Imagine being young, vulnerable, and told by the very people who are supposed to help you that your reality isn’t valid. This is what I faced as an autistic individual in Canada. From the age of four, my identity was overlooked, and instead, I was wrongfully labeled as schizophrenic. The motivation? To exercise control and power over me through forced psychiatric treatment which is tantamount to torture.

As a result of these unjust labels, psychiatrists weaponized their authority against me. They denied me vital pain relief while hospitalized, manipulated the truth to isolate me from my family and friends, jeopardized my living situation to the point where I became homeless, and blatantly lied to judges to get them the right to force treatment. I even witnessed moments where their facade slipped, revealing enjoyment in my suffering. Unfortunately, this is not just my story. Many others are subjected to similar injustices in Canada under the guise of mental health care. The subreddit r/Antipsychiatry has plenty testimonies against psychiatry. Some people, including experts like Grøtzshe in his 2024 book Is psychiatry a crime against humanity?, argue... well... that it is a crime against humanity! 

The Canadian mental health laws currently permit forced psychiatric treatment, which can lead to such abuses of power. Psychiatrists are no angels. They got corrupt from having too much power. According to the Mental Health Act, individuals can be subjected to treatment against their will if deemed a danger to themselves or others, a stipulation that rests only on subjective interpretation and is misused. They get murderers out of jail by labelling them psychotic then turn around and imprison innocent people in psych wards by giving them the same labels as criminals who commit the most serious crimes.

It's time for a change.

We need to reform the current mental health legislation to protect the rights and dignity of individuals, ensuring they receive care that they actually want. When I was begging for help, they refused to unless I paid a private therapist. When I was more than fine and wanted nothing from them, they pretended I was a danger to myself and others to get money from treating me. This can be stopped by implementing non-psychiatric oversight on psychiatric practices, enforcing patient rights within treatment environments, and requiring consent to care plans.

None should receive a medical treatment they do not want. Period. Allowing forced treatment is opening the door to all sorts of abuse and any hope of people self regulating is only wishful thinking. There is no way around this. Psychiatrists shouldn't be trusted when they talk on these issues,  since they are in a conflict of interest. If we stop forced treatment, they are out of a job. Don't let them make it our problem.

By signing this petition, you're advocating for the justice and protection of countless individuals who may otherwise suffer under the current system. Let us come together to reform mental health laws in Canada and end the cycle of forced treatment, ensuring that every person's mental health journey is met with dignity, integrity, and respect. Your signature can help initiate the change needed to protect vulnerable individuals and uphold their human rights. This could be a first step to end an ongoing crime against the humanity of people labeled mentally ill. Please sign and share this petition within your networks.