msinfo62's Blog

In the wake of the most recent campus shooting, ASU begins looking into disclosure of mental illness.

I know many will argue their various points of view, so here's mine:

While I was a student at ASU, I was diagnosed with a mental illness. I disclosed it to disability services and that was the end of it. Back then, it was no big deal to me and I had not seen or experienced just how ugly the mental health system was here in Maricopa County.

A few years later I was sexually assaulted in a behavioral health facility here in Maricopa County. I met another woman who was hospitalized in a different "franchise location" and she experienced the exact same thing. You could say it is an MO with multiple perps.

Because of the peer networking and peer support services, stories of the horrors MZ and I went through turned out to be far more commonplace than one could begin to imagine.

Further, in the early days of Value Options, they were implementing a "medication management model" for treatment. Here's your zombie pills, now go away. I was even forced to be a human guinea pig for Neurontin and at that time, it was only approved by the FDA for seizures.

I even had a doctor inform me that I was under court order and that if I didn't take what he prescribed, he would put me in the hospital. I was neither under court order and the pot was calling the kettle black that day. I look up all doctors that treat me and this particular man had been in treatment for both substance abuse and sexual contact with patients. He worked at and adolescent treatment facility at the time of his temporary license suspension. He treated me while working under the provision that he is not allowed to treat minors. If he was a teacher, his mugshot would be on TV and he would be in prison now.

It may just be coincidence, but I have seen the worst of the worst and can name names and cite what circumstances I happened to see some of the worst of the worst under and why they lost their licenses (either temporarily or permanently).

The horror story behind the doctor and the sexual assault would give you chills. His "practice" address was at a mailbox outlet franchise that was not affilitated with the USPS. Currently, his address is the physical address of a USPS location and not a PO Box there. Oh, and doctors can order drugs out of catalogs.

If you think that www.azmd.gov is keeping you safe, think again. I was sorely disappointed when they were BOMEX.

Finally, Alzheimers is a mental illness and listed in the current DSM. It was also first described back in about 1912. JQP didn't hear of any signs, symptoms or research until the early 1980s. Feeling any safer now??? What about the "elderly abuse" for which you can get legal representation if a loved one is hurt in a nursing home?

I have yet to see adequate protection for anyone with a diagnosis from the DSM and not just the elderly in nursing homes.

Now, about this ASU disclosure...

I have been very open and public about my experiences within the mental health system, but it is because I have seen the worst of the worst. I try to advocate so that there is better treatment.

ASU is perpetuating a great disservice and will undo all of the good that many peer support groups have done to get help for those that need it.

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Depression/
mhrecovery/about_me.asp has the story of a woman with schizophrenia that started the whole recovery movement.

Research on the forward progress to eliminate stereotypes and to provide real recovery care and treatment will show that it does work.

ASU is on the brink of firing their own invisible bullet into the lives of at least 70,000 Magellan consumers in Maricopa County and I can't even begin to guess the number of people that receive services in the private sector.