Every American has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We know this phrase by heart.
Beyond this well-known phrase in our Constitution that ensures our individual freedoms, there is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that defines specific entitlements of living life.
This declaration sought to bring mankind together and prevent the atrocious human rights violations of WWII from ever occurring again…
And unfortunately, we still have a lot of work to do despite the fact that almost 200 countries signed the declaration agreeing to this peaceful writing that enshrines inalienable rights of all the human species.
“No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhumane or unusual treatment or punishment.”
That quote is from Article 5 of the UDHR, and this brings a tear to my eye when I consider how many people are suffering through that experience in the name of mental health “help.” There are many human rights that the broken mental health system infringes upon at this point in time.
Another example is Your Human Right to Healthcare, protected under Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It has two clauses which protect our health, both physical and mental.
But this does not give anyone the right to force a type of “care” upon you that you do not want to experience.
Our Rights are Infringed with “treatments” used to “help” people with their mental health. Just one example is electric shock treatment, or ECT. I know it’s hard to believe anyone can find a justification to use this cruel and barbaric “treatment.”’ It’s a gross violation of our human rights that the UDHR so plainly protects. Can you believe this is even a legal form of treatment?
Electric Shock Therapy Harms Patients: ECT has shown to have numerous adverse side effects, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, especially not on those who are forced to receive it. Following is just a brief, excerpted list of harmful side effects of ECT:
- Fear, anxiety, confusion, apprehension
- Lightheaded, dissociated, numb, strange-feeling
- Headaches, sometimes severe
- Disorientation, difficulty forming thoughts
- Fatigue, dizziness, wooziness, groggy
- Nausea, drooling, loss of muscle control
- Symptoms similar to stroke phenomenon
- Muscle stiffness, uncontrollable shakiness
- Inability to eat or sleep
- Hallucinations
- Jaw aches
- Memory loss
This website shows recorded interviews of real patients who’ve received ECT. They’re speaking out on it to warn others of the harmful effects. One woman lost seven years of her memory, including the birth of one of her children! Another patient said he felt suicidal after receiving ECT. Several patients said that their psychiatrists would deny the possibility of long-term effects of ECT, but then those long-term effects would occur anyway!
Even children are detained against their will, receive the barbaric “treatment” of ECT and parents have to fight for the safe return of their kids to be released from mental hospitals. In cities all over, people are involuntarily committed to mental hospitals, all while never having been charged with a crime. This is an outrageous violation of our human rights. It’s going to take all of us coming together to improve the mental health system for the love, care and betterment of our sisters and brothers!
Your Rights are Worth Protecting & I urge you to please sign the advanced directive to protect yourself from ever falling victim to this brutality. https://www.cchrint.org/psychiatric-living-will/ Or if you have already had the unfortunate experience of the broken mental health system, please get this form notarized to protect yourself and tell others to do the same.
You are guaranteed a right to healthcare. But that healthcare must be consensual, and you must be given options to choose from in the type of care that you and your loved ones receive. Please do get in touch with me to navigate solutions for holistic mental health. There is a path that uses love and care to truly balance the mind, body, and soul connection to experience relief from stress.
I’m rooting for all of you special souls looking for the path! In the meantime of getting on the path, let’s defend our human rights for ourselves and others!!
All my love,
Miriam, your Human Rights Advocate friend
