[WikiEN-l] Re: "Mental Health Service Consumer" Trolls

Wed Oct 15 07:18:05 UTC 2003

 From: "Toby Bartels" <toby+wikipedia at math.ucr.edu>

> Alex756 wrote:
> 
> >This organization is a good place to start understanding
> >what "mental health service consumers" or just "mental
> >health consumers" (the terms used by most individuals
> >who are or should be under some kind of treatment)
> >have to deal with on a daily basis:
> >http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=Living_With
> 
> That's the term that's used by most of us now?
> I had no idea that the consumerification of society
> had proceeded to such a degree!

I know a lot of mental health professionals here in NYC. 
For many years the correct term has be "consumer". They
consume services, these individuals are not necessarily
"disabled" "debilitated" or "sick" any more than one with
the flu needs some medical care.

The use of this term was started by "consumer groups" about
fifteen years ago as many of the not-for-profit organizations 
in the area of mental health pushed for that name. It has become 
the norm. NAMI is an organization of such consumers, 
it was not geared to the MHP point of view, but to be sensitive
to the point of view of those who receive services.

> Since I use psychiatric counseling and prescriptions for medication,
> technically I must agree that I am a "mental health service consumer".
> I don't see how I could be a "mental health consumer", however.

It may seem confusing, but individuals who attempt to assimilate
mental health are perhaps  "mental health consumers". In the
social services area they are known as "social services consumers".
Those who dispense services are known as "service providers".
(Interesting that the term is so similar in the internet field, what
is that saying about all us "users" Are you a user?).

I did not make up this terminology, but I understand that those
who need mental health services have been stigmatized with very
negative and charged monikers that have caused them great pain
and discrimination often based upon societal stereotypes that
may be summed up in such words as "crazy" "mad" "mentally
ill" or "mental case". It is felt that all these names are projecting
very negative stereotypes and preventing individuals who might
otherwise be treated like other human beings from being mistreated
or ignored because of problems that they face that may be beyond their 
control. Even the term "client" tends to marginalize, in the opinion
of these groups (though not all mental health professionals recognize
that the only appropriate word for these people is "consumers".

Anyone who uses such terminology,  in the opinion of these
"consumer groups," continues these preconceived and 
prejudicial stereotypes by encouraging these negative symbols
to circulate through the use of  language that reflects a negative
view of the situation these people find themselves in through no
fault of their own.

It may not be a violation of any law or contrary to any principle
of free speech to use such terminology, but the opinion of
those consumers who suffer from the use of these terms perhaps 
should be kept in mind.. It is their opinion that when one uses
these terms indescriminately the use of them causes groups 
of people to be further stigmatizated, alienated and 
marginalized from society.

Alex756