Local Councilor Lends support to CCHR Birmingham Campaign

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Birmingham has supported the campaign against the proposed £37M secure Mental Hospital in Bordesley Green on Wednesday 14th December by attending the 3rd of 4 public consultation evenings, armed with a petition signed by hundreds of local residents claiming that: “Psychiatry unlike any other profession demands millions of pounds from governments. Any other profession, let us say, a lawyer, would get judged on his ethical standards, and his results, Psychiatry however has poor ethical standards, and as far as results are concerned, admits that it has no cures”.

Chris Wrapson, a spokesperson for the group further stated, “The local residents, some of whom are professionals in the mental health field, have been flooding CCHR’s abuse line and letterbox with responses to the proposed plans, and they are not happy. This local community does not want psychiatry or its methods infiltrating their society, and have signed these petitions to send a clear message to the panel, The West Midlands Specialist Services Agency, and Birmingham City Council, they are voting with their voices firmly, NO!”

Mr Wrapson claims the solution chosen by psychiatry to set people free from their “demons” is to enter into a Faustian like pact with the pharmaceutical industry in an admission of their outright failure. He also points out that psychiatrists literally invent mental illness, by casting a vote at a conference and then adding it to the list in their “guide” The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM), which contains in it dubious “Mental illnesses” such as: Caffeine intoxication Disorder, Tobacco dependence disorder, or even Refusal of Treatment Disorder.

Many of the alleged symptoms of so called mental disorders are not a problem to the person or others. They are just part of life, while psychiatric drugs may temporarily suppress some symptoms considered undesirable, they usually do so at great cost to the patient, with unwanted side effects and adverse health problems. Moreover the real source of the problem – often an actual physically treatable illness, bad nutrition, bad education or mistreatment from others – remains undiagnosed and unresolved.

Bordesley Green Councilor Shafiq Shah commenting on CCHR’s campaign said he wanted to get at least 5000 signatures on the petition and present it personally to the Birmingham City Council. “CCHR Birmingham is playing a very active role, I have spoken to vast numbers of the locals who are I’d say 98% of them against it and that says something. CCHR have been present at all the public meetings and working with the residents. They have been very supportive active, and are playing a vital role in the campaign listening to and caring for local residents”

A protest march is planned against these proposals at the final public consultation in January.
“Never have incidents of psychiatric injustice been more evident than in the mental health field where laws have empowered psychiatrists to seize people and, without trial, not only deprive them of their liberty, but commit abusive acts upon them. Committed by anyone else in society, these acts would result in charges of false imprisonment, assault and even rape. People need to know their rights when faced with abuse such as this and CCHR is here to help them” Wrapson said.

CCHR was established in 1969 by members of the Church of Scientology and prominent Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus of New York University and author, Dr. Thomas Szasz, when the need for intensive reform of psychiatry became apparent. CCHR has exposed hundreds of unexplained or improper deaths in psychiatric institutions, waste and theft of millions of mental health appropriations, the psychiatric rape of patients and many other abuses.

Anyone with information on abuses by psychiatrists or psychiatric facilities, or adverse reactions to psychiatric drugs is asked to contact CCHR’s Abuse Line on 0845 260 CCHR (2247). All confidence will be protected.

Chris Wrapson (Volunteer)
Media Relations Officer
Citizens Commission on Human Rights Birmingham