The Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC) of Arlington, VA, was founded by noted psychiatrist E. Fuller Torrey. More on him later. They get high-profile folks like Martin Sheen to endorse their cause which is to promote better laws to enable treatment to the severely mentally ill. Current laws make it nearly impossible to get ill people hospitalized since these individuals don't realize they are sick (b/c of denial or simply b/c they are so sick they can't think straight).
Ill individuals suffer from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder.
A couple weeks ago I became aware of this group and told them I'd do what I can to help them.
They are trying to get a law passed here in Pennsylvania to require mandatory outpatient treatment for a select group of individuals who are at high risk of relapsing into an extraordinarily unhealthy state. I support them.
As you remember, I was forcibly hospitalized for my first manic-psychotic episode back in 1984 when I was 38 yrs old. It was absolutely necessary. I've written about my mania and my three-day confinement which I refer to as my trip to Bedlam and back and keep copies of it in the backseat of my car.
The smart people at TAC personally visit Pennsylvania newspapers, speak to the editorial staff, and persuade the editors to write a column on the desirability of passing state Senate Bill 251, sponsored by state Senator Stewart Greenleaf (R-12, representing parts of Bucks and Montgomery counties).
So far, TAC has had THREE editorials written about the proposed legislation, including in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Because I believe so strongly in this legislation, I write my own Letter to the Editor in support of the editorial. It's one small thing I can do to help.
Back to Dr. E Fuller Torrey. Like many great people, he's outspoken and controversial, with his own ideas about mental health. His sister is diagnosed with schizophrenia so his beliefs about the derivation of that brain disorder are based on his observations and his training, just like my own beliefs stem from my observations and training in insight-oriented psychotherapy at Hahnemann University.
Torrey was interviewed in the NY Times online magazine in 2001. Title of the article is "Do Cats Cause Schizophrenia?" You can read it here.
