Discrimination against people with mental illness; need for improved psychiatric treatment
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Dear Friends,
We have received the information below from our contacts in Hong Kong, the Family Link Mental Health Education Program. We ask you to click on their web site and sign the online e-postcard at
www.familylinkweb.org/mainfile.php/2002/65/?alt=english
to support anti-discrimination legislation in Hong Kong to protect the rights of people with mental illness and ensure better psychiatric treatment.
BACKGROUND
Discrimination is the most important factor that prevents people with mental illness from getting adequate treatment and gaining recovery. In Hong Kong, discrimination against people with mental illness and their families is still widespread. This situation causes obstacles in different aspects of their life, such as in school, at work and social relationships.
The discrimination exists due to:
– a lack of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation to safeguard the rights of the psychiatric patients and their families;
– sensational and exaggerated press reports;
– side effects caused by typical (traditional) anti-psychotic drugs;
– the high price of atypical (modern) anti-psychotic drugs; and
– inadequate public education on this issue.
Consequently, psychiatric patients and their families tend to hide themselves and are isolated. They seldom speak up and demand their needs to others openly.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Thus, the Family Link Mental Health Education Program has been organizing the \”One Person, One Card\” campaign. This campaign aims to provide opportunities for psychiatric patients, their families and the public to express their demands and concerns regarding people with mental illness to Mr. Tung Chee-hwa, the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). We are very happy to invite you to join our campaign and sending Mr. Tung a ‘Wishing you mental health and a Happy Lunar New Year’ e-postcard by visiting the following web site:
www.familylinkweb.org/mainfile.php/2002/65/?alt=english
