“Mental Health” Liberation for Relatives
People on both sides of my family suffered greatly from “mental health” oppression (MHO).
I grew up confused about my mind and scared of trusting my thinking or sharing it. I have struggled with distress recordings that say I need to be “fixed” and be a better person. I have struggled with feelings that I am a failure and that things will never change. These patterns were installed very early from the MHO my parents experienced. For thirty years my father was on lots of psychiatric drugs, which severely disabled him and then killed him. I attempted suicide when I was fourteen and spent time in a psychiatric hospital—and my family situation made me extremely vulnerable to what happened to me as a result.
At the recent “Mental Health” Liberation for Relatives Workshop, those in the topic group for children of parents hurt by MHO all said that they grew up feeling like relationships were a “job” to do. This gave me a way to discharge on deep chronic isolation.
USA
Reprinted from the RC e-mail discussion list for leaders of “mental health” liberation
(Present Time 203, April 2021)