Today I spent the day at Cooper Riis. On 90 acres of farmland surrounded by the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, Cooper Riis is a healing community based on the principles of recovery. I had the opportunity to share my story of recovery with about 40 people from the community. I felt inspired by the respect and hope that formed the basis of the healing relationships among members there. Nutritious food, exercise, therapy, farm work, massage, art, music, meditation, yoga and in some cases, the thoughtful, recovery-informed use of psychiatric medications were some of the healing opportunities available. Although many members were struggling with extreme states such as psychosis or depression, there were no restraints in sight, no take-downs, no seclusion.
At lunch I was asked how Cooper Riis compared to some of the other inpatient settings I have experienced. My response was that I felt safe there. The setting was peaceful, not violent. That made me reflect on one of the ironies of more typical inpatient mental health settings. During periods of distress we are sometimes told that we need to be admitted to a more "safe setting". But too often there is nothing "safe" about inpatient care. Cooper Riis is a beacon of light that helps us believe that our ideals of peace-filled healing care are real and possible and should be the standard of care.
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Dear Ms. (Dr.) Deegan,
I read your blog today and, just recently, one of your papers I found somewhere on the web. I wanted to let you know that I found so much of what you had to say hit so close to home. I have been diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder some years ago and have had so many experiences with the mental health system in this state (PA). My own experiences with treatment and inpatient care led me to college, in hopes that I could some day make a difference...that I could some day be a part of the solution, not the problem.
It is hard to believe in this day and age that our rights are still violated, we are still forced to take medications, coerced, threatened, or treated against our wills. I've been through hell (pardon my language), but there is just no other way to put it. I've seen it happen to others. It breaks my heart.
I can see what you mean by "spirit breaking". I know that it feels like the death of the authentic self.
I had a conversation a few years ago with a mental health consumers' advocate who helped me in my time of need. I asked, how can they just do this to people? Hold hearings behind my back? Hold me and force me to take medications? She replied that it happens all the time.
I applaud you in your efforts! From someone who feels like recovery from mental illness is only a dream, you give me hope for me. Reading your blog about a treatment facility that exists where medications are not the first resort but the last...has given me hope for them.
BLESS YOU and YOUR FRIENDS!!!
Sincerely, Rebecca Kline in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Hi Rebecca. Thanks for your thoughtful post. Violence, force, and coercion in mental health systems is a reality. There are efforts by many compassionate people to create a non-violent mental health system. For instance see http://www.nasmhpd.org/position_statement.cfm for the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors positon paper on restraint and seclusion. Also see SAMHSA's great tools for promoting compassion and ending violence in mental health settings http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsanewsletter/Volume_18_Number_6/EndSeclusionRe....
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