I was disappointed by the comments made by Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) in regard to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) http://www.samhsa.gov. SAMHSA, the federal mental health authority, does groundbreaking work to improve mental health services and to promote hope and recovery for individuals with even the least relief from symptoms of a mental health condition. In the interests of full disclosure, I am the director of the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse http://www.mhselfhelp.org , which is funded in part by SAMHSA. Because of this, I am extremely familiar with SAMHSA's work, as Rep. Murphy apparently is not or he would not have said that SAMHSA tells people to get off psychiatric medications. In fact, SAMHSA supports the shared decision-making model, an emerging best practice in health care and mental health services http://www.samhsa.gov/consumersurvivor/sdm/StartHere.html . I hope that Rep. Murphy begins to educate himself about the role that SAMHSA plays in the mental health arena.
Susan Rogers srogers@mhasp.org http://www.mhselfhelp.org
This is a terrific discussion. As the Mom of someone diagnosed with mental illness (schziophrenia, in our case), I can attest that TREATMENT works, and that there should be utmost respect for those who rely on medication as part of that treatment - and their families. I agree with Mike Fitzpatrick: families, when properly informed and supported, can be vital partners in recovery. Too often, though, there is blame instead. If Adam LAnza's mother had received help and education, there may have been a better outcome in Newtown, my neighboring town. Randye Kaye Speaker/author "Ben Behind His Voices: One Family's Journey from the Chaos of Schizophrenia to Hope"
Good panel, good discussion. The question that is almost completely unaddressed is whether and how videogames have *positive* effects even if they ostensibly are violent. Consideration of this question ultimately will lead to a focus on the *social* aspect of videogames, in the meaningful sense of interaction and influence among individuals who actually exist, who are alive. Only then can there be a meaningful debate about antisocial and prosocial effects. See e.g.,
The game he is referring to is Postal 2. It came out a decade ago in 2003. Typical baby boomer politicians stuck in 60s era mentality and woefully out of touch with this millenia.
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Susan Rogers
srogers@mhasp.org
http://www.mhselfhelp.org
Randye Kaye
Speaker/author "Ben Behind His Voices: One Family's Journey from the Chaos of Schizophrenia to Hope"
http://transmedia-frontiers.posterous.com/tag/violence
http://www.jcbastian.com/1/post/2013/02/the-three-cs.html#