone needs to know about NAMI:
http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Policy/Updates/Involuntary_Commitment_And_Court-Ordered_Treatment.htm
Whether there are some good people who are merely misled in the rank-and-file membership matters not to me. The organization is not good. It is full of propaganda.
And its propaganda kills.
Duane
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Involuntary Commitment And Court-Ordered Treatment
——————————————————————————–
After a great deal of study, the NAMI Board of Directors in 1995 approved a policy on involuntary commitment and court-ordered treatment. This policy was developed after a year of analysis with input from grassroots members around the country. The final text, approved by the board, is printed below.
In passing this policy, the board re-emphasized its belief that “the availability of effective, comprehensive, community-based systmes of care for persons suffering from brain disorders will diminish the need for involuntary commitment and court-ordered treatment.”
We also agree that court-ordered treatment should only be used as a “last resort.” On the other hand, the board is cognizant of the fact “that there are certain individuals with brain disorders who at times, due to their illness, lack insight or judgment about their need for medical treatment.” We believe the following policy does a good job of balancing an individual’s civil rights with society’s obligation to provide kind and compassionate care to those in need.
Policy On Involuntary Commitment And Court Ordered Treatment
Approved by NAMI Board of Directors on October 7,1995
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) believes that all people should have the right to make their own decisions about medical treatment. However, NAMI is aware that there are certain individuals with brain disorders (also known as severe mental illnesses) such as schizophrenia and manic-depressive illness who, at times, due to their illness, lack insight or judgement about their need for medical treatment. NAMI is also aware that, in many states, laws and policies governing involuntary commitment and/or court-ordered treatment are inadequate.
NAMI, therefore, adopts the following policy:
1.The availability of effective, comprehensive community-based systems of care for persons suffering from biological brain disorders will diminish the need for involuntary commitment and/or court-ordered treatment.
2.Methods for facilitating communications about treatment preferences among individuals with biological brain disorders, family members, and treatment providers should be adopted and promoted in all states.
3.Involuntary commitment and court-ordered treatment decisions must be made expeditiously and simultaneously in a single hearing so that individuals can receive treatment in a timely manner. The role of courts should be limited to review to ensure that procedures used in making these determinations comply with individual rights and due process requirements, and not to make medical decisions.
4.Involuntary inpatient and outpatient commitment and court-ordered treatment should be used as a last resort and only when it is believed to be in the best interests of the individual in need. 5.States should adopt broader, more flexible standards that would provide for involuntary commitment and/or court-ordered treatment when an individual:
(A).Is gravely disabled, which means that the person is substantially unable, except for reasons of indigence, to provide for any of his or her basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, health or safety, or
(B).Is likely to substantially deteriorate if not provided with timely treatment, or
(C).Lacks capacity, which means that as a result of the brain disorder the person is unable to fully understand or lacks judgment to make an informed decision regarding his or her need for treatment, care or supervision.
6.Current interpretations of laws that require proof of dangerousness often produce unsatisfactory outcomes because individuals are allowed to deteriorate needlessly before involuntary commitment and/or court-ordered treatment can be instituted. When the “dangerousness standard” is used, it must be interpreted more broadly than “imminently” and/or “provably” dangerous.
7.State laws should also allow for consideration of past history in making determinations about involuntary commitment and/or court-ordered treatment, since past history is often a reliable way to anticipate the future course of illness.
8.An independent administrative and/or judicial review must be guaranteed in all involuntary commitment and/or court-ordered treatment determinations. Individuals must be afforded access to appropriate representation knowledgeable about brain disorders and provided opportunities to submit evidence in opposition to involuntary commitment and/or court-ordered treatment.
9.Responsibility for determining court-ordered treatment should always be vested with medical professionals, who, in conjunction with the individual, family, and other interested parties, must develop a plan for treatment.
10.The legal standard for states to meet in order to justify emergency commitments for initial 24 to 72 hours should be “information and belief.” For involuntary commitments beyond the initial period, the standard should be “clear and convincing evidence.” Involuntary commitments and/or court-ordered treatment must be periodically subject to administrative or judicial review to ascertain whether circumstances justify the continuation of these orders.
11.Court-ordered outpatient treatment should be considered as a less restrictive, more beneficial, and less costly treatment alternative to involuntary inpatient treatment.
12.Efforts must be undertaken to better educate justice systems and law enforcement professionals about the relationship between severe brain disorders and the application of involuntary inpatient and outpatient commitment and court-ordered treatment.
13.Private and public health insurance plans must cover the costs of involuntary inpatient and outpatient commitment and/or court-ordered treatment.
…gee, it’s not surprising at all that portions of the language in the Murphy bill is copy/pasted right from this, which was probably copied directly from the Treatment Advocacy Center.
ugh.
Thanks for posting, Duane.
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Your article about the tragic death of this young man touched us all.
Thank you.
Duane
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NAMI, therefore, adopts the following policy:
“If a person behaves/believes in things we don’t believe in or approve of, this person must be diseased, we know how everything works and what is what, if you disagree with us you too are diseased and have no right to your own body, life, or beliefs. Our way of life is the superior and correct one, yours is wrong and a result of a diseased brain, we have a right to take control of your life, detain you, force drugs on you, and keep you locked up as long as we want”
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Thanks, Duane.
I have had 10 metal bands follow me in the past 2 days. They have names like Countless Goodbyes and The Words We Use.
I sent a message to the family, offering condolence and letting them know that I was trying to persuade the band Memphis May Fire to say something about Keith at one of their shows, to honor him and to raise awareness of what happened and why.
I don’t know if I’ll be able to persuade that, but I’m not sure what else to do. I could write a nice little coherent piece for local advocacy networks, send off a letter to the editor. I should do those things. I tried to do those things.
I feel like in my current head and heart space regarding this issue, it seems like I might be most useful talking to metal bands.
Thanks again…
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Your actions are very *kind*.
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain
Duane
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Read the false news reports.
#1.
Keith Vidal, 18, of Boiling Springs Lake, N.C., was shot by police on Sunday. The teenager was weilding a screwdriver when his terrified parents phoned police for help. They were hoping to have police get the boy medical help, but had their son slain by cops.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/north-carolina-cops-justified-shooting-teen-police-group-article-1.1570872
“his terrified parents phoned police for help.”
#2.
“IT ALL started with a distressed call to emergency services. Keith Vidal, 18, was in the grips of a schizophrenic episode and he wasn’t taking his medication. – See more at: http://www.coloradonewsday.com/national/36577-911-call-ends-in-fat-cop-tragedy-with-teenager-keith-vidal-shot-dead.html
Now listen to the 911 call and complete 100% total lack of terror and distress !!!
The 911 call, listen http://www.wect.com/category/240209/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9700760
Or here http://web.archive.org/web/20140111221923/http://www.wect.com/category/240209/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9700760
What terror and distress !!! ????????????????
Anyone hear or not hear terror or distress ?
I need a reality check. Please.
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If he’s in terror or distress, then he must be a real calm dude, because he sounds like he’s ordering a pizza.
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This is what I mean, why the people here are the lucky ones to know the full news. It’s over the heads of the masses because Pharma’s got them in the bag.
…
Talked to a store worker the other day at Wal-Marts. His cousin’s schizophrenia – on meds – pity about that brain disease. He never heard of any other paradigm. He was astonished to hear me say there is no such thing as brain diseases. But what am I going to do? Deprogram every T,D,and H at the unit level? For every one you inform, 10,000 more empty vessels are filled with crapola.
They got them in the bag. The fix is in.
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I’m sure that any of us escaped from psychiatry could make a workable plan for peer rescue during a crisis ,some of us would even volunteer. If peer rescue team strategies were brainstormed by us as a group so much the better. What I don’t know is if in today’s climate we could get the police to allow it or if they would cooperate with us or if even we needed to do it independently. I remember that Pat Riser wrote about having successfully done rescue of people in crisis sometime in the past.Anyone contemplating that would be fortunate to get his input. Besides the tragic loss of innocent lives, it troubles me and I don’t really understand why some members of the one percent are not offering funds to promote peer run respites, and various peer run rescue efforts and projects to help innocent victims.Are they really that unified ? Are they resigned to creating a Turkish government type of Holocaust where over a Million Armenians were brutally murdered in the years before the European Holocaust and that the Turkish government denies to this day ? Probably nothing that threatens psych ,pharma ,or medico, cash flow will be permitted to grow even if it works to save lives. Rescue could be done in an underground way at great risk. Should a commune be formed to brainstorm ourselves off the Titanic, or should the earth be renamed the Titanic and all human activities renamed rearranging deck chairs ? It will take working together to find a way forward.
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No the police are better at it. They do need the tazers and the guns. When the chips are down , an amateur will do worse than a trained professional.
..
Just some are police units are treating all calls as criminal , even they have an intent to punish beforehand.
good at it and some are not. Luck of the draw.
One question is how does it happen anyway – the cities are human sewers in the first place and the families vacant in their understanding of the inner life because of the deliberate incuilcation of a shallow society- it’s just bound to happen.
And the polcie as just hauling them off to the lobotomy factory so the thing is like the self defense expert says don’t be there in the first place. Change the civilization, the way you live, the way you work , home school the kids , get out! the whole city way of life is sucking people into the Forbidden Zone. The system is disease by repression from the top down, there is no changing just one simple thing to find a sane civilization.
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“Iām sure that any of us escaped from psychiatry could make a workable plan for peer rescue during a crisis ,some of us would even volunteer.”
I don’t think so. Just cause you might empathize with their experience doesn’t mean you are going to “strike up a conversation”, or even likely too. More than likely you’d be getting knifed or getting someone else killed while fumbling for your stun gun after you found out that “resistance is futile, pitiful earthling!”
Leave it to professionals – advocate trained intervention teams and not killing squads but don’t fool yourself that you can do it – there is more than psychology involved in this – you need people with years of experience in physical altercations.
It’s just police work – good or bad – nothing else – it has to happen – been going on for centuries. The real need for help is elsewhere in the timeline.
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Once in a while I have a success that makes my heart soar like the eagle. I had a neighbor, a 20 something single mother with 2 young sons.Her 2 boys were “diagnosed ” as having “autism spectrum disorder.” Many times I spoke to their mother ,here in this Hud housing complex. I’ve studied various natural healing methods for 38 years and have had some real training .She was very interested so I began to teach her . Contact Jennie McCarthy ‘s organization Generation Rescue. Don’t let anyone vaccinate your sons any further.Use a Homeopath instead and Traditional Naturopathy. No metals especially no mercury in their dental work. Organic whole food diet no junk food .Don’t let the schools medicate your kids. I gave her a foot high stack of stuff to read and some films on health and I answered her questions .Everyone noticed how wonderfully the kids responded . The kids mother worked so hard. I’m very happy that it happened.
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A related controversy was on last night CBC Fifth Estate
http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/episodes/2012-2013/the-man-who-hears-voices
“Jeffrey Arenburg was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder for the death of Ottawa TV sportscaster Brian Smith in 1995. He told his story for the first time to the fifth estate host Bob McKeown.”
The issue is forced medication of this person , a murderer.
Very important issue!
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The man murdered someone. Should not be allowed plead mental illness as an excuse.IMHO
The second commenter (where the article is ) does have it exactly correct, the cause is mercury poisoning from amalgam dental fillings, no doubt of it. I have the lived experience to verify it.
Also know police and civilians would benefit from having a psych survivor like me along with them on calls where they had to deal with someone with a psych hospital history.Have a life time of history talking to people with psych histories. Besides having taken knives out of the hands of 4 people in my life without having a weapon of my own on me . I grew up in Chicago.Not that this is a career choice or something. Just that lives need to be saved when possible.
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