This document discusses social justice issues faced by people with mental illness (PWMI). PWMI experience invisibility, marginalization, discrimination, and are often voiceless and vulnerable. They face stigma both externally and internally. The current mental health system can trap PWMI through alienation, loss of support systems, institutionalization, and loss of identity. Labeling PWMI as "crazy" or "disabled" dehumanizes and excludes them. To achieve social justice, the document argues that stigma around mental illness must be eliminated through education, PWMI must be afforded full participation and rights without discrimination, and the focus of treatment needs to shift to both maintenance and recovery in a supportive environment.

1. Social Justice for PeopleWith Mental Illness

2. Why do the mentally ill
deserve special
consideration in the
sphere of social justice?
▪ Invisible illness
▪ Marginalized
▪ Discrimination
▪ Voiceless
▪ Vulnerable
▪ “Otherness” – “Less than human”
▪ Few external safe havens
▪ External and Internalized Stigma
▪ PWMI can become trapped in “the system”

3. Can you pick the
person with
mental illness?
It is often invisible, without any
direct physical signs.

4. What are the practical
harms of “the system”?
▪ Alienation
▪ Feeling you can’t tell anyone about your problem
▪ Illness becomes unmanageable
▪ Loss of job or career
▪ Family/Friends loosen affiliation or detach completely
▪ Some wind up in jail
▪ Ostracization & Segregation
The Institution,The Indoctrination
▪ Baker Act –sometimes violent, almost always scary
▪ Institutional Life
▪ Dangerous: rape, physical violence without recourse
▪ Loss of control, no way out
▪ Strangers become your only support and it is minimal
▪ Loss of identity and the acceptance of the label “Crazy”

5. Have you ever felt truly
alone or that it was unsafe
to seek help or to tell
anyone that you needed
help?
Often, PWMI go untreated for years because
they fear what others will think of them or
how it will change how they are treated.
And, for good reason.

6. What are the practical
harms of “the system”?
Labeling
What is the effect of being called “Crazy”?
▪ Personal attack
▪ No one takes ANYTHING you say seriously
▪ Fear replaces fairness
▪ Transformation into the 2 IN’s
▪ INHUMAN
▪ People see you as fundamentally different from themselves
▪ Ostracization
▪ INVISIBLE
▪ People feel uncomfortable around the mentally ill
▪ Socially excluded
▪ Politically excluded
▪ Economically excluded

7. The Labels What is the effect of being called “Disabled”?
▪ Institutional attack
▪ Pity replaces fairness
▪ No real institutionalbusiness category as “handicapable”
▪ While there are laws regarding the hiring of the disabled
they are rarely enforced. The system is rigged so that there are
always better candidates than you.
▪ Doctors, clinicians, and social workers treat you as your
diagnosis
▪ You are told your capabilities are limited
▪ Identity is lost
▪ Sense of purpose is lost
▪ You become the label

8. What is being done?
Social Security Disability Insurance
▪ Only applies to those that have paid into Social Security
▪ Two – Five year wait period
▪ Three standard denials
▪ A lawyer is not mandatory / mandatory
▪ Expensive neuro-psych exams are required $6000
▪ Pays from $300 to $2200 per month
▪ Average is $900-$1000/month ($225-$250 per week)

9. What is being done? Medication
▪ Sometimes takes years to find the right combination of
medications
▪ Side Effects
▪ Ticks – rocking, uncontrollable muscle movements
▪ Muscle cramps
▪ Ringing in the ears
▪ Hair loss
▪ Swollen joints
▪ Cognitive suppression
▪ Dizziness
▪ Nausea
▪ Uncontrollable weight gain
▪ Gynecomastia
▪ Erectile dysfunction

10. How being in
“the system”
leads to oppression
▪ Loss of dignity
▪ Loss of purpose
▪ Loss of identity
▪ Alienation
▪ Hopelessness
▪ Hunger
▪ Homelessness
▪ High suicide rate

11. What should be done?
Eliminate the stigma
“Until the stigma of mental illness can be
overturned, the rights of the mentally ill will
continue to be:
▪ Marginalized
▪ Invalidated
▪ Violated
▪ Ignored” – Megan-Jane Johnstone

12. What should be done?
Education about the systemic oppression and
social identity of PWMI
Where do we start?
▪ Social workers, clinicians, doctors
▪ Students in multi-issue diversity courses like “Social
Justice in America”
▪ Media outlets have a strong influence on attitudes
▪ Limit use of derogating language
▪ Implying that all PWMI are “dangerous”

13. What should be done?
PWMI have to be afforded full participation in
society without discrimination
▪ Politically
▪ Economically
▪ Socially
Medical focus vs Psychological focus
▪ Focus on maintenanceAND progressive recovery
▪ Big-pharma approach
▪ Additional counseling and case management

14. What should be done?
TwoWay Street
PWMI must come out of the closet and seek treatment
But, that process has to be made safe