Catalogue Number
NMLH.2025.33
Object Name
Zine
Title
From Lead to Gold. An anthology of Survivors' Poetry from the Camden Workshops'
Place
London, UK
People
Camden Psychiatric Survivors Poetry Workshops
Description
A folded green paper cover for an anthology of poetry from the psychiatric survivor movement. Black text reads 'From Lead To Gold. An anthology of Survivors' Poetry from the Camden Workshops'. The title is drawn with drips of liquid melting off the words 'From Lead To Gold'.
The psychiatric survivor movement is an advocacy movement which campaigns for the rights of people who have experienced mental health services. The movement can be understood as a disabled people's movement, however not all people with mental health conditions view themselves as disabled. The movement has no central organisation, but the principles include:
- Rejecting the medical model of mental illness which ignores social and environmental factors like poverty or discrimination that might be causes of mental distress.
- Advocating for mental health service users (the preferred term over words like "patient") to make decisions about their own care.
- Challenging institutionalisation of people with mental health conditions, instead arguing for supported living in the community wherever possible.
- De-stigmatising symptoms of mental health conditions, a goal which overlaps with the "mad pride" movement.
Experiences of mental health services can be traumatic, especially forced hospitalisation known as sectioning, or mistreatment by a mental health professional. Recent scandals at in-patient psychiatric facilities in the UK have revealed wide-spread mistreatment, neglect and abuse, in some cases leading to serious injury or death. These experiences can explain why those who have been through mental health treatment might describe themselves as survivors. Creation of art, including poetry, is widely used by people who have experienced trauma to process their experiences, and to reveal their stories to others rather than remaining silent.
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