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When I first conceived of, founded and posted the stigma of CineMania over three years ago, my vision for CineMania was to expose the media's role in perpetuating stigma and to document the long history of abuse endured by individuals labeled "mentally-ill. I purposely chose not to disclose anything about myself and to exclude any identifying factors - other then that I was a former "mental patient." My reason for doing this was because I wanted cinemaniastigma.com to remain strictly an educational website, as balanced as possible, without losing focus of it's vision. I did not want CineMania to become a vehicle for self-aggrandizement or financial gain. Recent events, however, have forced me to reconsider that decision. This past August I decided to take a stand against forced treatment by taking an active role as a hunger striker in the Fast for Freedom in Mental Health. As a result of that decision I could no longer conceal my identity - as one of the necessary objectives of the hunger strike was to generate public support. Hence, I was compelled to identify myself. Subsequently, I decided to devote a whole page to the Fast for Freedom in Mental Health. The proverbial "cat" was "out of the bag."
Secondly, a disturbing incident occurred on the third day of the hunger strike that left me questioning the wisdom of my decision to conceal my identity and not to disclose my years of advocacy and activism. A nationally recognized organization which claims to be "the voice of the mentally-ill" referred to the hunger strikers as "those who have no record of constructive activities, services or advocacy... with frivolous and ultimately useless debates." Having relentlessly given of my time, energy and hard-earned income to tirelessly advocate for the rights of "the mentally-ill." My name has never been a secret. Not only did I openly devote three years of my life to advocating for the rights of "mental patients," earning no salary whatsoever and subsisting solely on social service benefits, but to this day I continue to advocate through this website at my own expense. In fact, since I first posted this website five years ago after returning to work, when CineMania was the first website of it's kind on the entire internet, other well-funded organizations have flattered me by attempting to imitate CineMania. How many of those who claim to be "the voice of the mentally-ill" would be willing to sacrifice their own wants and desires to advocate for those they profess to represent?
Please note that CineMania is not an anti-psychiatry website. the stigma of CineMania is an anti-stigma/anti-abuse website. I stress this point because I know that there are those who will - in typical fashion - seek to marginalize me as anti-psychiatry, rather than to dispute the facts I present. It is a standard diversionary tactic to attack and attempt to undermine an author, when the facts he or she has presented are indisputable. It is partly for this reason that I have chosen not to conceal my past any longer. I lay bare my past before you, because I am confident that those who review the facts I have compiled will be shrewd enough to know whether or not they are being lied to or deceived. This website is not meant to be anti-psychiatry, although certainly the abuses I address and document have taken place under the guise of psychiatry. This website is a "Mental Health vs. Forced Treatment" website. If it's forced - it isn't mental health!
And finally, I have received e-mails from visitors to CineMania who have asked me why I have no information posted on the website about who I am? So having carefully weighed the pros and cons of disclosure, I have decided to "come out of the closet." My son and my daughter have been instrumental in my recovery and they are a major part of my support network. David @ mentalhealthstigma.com
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If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time
