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

Wed Oct 15 07:39:01 UTC 2003

Alex 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

Thanks for the link Alex.

In my experience (in England) we are usually known as "service users".  I've
rarely heard anyone actually use the term other than the professionals
though.  I can't say I'd like to be called a "consumer", sounds like I'm on
the way down to the shops to pick up a mental illness! (hey, maybe I can
exchange mine - the one I've got doesn't match the furniture  ;)

I understand the idea of removing terms with negative connotations, but I do
believe that that does nothing to remove the negative views, just hides them
under more and more complicated language.  I have seen (and experienced)
appallingly low levels of care from professionals that wouldn't dream of
using a negative term for their "service users".

As someone said in a different context - of all the possible versions, I
prefer to be called sannse.

Regards

san