Most people have, at some points in their lives-- experienced intense confusion, sadness, anger, or even seen unusual visions or heard unusual voices in their head. Yet people who are labeled with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, or attention defecit disorder are often considered societies “insane” or “diseased”. In reality, these labels have no real scientific base and are often put on people due to helplessness from family and schools and due to direct or indirect pressures from drug companies.

The Freedom Center is an activist, advocacy and support group run by and for people who have been labeled with mental illnesses. Most of us have had abusive experiences with the dominant psychiatric system and are seeking and creating alternatives to it.

In this workshop we will be discussing the ways in which mental illness labels, psychiatric drugs, hospitals, and in some cases doctors can contribute to the problems they are claiming to solve. We will specifically be discussing the drug companies and the Bush Administration's recent psychiatric agendas. These agendas include the national mental health screening plan, the cover-ups of dangerous psychiatric drugs, and the increase in new psychiatric technology. We will draw the connections between how psychiatry is being used today and the fascist history of psychiatry in this country.

The workshop will also give participants tools to treat and be treated when we are experiencing extreme and intense emotions.