ABOUT US
Website team​
We are a group of people who have tapered and/or come off our psychiatric drugs. Together, we are committed to sharing our experiences and the information that has been useful to us in our journeys. We also want to contribute to improving the reception of this issue as well as the support provided in mental health care. This site was made possible by the collaboration and the support of the Network of Alternative Mental Health Organizations of Quebec (RRASMQ).
Our values and philosophy
Our group adheres to the foundations of the Alternative Mental Health Movement as well as the Self-Management Guide to Psychiatric Medication (GAM) approach.
Each person is the expert of their own experience in taking medication.
Psychiatric medication has unique effects on each person. Each person is therefore in the best position to know their effects.
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Each person defines their quality of life.
To achieve a satisfactory quality of life, each person decides how they want to manage their symptoms. In order to diminish side effects, some people may choose to tolerate certain symptoms as they reduce their medication. Others, on the other hand, may decide to take medication and tolerate certain side effects.
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Every person has the right...
...to be informed, to consent to care, to participate in treatment and to be accompanied, with respect for their dignity. This is the basis for an equal relationship between people and their health professionals. To learn more about rights and taking medication in mental health, click here.
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Distress can be linked to multiple factors...
...such as trauma, oppression, exclusion, stress, poor living conditions, poverty, isolation, violence, world events, life changes, etc. ​
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The strategies, support or help offered must therefore be varied, adapted and accessible to everyone.
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We are not anti-medication.
Medication can be part of the options for taking care of our mental health. There can be benefits to taking medication. It also involves risks and limitations that are not talked about enough and are often swept under the rug.
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Everyone who is prescribed medication should be informed from the outset--
about the short- and long-term side effects, alternatives to medication, and how to begin a safe tapering process. Also, everyone should be able to receive all the support they need if they wish to adjust their medication.
The Alternative Mental Health Movement ​​​
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The Alternative Mental Health Movement in Québec is supported and composed of people who use mental health services, stakeholders involved in mental health rights groups in Québec ( AGIDD-SMQ ) and alternative organizations in mental health ( RRASMQ ). These hundred or so organizations are also part of the Québec Community Action Mouvement, mainly funded by the Government of Québec. Across Canada and around the world, the alternative movement continues to grow, particularly with initiatives and actions around withdrawal from psychiatric drugs. To find out more, click here .