I first learned of Elyn Saks, moons ago, when I attended grad school at USC. I had heard buzzing about a law professor who suffered from Schizophrenia and had written a book entitled, Center Cannot Hold. I'm glad to see that she's still preaching.
She voices the opinion that one should never be forced to take medication or undergo forced restraint. She says she is pro-psychiatry and anti-force. While this may sound sensical, it is not that simple. It's a complex subject that I will not explore at this time.
What I love love love - is that she tells us that there is no such thing as schizophrenia but rather individuals with schizophrenia. We can all work towards ending stigma by making that shift in our heads.
Elyn Saks on TED TALKS: A tale of mental illness from the inside - 2012 TED Talks YouTube Description:
http://www.ted.com
"Is it okay if I totally trash your office?" It's a question Elyn Saks
once asked her doctor, and it wasn't a joke. A legal scholar, in 2007
Saks came forward with her own story of schizophrenia, controlled by
drugs and therapy but ever-present. In this powerful talk, she asks us
to see people with mental illness clearly, honestly and compassionately.
TEDTalks
is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the
TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the
talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al
Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on
observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child,
Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes,
Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ
Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology,
Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as
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I believe story telling is an art form and blogging is a medium in which to share stories and ideas. Within this blog I hope to cover a spectrum of topics. From the serious to the silly. Here you will read my views and inquiries about subjects such as feminism, other various socio-political issues, psychology, spirituality, sexuality, and general interests such as film, art and music. You will also be exposed to my obsession with cupcakes, tea, books, Hello Kitty, and quirky day to day journeys. I enjoy learning from others as I am constantly attempting to introspect, grow and evolve. During this process I will be jotting down musings on this blog. Pull up a comfy chair and a spot of tea and join me!