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MindFreedom Ireland

present

An Evening with Terry Lynch

who will be interviewed by Patrice Campion

on his new book

'Depression Delusion 
The Myth of the Brain Chemical Imbalance’

Personal testimonies will be given by Colette Ni Dhuinneacha, Barbara Barrett, John Sawkins and Mary Maddock on how the ’Depression Delusion’ impacted their lives followed by questions from the audience.

‘ Sing it from the Mountains’ composed by Mary Maddock will be sung by Susan Mendez.

8.00 pm Tuesday 8th September

in the Imperial Hotel, South Mall, Cork.

Admission free

 

 

 

 

" This is so true. My next book on similar theme will be published by Sept 2015, "Depression Delusion, Volume One: The Myth of the Brain Chemical Imbalance". This delusion needs to be blown out of the water for once and for all. " Dr Terry Lynch

http://cepuk.org/unrecognised-facts/myth-of-the-chemical-imbalance/

 

 

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A Little Help From My Friends meets every Tuesday from 12.30 to 1.30 at Thornbury Heights, Rochestown, Cork.   Our next session is on February the 24th.

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The Peter Breggin radio show

An interview with survivor and activist Mary Maddock.

http://drpeterbregginshow.podbean.com/2011/02/

 

 

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2016 saw MindFreedom Ireland (MFIrl) continue its work of peer support, activism, campaigning for alternatives and putting forward the voices of those of us unhappy with conventional medical model bio-psychiatry.
 
 
 
STAND BY ME.  This peer support group continued to meet every Wednesday at 3pm in Costa’s in Douglas, Cork.  With a steadfast and loyal backbone of regular attendees, the group provides a warm and welcoming opportunity for all concerned to chat, discuss issues and enjoy themselves.  As one person put it “It’s nice to spend some time with people where I don’t have to lie about my feelings about things.”  In addition MFIrl members supported  friends who found themselves caught in the system.  The ‘Little Help from my Friends’ music group was active early in the year but logistical problems meant that it stopped for a period though we hope to resume its activities in the new year.  New members are always welcome.

ELECTROSHOCK PROTEST.  Our annual shock protest took place as usual in May.  There was a turnout of more than 20 supporters, some travelling from Dublin and Leitrim.  Leaflets were distributed, slogans chanted, music played and testimonies given by people who had first hand experience of electroshock.  Undeterred by incessant rain, we were proud to stage what was our 8th protest and importantly, to garner publicity for our cause from The Cork Independent and also a comprehensive report along with a photograph which was carried in The Irish Times.  In addition on the subject of electroshock, in May Richard Patterson responded to a pro-shock interview in the Irish Times with Professor Declan McLoughlin of St. Patrick’s Hospital and Trinity College while also exchanging correspondence with Minister for Mental Health Helen McEntee on the issue.
 

 
MEDIA.  While the above publicity was welcome, it has to be said that it is quite difficult to have our voices heard on mainstream media. Dorothee Krien did succeed in having a very informative letter under the heading ‘Metabolism an unappreciated factor in drug effectiveness’ published in The Irish Examiner.  As a follow-up to our shock protest, there was an interview with Jonathan Healy on Newstalk and MFIrl was also contacted by the popular radio programme Liveline to appear on the show but was left ‘hanging on’ without being interviewed.  Increasingly it points to the need, as former MindFreedom International Director David Oaks always maintained, to be ‘our own media’ and get our message out to the public through the likes of Facebook, You Tube and Twitter as well as our own MFIrl website. Our thanks to Richard Patterson and Susan Mendez who do this in a creative and humorous manner.
 
 
CRITICAL VOICES NETWORK IRELAND CONFERENCE.  MFIrl was appreciative of the opportunity to participate in the by now well established CVNI two day conference in University College Cork in November.  The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Critical Perspectives on and beyond Activism and Acts of Resistance‘.  MFIrl supporters solicitor Deirdre Gibbons and artist Margaret Curran presented a workshop on ‘The Dominant System versus The Resistance Movement; Two Perspectives’ while Miriam O’Shea, Susan Mendez, Dorothee Krien and Jim Maddock also did a workshop presentation on ‘13 Years of Peaceful Revolution and Resistance from MindFreedom Ireland’ where we also had the opportunity to put on show our new recently donated publicity banner. In the final keynote presentation Mary Maddock joined activists Joan Hamilton, Rory Doody and Dr. Pat Bracken in a question and answer panel session on issues inspired by the conference.   MFIrl would like to congratulate Lydia Sapouna and Harry Gijbels on their continuing excellent work in organising the conference every year and we wish Harry all the best for a happy and healthy retirement from his position as Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing while confident he will continue to provide his leadership and experience for forthcoming conferences.  We would also like to send good wishes to Pat Bracken on his retirement from his position as Director of West Cork Mental Health Services and are equally confident that he will continue to provide his powerful voice to the work for change.  

 
CONNECTIONS.  We maintained our strong links with MindFreedom International and its Director Celia Brown who replaced David Oaks following his life-changing accident in 2012.  Kermit Cole and Louisa Putman of Mad-in-America paid us a visit in September while our close connection with and support for the work of Dr. Bonnie Burstow, Don Weitz and the Campaign Against Psychiatric Assault (CAPA) in Toronto and The Council for Evidence-based Psychiatry in London also continued. We were sorry to see the departure of Dr. Karen McCarthy from the Occupational Therapy section of the School of Nursing in UCC where she had forged strong links with us but equally, we were glad to see those links maintained by her successor Eoin Gorman in extending an invitation to MFIrl to address his students in November.  We continued our support for Tallaght Trialogues in Dublin while a  new connection was established with Themina Kazi and the Cork Equal and Sustainable Communities Alliance (CESCA) with MFIrl being represented by Miriam O’Shea and Deirdre Gibbons  at their Standing Up for Equality and Human Rights conference, also in November. We are also appreciative of the strong and constant support we receive from stalwart members dotted around the country including Patrice Campion in Newry, Barbara Barrett in Dublin, Aine Ni Nibhern in the midlands, Greg White in Bandon, Angela McManus in London and Colette Ni Dhuinneacha in Cork. In addition to his campaigning on electroshock, Richard Patterson kept the MFIrl flag flying at the St. Patrick's Day parade in Carrick-on-Shannon and was also very instrumental in formulating MFIrl’s submission to the House of Commons Select Health Committee Inquiry on suicide prevention in September.  Our year concluded with an enjoyable Christmas party and thanks to Helena O’Callaghan for organising the venue and Miriam O’Shea for providing the Christmas crackers.

 
CONCLUSION. As we remember the 10th anniversary of one of our founder members Helena King in December, we can look back at another year of achievement.  Working on a shoestring budget but rich in the time, effort and commitment provided by our limited numbers, MFIrl can be proud of our work and proud to be part of the wider international movement of like minded people  At a time when Ireland is seeing an increasing rise in the incidence of suicide and at a time when more and more people are experiencing emotional issues in their lives, there has been an explosion of well-intentioned grass-root groups eager to ‘do something‘. Unfortunately almost all of these groups accept and promote a medical model approach which in turn makes it all the more important that the voice of MindFreedom Ireland is put forward. The following recently received quotation from Graham Bacque of CAPA encapsulates precisely what is required:
 
"It's unfortunate that society takes no responsibility for creating an environment where violence and trauma can flourish, instead choosing to de-contextualize peoples' natural responses to such violations by pathologizing them.

 

The onus is on all of us to challenge the ongoing systemic and individual acts of abuse and oppression that result in people suffering such grievous wounds (notice I'm not saying 'illnesses') rather than on those directly affected to submit to interventions that will likely prove unhelpful at best; and harmful at worst.

Unfortunately this cannot happen as long as we continue to view peoples' responses to oppression exclusively through a medical lens (which in itself opens a Pandora's box of human rights issues).

This is one human undertaking where more than any other we need a complete revolution in how we view and respond. It's time to stop demonizing and punishing people for responding in a human way to what we as a society are doing to them!" 

 
Jim Maddock,
31st December 2016.
 

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MINDFREEDOM IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT

2015

        www.mindfreedomireland.com     

 

 

As we say goodbye to 2015, MindFreedom Ireland (MFIrl) can look back at another

year of activism, education, campaigning and offering peer support to people experiencing overwhelm and emotional distress.

 

The Cork Stand By Me support group led by Susan Mendez continued to meet at 3pm  every Wednesday in Costa in Douglas while the ’A Little Help from my Friends’ music group was reactivated in the autumn with the addition of some new blood and rehearsed for their by now traditional Christmas concert for Dr Karen McCarthy’s  occupational therapy students at University College Cork in December.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucAU3WY9s6I

https://www.facebook.com/Cork-Stand-by-Me-232534856944125/?ref=tn_tnmn 

 

MEDIA:  A full page article by Jim Maddock on the subject of electroshock was published in The Evening Echo in May just before our annual shock protest which also received publicity including a photograph of the event in The Cork News.  The Carrighdhoun newspaper carried an extensive report on our hosting of another event in September marking the publication of Dr. Terry Lynch’s book ‘Depression Delusion:The Myth of the Brain Chemical Imbalance’ which also received coverage in an article by Colette Sheridan in The Evening Echo.  Two further articles appeared on the Mad in America www.madinamerica.com  website established by American journalist and international campaigner Robert Whitaker.  In recent years Mad in America has established itself as one of the most acclaimed and foremost websites for the expression of views and opinions contrary to ‘medical model’ biopsychiatry.  As it says itself, it “explores ongoing efforts to remake care in the US and abroad and also investigate the problems and deficiencies with the current drug-based paradigm of care.”  MFIrl is proud to be associated with them.  Mary Maddock was interviewed on 3 radio stations - by P.J. Coogan on Cork 96FM, George Hook on his Last Word programme on Newstalk and Jonathan Healy on his Lunchtime show also on Newstalk.  In addition Mary was also interviewed by Evelyn McClaverty for her award winning ‘Other Voices’  series on RTE radio. http://www.rte.ie/voices/ 

By way of utilizing our own media, Gerry O’ Mullane did an excellent job of filming our ’Evening with Terry Lynch’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHQ1DGYknyA while Susan Mendez and Mary both posted many films and pictures on our  Facebook website.

 

 

ELECTROSHOCK PROTEST: 

http://www.mindfreedomireland.com/index.php/electro-shocking 

What was our 7th electroshock protest took place in Cork on May 16th.   It was part of a unified protest held in more than 30 cities throughout the world and specifically honoured the memory of Leonard Roy Frank, a long time anti-shock activist who had died in January. http://www.mindfreedom.org/photos/leonard-roy-frank/view 

Our Cork event was very successful and  personal testimonies were given by a number of MFIrl members and supporters.  We appreciate the presence particularly of Barbara Barrett and Derry Mescal from Dublin and Mary Power from Waterford.   Derry organised a joint banner photograph with the Referendum Equality campaign in Bishop Lucey Park and the film of our protest was featured in the subsequent compendium of the many other protests worldwide.  As the year ended, a government amendment to section 59b of the Mental Health Act 2001 deleted the word ’unwilling’ but in leaving intact the word ‘unable’ effectively made no difference to the power of two psychiatrists to still administer it.  MFIrl’s position is that we call for a total abolition of this brain damaging practice.   We were sad to learn of the death of Sue Clark from Canada who worked tirelessly to expose and abolish electroshock.  

 

BOOK LAUNCH:   Another major undertaking for us was hosting ’An Evening with Dr Terry Lynch’ in the Imperial Hotel, Cork in September to mark the publication of his recent book ’Depression Delusion: The Myth of the Chemical Brain Imbalance’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHQ1DGYknyA   Over 100 people attended including poet, author and activist John Sawkins from Edinburgh and from Dublin, activists Berni and Gavin Bush and Edith Cahill. The audience listened to and participated in a very informative interview conducted by psychotherapist/activist Patrice Campion which was filmed by Gerry O’Mullane and is now available on You Tube. MFIrl’s relationship with Terry Lynch goes back a long way and we are always delighted to be able to afford him a public platform for his enlightened and humane opinions.  Many MFIrl members were also present when Terry again spoke in UCC in November.  MFIrl member Colette Ni Dhuinneacha helped to organise this event.

 

CONNECTIONS:   MFIrl has maintained strong links with MindFreedom International www.mindfreedom.org   and its new vibrant director Celia Brown http://www.mindfreedom.org/photos/celiabrownphoto.jpg/view   and is always pleased to acknowledge the work and effort of David Oaks  http://www.mindfreedom.org/who-we-are/david-w-oaks/brief-bio-oaks   who is still displaying his unquenchable spirit.  We were also happy to host a visit from activist Frank Blankenship from MindFreedom Florida http://www.mindfreedom.org/photos/frank-blankenship.jpg/view  who came to Cork in June.    Also in June members of MFIrl were present in London at the launch, organized by Cheryl Plax of ‘Speak Out Against Psychiatry’, http://speakoutagainstpsychiatry.org/about-us/   of Bonnie Burstow’s new book ‘ Psychiatry and the Business of Madness’ and participated through Skype with Bonnie  and others on the night.   http://www.madinamerica.com/author/bizomadness/  

MFIrl would also like to place on record the great work throughout the year of Richard Patterson and again appreciate his efforts in travelling to Cork in November.  We are proud too to support Leonie Fennell, Stephanie Lynch and Aine Ni Nibhern and the sterling work they do in relation to the dangers of prescription drugs.  Connection was also maintained with Don Weitz and CAPA in Canada and Peter and Ginger Breggin and the outstanding work they do in Ithaca, New York.  Finally in December, MFIrl linked up with Fiona Walsh and Tallagh Trialogue in lobbying for the full human rights of all people without exception in proposed changes to the Capacity legislation then under review.

 

OTHER EVENTS:     Colette Ni Dhuinneacha and Mary Maddock were invited to address psychiatric nursing students in UCC in October while Mary also did a workshop presentation at the Critical Voices Network Ireland conference in UCC in November.  MFIrl would like to express out support for and solidarity with the work of Harry Gijbels and Lydia Sapouna who organise and run the CVNI two day conference every year. http://www.cvni.ie/    Finally the year concluded with a most enjoyable Christmas party in the Rochestown Park hotel and thanks is due to Helena and Miriam for organizing the night and to Kevin and Geoff for some great music. 

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNDZKkxw3hYVwotBDWSs1mNqJxrbSqpPU1ZxZkldJWk42ngkTuaJGo52p2YrhGRyA?key=UGluMlJya2EyWDU1QXZkSDJSeU44SE9aTTdiSm5R   

 

CONCLUSION:  Throughout the year MFIrl, in addition to our ongoing campaign of education and fighting for human rights, was also a voice and a vehicle for views and opinions that frequently are swamped when it comes to general media coverage of ‘mental health’ issues.  As a general election looms, we will continue to press the case for a more enlightened approach to the question of emotional distress. We want to expose the lack of scientific evidence and highlight the misinformation that is inherent in coercive psychiatry. Thank you to all our members and friends at home and abroad for your support.

 

 

Jim Maddock,

31st December, 2015.

  1. MINDFREEDOM ANNUAL REPORT 2014.
  2. MINDFREEDOM IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT 2013.
  3. MindFreedom Ireland 2012 Annual Report
  4. MindFreedom Ireland 2009 Annual Report

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