From Pills to Praxis: Psychiatric Survivors and Adult Education

Authors

  • Bonnie Burstow Ontario Institute for Studies In Education

Abstract

This article explores how adult education might adapt so as to include and serve psychiatric survivors. It lays an antihegemonic foundation for education with this learner community, including an antipsychiatry perspective, and particularly emphasizing the perspectives of the psychiatric survivor movement. And it rejects current deficit models, emphasizing radical education. Adaptations that are suggested so as to accommodate psychiatric survivors generally include: use of large lettering in written resources, exercises and resources to help learners feel safe, programs that accommodate sporadic attendance, and advocacy. The importance of adult educators working on their own biases and limitations is stressed, as is the validity of alternate realities. Radical components which are recommended include telling one's story, discussing literature and films which critique the mental health system, learning about rights, doing codification exercises, including survivors as staff and as board members, building community, and learning about and potentially linking up with current resistance efforts. Literacy work is discussed and is extended to include reading the world. Nondomesticating life skills such as learning to cope with anxiety attacks are recommended and contrasted with domesticating life skills. And adult basic education which helps survivors protect themselves from being committed against their will is defined as critical.

Résumé

Cet article examine la manière dont la formation permanente pourrait s'adapter afin d'intégrer et de servir les personnes psychiatrisées. L'étude pose des fondements anti-hégémoniques pour la formation destinée à cette communauté d'apprenants, à partir d'une perspective fondée sur l'anti-psychiatrie et, plus particulièrement, à partir des perspectives qu'offre le mouvement des personnes psychiatrisées. Elle rejette les modèles de déficit courants et met plutôt l'accent sur l'éducation radicale. En général, les accommodements suggérés pour venir en aide aux personnes psychiatrisées comprennent les éléments suivants : l'utilisation de gros caractères dans les documents écrits, des exercices et des ressources pour aider les apprenants à se sentir en sécurité, des programmes qui permettent les présences sporadiques, ainsi que la promotion et la défense des droits. Outre la justesse des réalités alternatives, on met en valeur l'attitude des formateurs d'adultes qui travaillent à changer leurs propres préjugés et limites. Dans le cadre d'une éducation radicale, on suggère la possibilité de raconter son vécu, de discuter des documents écrits et filmiques qui critiquent le système de santé mentale, de faire l'apprentissage de ses droits, de faire des exercices de codification, d'intégrer les personnes psychiatrisées en tant qu'employés ou membres de la direction, de travailler à établir un esprit communautaire et de se mettre au courant des efforts de résistance qui ont cours, tout en essayant de s'y joindre. Le travail d'alphabétisation est abordé et étendu à l'interprétation critique du rnonde. Des connaissances pratiques telles que la manière de réagir aux crises d'anxiété sont recommandées et comparées aux connaissances élémentaires de la vie quotidienne. En outre, on définit comme cruciale la formation permanente de base qui aide les personnes psychiatrisées à se protéger des situations dans lesquelles elles se sentent entraînées contre leur volonté.

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Published

2003-05-01

How to Cite

Burstow, B. (2003). From Pills to Praxis: Psychiatric Survivors and Adult Education. Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education, 17(1), 1–18. Retrieved from https://cjsae.library.dal.ca/index.php/cjsae/article/view/1868

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2003)

Section

Articles

License

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