Can there be Peace?

I know that I am new to this site and forum, but was so excited to find a place to discuss and find new information from others who have had similar experiences with the mental health profession and am feeling a bit confused after reading the controversy on some of the threads. I realize that these forums must be moderated, but it seems like the moderator should be someone who can be objective. Sometimes it seems when reading these threads that they are in effect adding 'fuel to the fire'. I know this can be hard to see if you are right in the middle of the conversation, but it really does look that way in my opinion. After reading the post about what this site was created for, I was prepared to find a place similar to other forums on this site for those with the same diagnosis, but where those of us with these opposing beliefs and personal experiences could support each other like they do in the other forums. Of course there is inevitably going to be debate over this issue...it is a hot topic with many who have been personally affected and then I know that there are also many who just as strongly believe that meds and therapy have helped them very much. With such opposing views that hit us each in a very personal way, we are bound to get defensive in defending our views to each other. However, like I said I thought this was a place to support each other and maybe with some luck educate others that these opinions and real life stories do exist. I personally think that the way to do this is to not completely and totally offend each other and accept that we all have our own opinions. I find that people are more open to listening to my views surrounding the overuse and misuse of medications if I in turn am accepting of their views as well. We can't make someone agree with us through force and make them shut down completely with condecending comments. I think this can be applied to both sides of the issue. I am not in any way taking sides with this post...just making an observation that both sides are making reading through this forum uncomfortable. Personally I don't see what is so bad about what some people are posting, but then my view can be biased...but we all have to realize that our views are biased one way or the other even if and when we try to understand the other person's view. Could we give it a shot? Trying to understand and at least accept each other's differing opinions? I just found this site and would hate to see it ended when it has so much potential to help so many. Instead of getting defensive maybe we could tone this down and show our compassionate side and not just our angry and frustrated side? I think we would find more people opening up to what we have to say especially those who are new to the mental health experience and could use both sides of the issue to make very, very critical decisions. As it stands now, they may just be frightened off by reading the opinions in this forum. And then maybe the moderators could also show their compassionate side and realize that many of those here are so defensive because of their personal traumatic experiences and that this is where the fire in their hearts on this issue comes from. Therefore, they are very much entitled to feeling the way they do and are many, many times supported by research that just isn't revealed as conspicuously or is suppressed completely. We feel that we aren't being heard and this adds to the hurt feelings that came from not being heard during treatment and the lack of care we may have received with 'falling through the cracks' and we are now pulling ourselves up after feeling very victimized. For all, please consider this and maybe this could become more of a support/educational type of forum like the others and not a debate even though I know that it is a very heated subject? Unless, is that is what people come here for? If so this is a mute subject and neither side will get anywhere but more frustrated.

Stopthemadness,

I think you are seeing things very clearly.

To get psychiatry changed we need to organise and lobby anyone that will listen. Have you heard of the Support Coalition International?

http://www.mindfreedom.org/

The more people that get involved, the better our chances of obtaining human rights.

I hope that we can all give our opinions, while at the same time allow others to give their's. I hope we can listen to each other with respect. We all have opinions, there is some reason that we have our opinion. It may be due to what we have gone through or maybe what we have seen others go through.

I was probably screwed over by all the drugs that were given to me for my mental illness. However, I have found many, many people all over the place who were helped by the very same medication that I hated. We can all learn from each other's experience.
James