BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, October 12 2023. World Mental Health Day on October 10 2023 became a platform for a global community that stands up for raising awareness and instigating change against psychiatric abuses. The Scientology Network joined forces with the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) to organize an event focusing on shedding light on this pressing issue, by dedicating a full day of broadcasting to the issue through Scientology TV. Also, the broader international movement against psychiatric abuses highlighted the importance of the new WHO & OHCHR guidelines that safeguard people from abuses in mental health.
Revealing the Hidden Risks of Psychiatric Medication and its Potential Dangers
Startling statistics reveal that one out of every four Americans is currently dependent on medications. Shockingly even children as young as five years old are involved in over 400,000 cases. Unfortunately, there is awareness regarding the potential risks associated with these medications. Reported side effects include thoughts of violence, anxiety, depression, psychosis, hallucinations and even fatalities. It is deeply concerning to note that individuals using medications face a six times higher likelihood of dying by suicide.
Acknowledging complications such as memory loss, cognitive impairment, brain damage and even fatalities associated with electroshock therapy (ECT) the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken a stance. However, despite this acknowledgement 100,000 individuals, in the United States undergo Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) each year, and it is alarming to note that even psychiatrists themselves acknowledge that they do not fully comprehend the mechanisms behind ECT.
Advocating for the Mission of CCHR; Putting an End to Psychiatric Abuse
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) a profit organization is committed to safeguarding mental health and actively working towards eliminating unethical practices in the global psychiatric industry. CCHR and its partners have played a role in enacting over 320 laws aimed at protecting individuals from such abusive practices.
World Mental Health Day Marathon; Shedding Light on Psychiatric Misconduct
As part of their World Mental Health Day campaign, the Scientology Network organized a marathon event with the objective of educating the public in 17 languages about misconduct and corruption within the mental health field worldwide. This event served as a call to action aiming to eradicate activities associated with psychiatry.
Revealing the Facts: Highlighted Shows During the Marathon
The marathon showcased a series of documentaries produced by CCHR, which aimed to uncover the truth, about the history and practices of the industry.
Here are some titles for your consideration:
- Therapy or Torture: The Truth about Electroshock, an exposé on the brutal psychiatric practice of electroshock
- Psychiatry: An Industry of Death, an investigation of psychiatry’s dark past
- Marketing of Madness: Are We All Insane?—a look at how psychiatry concocts mental diseases for the sake of profit
- The Hidden Enemy: Inside Psychiatry’s Covert Agenda, uncovering how psychiatry infiltrated the US military and its devastating effects
- Voices for Humanity—the only ongoing television series dedicated to those working in the streets, schools and communities to spread the message of human rights, educate communities on the dangers of drugs and combat psychiatric abuse.
Global Initiatives: Collaborative Efforts between WHO and OHCHR
In anticipation of World Mental Health Day the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) published a document called “Promoting Mental Health Protecting Human Rights: Guidance and Practices.” This comprehensive guide aims to assist countries in reforming their legislation to eradicate human rights violations in healthcare while improving access to high-quality medical services and many organizations and individuals, including CCHR, have been acknowledged for their contributions to the guidelines.
Challenges in Safeguarding Human Rights within Psychiatry
Within healthcare there are persisting instances of abuse and coercive practices often supported by existing laws and policies. These abuses encompass mistreatment related to well-being as well, as emotional conditions. While some nations have taken steps to revise their laws and policies the changes implemented so far are limited in their scope.
The recommendations put forward propose measures to prevent coercion in healthcare services. They stress the significance of obtaining consent as a guiding principle in all health interventions and offer suggestions on how to handle cases within legal frameworks and policies without resorting to coercive methods. Additionally, peer-based programs that do not necessarily fall under purview also can and do play an important role with more cost-effective results while also avoiding the abuses that are reported to occur in the bio-medical approach.
A Human Rights Approach to Mental Health: The Role of Guidelines for Protecting Mental Health
These guidelines involving various entities extend beyond the healthcare sector and aim at lawmakers and policymakers involved in shaping, amending and implementing health-related legislation. These guidelines provide a checklist for countries to assess whether their laws align with human rights obligations. The guidance underlines the importance of involving individuals with lived experiences and their representative organizations in this process while emphasizing education and awareness.
Mental health human rights protection is a right, for everyone
On World Mental Health Day 2023, people worldwide came together to acknowledge that “Mental health human rights protection is a right, for everyone” safeguarded from any form of abuse or violations of rights. Iván Arjona-Pelado, Scientology representative to the EU institutions, OSCE and UN stated that “Both the marathon hosted by Scientology Network and the guidance introduced by WHO and OHCHR serve as examples of efforts to eradicate abuse and ensure that mental healthcare is rooted in human rights, which is something Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard called for at least as early as 1969”.
By raising awareness promoting the importance of consent and advocating for community-based care the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO) are taking steps towards creating a world where everyone’s mental health and well-being are valued and protected.
The ongoing fight against the mistreatment of individuals facing social and mental challenges persists because civil society remains dedicated to upholding human rights and preserving the dignity of every person. Guidelines, for safeguarding mental health offer a roadmap towards a future where mental well-being is prioritized ensuring that individuals receive the care and support they truly deserve.
