One of the main interventions on psychiatric units is occupational therapy. I have many reservations about the ethics of detainment, and forced medication, but also mixed feelings as I know I become very vulnerable in the community. When it comes to OT work however, I have had very strong, positive experiences.
Often it takes me a long time to be able to ‘participate’ in OT sessions, as there is a set activity – which of course is then a demand! However, most, if not all OTs I have met have been very willing to allow me to be in the activity space, and avoiding or subverting the session – so long as I abide by basic non-negotiable rules (which when initially ill can be a challenge).
Over time however, through that process of being allowed to sit, observe, subvert, wander off when needed, it becomes more and more possible for me to join in – though usually still in a way of my own choosing, especially with arts and crafts groups.
I have, for example, sat and knitted in groups under the supervision of staff, when everyone else is painting. I’ve painted emotion plates, based on the idea of Rothko art pieces, where the colours convey emotion. Occasionally I’ve been inspired to give painting a go – I painted a salamander after a conversation with another patient, which felt really good. Usually I particularly avoid painting because I have issues with the fine motor skills of using a paintbrush.
Today, I created a piece of protest art about mad pride. It’s little doodles of aspects of the medical response to mental illness, compared to a more psychosocial, human connection, non-pathologising response to distress. I’m very tempted to keep using these sessions to produce these little posters, and perhaps eventually open an etsy where I can sell prints of my designs (ot perhaps use my kofi page).
I’m inspired by the work of: sportsbanger, mad covid/the STOP SIM campaign and rachel rowan olive . I’d want to make content about PDA, Autism, mad pride, and disability rights.
PDA fae 
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