Psychosocial suffering has made its place in Pamplona. Psychiatric, crazy people, full of political significance and insults that they have made their own, psychosocial disabled, survivors of the psychiatric system, etc., have put their political demands on the table at the Psychiatric Oppression and Self-Management Conference of Madness held in Katakrak on 2 and 3 March. The objective has been, among others, to reflect, penetrate and politicize suffering.

Elisenda Tuneu i Tarrés and Hug Roger Figuera Bibre have been the main organizers of the conference. In 2023, On our own: Self-managed alternatives to the mental health system ("On our own: Self-managed alternatives to the mental health system"), from English to Spanish, the book was translated. The days have repeated the name of Chamberlin. In fact, for many it is a “not considered” reference as an expert. "The only voices legitimized for us are those of the experienced people," says Tuneu.

Many have denounced that when talking about psychiatry and psychiatric processes, account is taken only, or above all, of what psychiatrists and other workers say, and the demands of psychiatric people are ignored. Therefore, experts have participated in the conference exclusively from experience. Several groups have participated in the conference such as Insania de Cataluña, Socorro de Navarra, Zoroa de Bizkaia, La Porvenir de Madrid and Pride loco (Pride Loco), A.L.C.E of Colombia.

"Structural" violence

Being a broad and varied movement, they have different experiences and opinions. However, they join in many things, such as breaking the current mental health system, denouncing the pathology of madness, criminalization and medicalization. "They experiment with us through drugs. They give us, but without explaining what consequences they're going to have, and they don't know how to eliminate them. Many times they do not intend to take it away," said Fatima Masound, a member of the Pride Fleece of Madrid. Many others have confirmed this fact and added that many drugs generate "great dependence".

In addition to medications, bedtime coupling and electroshock are the violent practices that "resort" to psychiatric patients. "We are constantly being tortured," Masound said aloud. According to the data obtained by the Asociación Navarra Mejana, in 2023, 171 accesses to the bed were detected in public psychiatric services of Navarra. The Government of Navarra has obtained data from the registration of people who connect them to bed, but it is "very difficult" to know this data.

Need for penetration

Many speakers have pointed out that mental health is increasingly being talked about, but psychiatric violence is never mentioned. "We don't want jail, but we don't care about psychiatry," said Cris, a member of the La Porvenir project.

They have created a network based on care, which tries to meet the needs that arise in daily life: "We try to respond to the needs of the moment, sometimes it is cooking." The importance of networks and self-management has been another theme of the conference. A debate opens on the need for health professionals in these surveillance networks. Although some are willing to establish alliances with psychiatrists and other professionals, others do not want relationships. "I don't want to talk to those who have tortured me," said Marikarma Free, a member of the Insania collective.

Beatriz Pérez has targeted professionals who have asked about the possibility of establishing alliances. Activament's member told them to go to the state, "Tell us that you don't want to enclose anyone hard and you don't want to join anyone."

Another objective of the conference is the creation of meeting and integration spaces, as professionals do not allow them to create networks among them. "When we're locked up, they tell us we can't make friends and not fall in love. We are forced to sign a paper," Sole said. However, they have stood firm in the face of prohibitions and are organized to deal with psychological violence.