(no paper is attached to this workshop)

In this workshop, the presenter discussed the development of various non-psychiatric alternatives in the European context, including the Berlin Runaway-House, current possiblities of self-help for individuals experiencing madness, and strategies for implementing human rights protection within the system, for example, with advance directives such as the Psychiatric Will. The presenter shared what he perceives as successes in pursuing these initiatives, as well as some of the challenges people have encountered. The following questions were considered: Can we protect ourselves from coercive treatment? How can we build coalitions for creating alternatives and human rights protection? How do we get involved in political decision processes? How can we use publishing and other communication methods to help us reach our goals?