What's the opposite of mainstreaming? The opposite of mainstreaming is the segregation of those of us who are "different." Segregation can include institutionalization ("homes for the ________________," prison-like compounds, hospital wards, mental institutions where the impaired are often mixed in with insane hardened criminals, group or communal homes,...and even the "humane" treatment of putting the "different" folks into high-rise apartments, single-room occupancy hotels, or other types of buildings under the advise to take their medications and watch television or do crossword puzzles while the opportunities of life are just outside the walls, and keep them quiet while life passes them by - that's not right. Human beings were never meant to be warehoused. Persons with mental impairments such as mental retardation and mental illness are particularly prone to being taken advantage of by people who "just want to help us" or "only have our best interests in mind." There's big money - really big money, billions - to be made in keeping human beings inside buildings locked in tiny stinky barren cells with a dirty mattress on the floor or strapped onto gurneys, or in saturating their bloodstreams with mood altering chemicals, for the purposes of "keeping them quiet" and "keeping them from being a threat to themselves and others."

If you are classified as "mentally ill" or "impaired," you should be very suspicious (they will try to accuse you of being paranoid - they've got you coming and going in their warped and twisted little minds) about what is done to you. Throughout the field of medicine, in all specialties and in general medical practices, even the best doctors mis-diagnose patients about twenty-five percent of the time. Those in the mental health field most likely have a much higher rate of mistakes. Why? Think about this: You go into a psychiatrists office and he or she talks to you for about 15 minutes roughly, on average. Sometimes more, sometimes less. The doctor tells you what is wrong with you and prescribes a medication. You are then sent off on your own to take the magic pills and somehow get better on your own. Watch your television and do your crossword puzzles as life passes you by and you grow old. You go back to the doctor's office every few months for a prescription refill order and a few minutes of chat; they often call this "medication management." If the medication isn't working its magic, the doctor will increase the dosage or prescribe another medication. Rarely will a doctor re-evaluate the original diagnosis. It's a hit or miss situation with medications; we'll put you on this, if it doesn't work, we'll try that, and if that doesn't work, we'll try...

Now, please don't misunderstand the intent of this discussion position - many psychiatrists do a great job of diagnosing and treating with medications, or so I've heard; I just haven't met that kind of doctor in the mental health field, only in fields such as neurology and podiatric surgery have I personally met truly great competant healers. What's lacking the mental health field are objective diagnostic evaluation procedures - talking to a patient for fifteen minutes every six months will never be as good as, say, an X-ray or a blood test. The mental health field needs to develop more precise means of diagnosing mental illness and more precise means of treatment and measuring the efficacy of medications than anecdotal diagnosis, or "talking and listening." Perhaps written psychological evaluation tests could be used to determine if a patient is connecting with reality, or doctors could go back to using the ink-blot tests that have fallen out of favor. We live in a pretty sophisticated world, with all kinds of technological innovations and scientific knowledge, so how can it be that "talking" to a patient is still pretty much the only diagnostic tool available in the mental health field? With the huge cost of medications, how can "hit-or-miss" still be pretty much the treatment method for mental illness? And since we're talking about human lives like yours and mine, why should we allow this type of potentially harmful nonsense in the mental health field to continue? Shouldn't we as a modern society be putting a stop to it, just as we put a stop to frontal lobotomies that were once performed under local anesthesia with icepicks, a procedure that continued up into the mid 1960's?

whoa, those are some very strong suggestions that you are talking about. but they are very true. i absolutely agree with all of those statements. but if everyone believed that, thenthere would be alot of pschiatrists who would be looking for new jobs, wouldn't there?

Agree to disagree: there are some individuals who really can not defend them selves due to extreme cases and they do not understand legal issues to save there life!! They do not realize that there clothes are dirty so they by more rings, talk on the phone, attach them selves to unhealthy relationships, invade the rights of others, disruptive and a danger to there own and others who are trying to assist them!! Yes mainstreaming has some good and bad results; I seen both sides!! It can get really sticky.

What are your thoughts?

I went to a high school where physically disabled students were included in the regular curriculum (except gym I guess). I graduated six years ago. Anyway I found it super hard. The teacher to student ratio was as high as 40 to 1 in some classes and getting individual help was impossible unless I spent my free periods and lunch hours hunting down the teachers. I had to take a bus to and from school so I did not have the option to stay for after school help. Copying written instructions and information that teachers would write on the boards took me a whole period so I missed the lectures just trying to copy down what the homework was. There wasn't much in the way of support for me for what I just couldn't do. I think I would have done better academically in my classes if I had been able to attend a school for students with "severe" disabilities.

I'm torn on this issue...currently there is a debate going on in my community on a home in a residential area, purchased by a church that wants to mainstream released inmates back into society. Going from a locked up institutional lifestyle to a residence located in small town with high unemployment and many other problems doesn't sound like a very good idea...on the other hand, in 2004 I suffered from a major stroke and had to relearn how to walk, talk and reconnect with the world. It was tough and I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy...ok, maybe my very worst enemy! I hate to say it depends on the circumstances...but it sort of does!

dgs - I agree with you that it does depend a lot on circumstances. We cannot make it absolute either way.

I have a daughter beginning school in September who is five. She has ADHD, SPD and a speech articulation delay. She will attend regular French immersion classes. I don't believe she should be put in a different class because of her differences. I worry about the future though. Things will only get more complicated I suspect.

Would anyone like to add their comments or questions to this topic?

My neice CARLY is a special needs child and has attended a special school since she was 2 years old. One of her teachers is pushing for her to be main streamed (she's 8 now) and put in regular classes with her younger sister who will be going into the first grade, so she can assist Carly. I really don't think this would be fair to the younger sister! Carly is gifted at getting everyones attention and GETTING HER NEEDS MET with tantrums and screaming. Her little sister has been neglected out of necessity. I'm afraid this would be the way it would go in school too.

I worry about my baby I am homeschooling her to keep her out of mainstreaming! Before you all lose it let me explain, she was born with a defective liver and had to have surgery at 8 days old she is now five and it has progresses to cirrohsis and enlarged spleen full of blood. The Dr want her to enjoy life but the school says there is only one teacher for forty kids we cant watch her all the time. One med makes it so she cant go out in the sun her skin actually boils so we get her out just before sunset and the skeeters for the vitamind but her tummy getting bumped cld result in bleeding to death, she also has seizures focal seizures the kind people think they are daydreaming.

My nephew is being homeschooled as of half way through last year. He has tourettes syndrome and aspergers. The powers that be have decided he at first year high this year, is not mentally suitable to be in any school system. He seems just fine to me, yes he is a bit slower. But polite, does homework as he can manage, why not a special school if nothing else? But no says education system, and my sister has fought about this. Beleve me, you dont mess with my sister, but she cant win on this. Tried it all.
He will not even sit for an exam till grade 10 high school certificate, gets no homework unless she sets it, like so many, lost in the system and no qualifications at the end of it.

As a middle aged man with SZ, I find mainstreaming difficult as well as unpleasant. The abrupt & disturbing reactions you get from people out & about are more of a turn-off than an incentive.
I live independantly & go out only when I have to.
I've recently read a book by the psychic Sylvia Browne, she says that mental illness is going to be more accepted in the future. I sincerely hope that's true.
Dont get me wrong, I believe mainstreaming to be a great concept.
I wish & truly hope that others have more success & pleasant experiences than I've/I'm had/having.