As Mental Health Month draws to a close, a chilling exhibition on violations of human rights in the psychiatric system, Psychiatry: An Industry of Death, opens today in Sydney. It aims to raise awareness of the potentially harmful practices within the psychiatric industry to provide essential information to help individuals and families safeguard their mental health.
Hosted by the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), the exhibition will run for two days and shine a spotlight on the often hidden risks associated with psychiatric treatments.
The exhibition presents an unvarnished history of psychiatry, from its origins to modern day practices, including the alarming rise in the use of psychiatric drugs to children.
Psychiatric abuse remains a pressing issue, with concerns over forced electroshock therapy, involuntary treatment, and the lack of transparency regarding the potential dangers of psychiatric drugs which are also forced on children and adults without their consent. The exhibition exposes these practices, offering visitors insight into the side effects and risks that patients and their families may not be fully informed about.
In Australia, over 80 psychiatric drug warnings have been issued by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), highlighting risks such as aggression, involuntary movements, heart and liver complications, suicidal behaviour, and even death.
Despite these warnings, many parents report not being fully informed of the potential risks when psychiatric drugs are prescribed for their children.
For instance, side effects reported to the TGA include a 9-year-old boy on an antidepressant and an antipsychotic who exhibited self-harm and suicidal ideation. Another case detailed a 14-year-old who experienced a severe increase in suicidal thoughts just two days after starting fluoxetine, previously there was no suicidal ideation.
These concerning accounts underscore the importance of transparent communication for parents and patients at the time psychiatric drugs are prescribed.
CCHR is calling for the immediate implementation of a key recommendation from the Productivity Commission's 2020 Mental Health Inquiry. The inquiry advised that all psychiatric drug prescriptions include a prominent statement indicating that clinicians should have discussed possible side effects and provide evidence-based alternatives to psychiatric drugs. Despite the urgency of this recommendation and the Productivity Commission stating it should, "start now", it has yet to be enforced.
Adding to the concern, the use of electroshock (also called electroconvulsive therapy- ECT), which involves administering hundreds of volts of electricity to the brain to induce a seizure, remains legal in New South Wales, including for children, pregnant women, and the elderly. ECT has been linked to serious complications such as heart attack, stroke, memory loss, and, in some cases, death.
The United Nations and the World Health Organisation (WHO), have called for a ban on forced ECT. In a recent UN and WHO report, they described electroshock as an "irreversible" treatment that can cause "memory loss and brain damage," urging governments to prohibit the use of forced ECT. They also said "ECT is not recommended for children and should be prohibited through legislation."
Despite these expert warnings, applications for involuntary electroshock to the NSW Mental Health Tribunal continue, with 765 requests made in 2023 alone, three of which involved girls under the age of 16.
Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to sign a petition calling for a ban on the use of electroshock in NSW.
The exhibition features informational panels and audiovisual presentations, including interviews with psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors, lawyers, and survivors of psychiatric mistreatment.
This exhibit is a must-see for anyone concerned about the direction of mental health practices in Australia. It provides valuable information for individuals seeking to make informed decisions about psychiatric treatments and protect the mental health of themselves and their families.
Exhibition Details:
- Dates: Friday, 18th October (10am to 9pm) and Saturday, 19th October (10am to 7pm)
- Venue: Embassy Conference Centre, 826 George Street, Sydney (corner of George and Regent Streets, near Central Station)
- Footage Rating: MA15+ (Strong Themes, Surgical Procedures)
