national movements
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
Originally published in 2002 by Robert Whitaker, Mad In America has blossomed into the Mad In America Foundation, featuring comprehensive online resource for literature, research, and news pertaining to rethinking psychiatric care in 21st century United States. Mad in America promotes their mission through webzines, podcasts, interviews, research, community forums, online courses, and more.
Mad Pride directly and radically challenges stigmas and social norms regarding the dominant views of “mental illness”. It reclaims the word “mad” and replaces negative connotations of madness as an illness, with an empowering perspective that madness can be grounds for identity, culture, and belonging1.
This movement represents the population of people who have been harmed by the mental health system, and aims to advocate against injustices within the mental health field. They aim to advocate for self-determination, rights protection, and “talking back to the power of psychiatry”2. Viewpoints vary greatly concerning the level in which anti-psychiatry interventions should occur.
The Hearing Voices movement aims to challenge negative stigmas and stereotypes about people who hear voices and see visions, and raises awareness about supports and communities for those who experience similar things. They encourage a healthy and positive relationship with voices through education and normalizing its occurances3.