CCHR Traveling Exhibit in Old Sacramento Highlights Concerns Over Psychiatric Coercion
The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured keynote remarks from Eric Eisenhammer, energy consumer advocate and local business owner, and Edrine Ddungu, Ruling Elder for the North Central California Presbytery.
The exhibit was organized to highlight concerns identified in an October 2023 joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which stated that coercion remains a core component of many mental health laws. The report describes practices such as involuntary hospitalization, involuntary medication, involuntary electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), seclusion, and physical, chemical, or mechanical restraint, and warns that these 'can inflict severe pain and suffering… impede recovery and lead to substantial trauma and even death.'
Mr. Ddungu spoke about what he described as increasing pressure on parents to approve psychiatric medications for their children, emphasizing the need to protect parental rights. 'As parents, we need to have the right to control the care our children receive,' he said.
Mr. Eisenhammer discussed his own experiences and the impact of psychiatric labeling, cautioning that such diagnoses and treatments can worsen depression. 'I wish that 40-year-old me could go back in time and tell 20-year-old me not to believe the labels and to realize that he has a good future ahead of him,' he said.
The exhibit's documentary presentations and displays draw from more than 40 years of CCHR's investigations into psychiatric practices, covering issues such as the use of psychiatric drugs in children, the relationship between psychiatric medications and acts of violence, and the historical role of psychiatry in discriminatory policies.
Founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and the late Dr. Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse, CCHR states that it investigates and seeks to expose human rights violations in the field of mental health. One of the group's guiding principles is that 'human rights must become a fact, not an idealistic dream' as originated by Humanitarian L Ron Hubbard,
Attendees of the Sacramento exhibit described it as informative and thought-provoking, with many noting that it reinforced their concerns about current mental health practices.
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is a nonprofit mental health watchdog organization co-founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Dr. Thomas Szasz. CCHR's stated mission is to investigate and expose human rights violations in the field of mental health and to promote reforms that safeguard individual freedoms.
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Associated Press
2 days ago
- Associated Press
CCHR Addresses UN to End Coercive Psychiatry and Protect Children from Abuse
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Aug. 18, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR) addressed the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on August 11, urging the global abolition of electroshock treatment (ECT), forced drugging, psychosurgery, and other coercive psychiatric practices—especially when used on children. CCHR told the Committee that these practices constitute sanctioned abuse, often amounting to torture, and continue with impunity due to weak or unenforced penalties against perpetrators. Founded in 1969, CCHR has spent over five decades documenting and exposing psychiatric abuse and advocating for rights-based alternatives to coercion. The group commended the CRPD Committee for its leadership in advancing a human rights-based approach to mental health, aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) and UN guidance. CCHR's Executive Director, Fran Andrews, detailed the organization's landmark legislative victories: the first U.S. ban on ECT for children under 12 in California (1976), Texas' ban for those under 16 (1993), and Western Australia's 2014 prohibition for children under 14—backed by criminal penalties. The Australian Capital Territory banned ECT under the age of 12 in 2015. Despite these precedents, ECT remains in use worldwide, including on very young children. In the U.S., children as young as five can still receive electroshock, with both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry promoting its use in minors. International data underscores the scope of the problem. A 2022 review found significant ECT use on 10–18-year-olds in the Czech Republic, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden.[1] In New Zealand, a government inquiry confirmed that children were subjected to electroshock without anesthetic at the now closed Lake Alice psychiatric hospital—treatment survivors described as torture and confirmed last year by the country's Prime Minister. Prominent Australian psychiatrist Dr. Niall McLaren has stated unequivocally: 'No psychiatrist needs to use ECT.'[2] CCHR President Jan Eastgate testified about the alarming rise in psychotropic drugging of children worldwide. A Lancet Psychiatry report confirmed global increases in prescribing, with the U.S. leading in prevalence rates for youth. Depending on the cohort, antipsychotic prescribing for children has surged by 50% to 200% over the past two decades.[3] Many parents remain unaware of the risks—weight gain, metabolic changes, diabetes, tremor, sedation, and even sudden death. The antipsychotic risperidone, widely prescribed to children as young as four, has been linked to severe side effects, including gynecomastia (female breast growth in boys), sometimes requiring mastectomies. In Spain, CCHR President Salvador Fernández warned of the ongoing prescription of ADHD stimulants such as methylphenidate, despite documented risks of suicidal behavior, psychosis, and cardiovascular complications. Eastgate also addressed deaths of children as young as 7 in U.S. for-profit psychiatric hospitals from restraint, some ruled homicides. Yet prosecutions are rare, and facilities continue to operate, profiting from insurance coverage. A New York Times investigation in September 2025 revealed that one of the largest private psychiatric hospital chains in the U.S. has detained individuals against their will to maximize insurance billing, prompting judicial intervention in some cases. In Spain, Fernández testified that children are still subjected to involuntary hospitalization and prolonged mechanical and chemical restraints. CCHR's written submission to the CRPD cited studies showing psychiatric hospitalization can raise suicide risk 44-fold, while forced psychiatric drugging increases the risk sixfold.[4] A July 2025 study found that those involuntarily hospitalized were nearly twice as likely to die by suicide or overdose within three months of discharge.[5] A 2022 European study confirmed widespread use of mechanical and chemical restraints, with inconsistent regulations across countries.[6] In the U.S., a Harvard Law School report found that state hospitals continue to use forced ECT and other practices that may constitute torture under international law.[7] CRPD's press release on its 33rd session acknowledged CCHR's evidence and concerns.[8] Ms. Eastgate told the Committee: 'Electroshock, psychosurgery, forced drugging, seclusion, and restraint are not care—they are sanctioned abuse and must end. Upholding a person's autonomy, dignity, and liberty is non-negotiable. Rights-based alternatives must replace outdated, violent psychiatric practices.' CCHR urged the CRPD to call for: 'Decades of evidence show that coercion in mental health does not heal—it harms,' Ms. Eastgate said. 'Our work with legislators, courts, and survivors proves that laws can protect, but only if they are enforced. The CRPD's leadership is critical to ensuring countries replace coercion with compassionate, rights-respecting solutions.' About CCHR: It is a non-profit mental health industry watchdog, co-founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz. With chapters across six continents, CCHR has been instrumental in obtaining more than 190 laws worldwide to protect individuals from abusive psychiatric practices. To learn more, visit: Sources: [1] 'Electroconvulsive therapy in children and adolescents: results from a population‑based study utilising the Swedish National Quality Register,' Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 13 Dec. 2022, [2] citing Niall McLaren, 'No Psychiatrist Needs to Use ECT,' 27 June 2017, [3] 'Editorial: Psychotropic overprescribing to youth: scope of the problem, causes, and possible solutions,' Frontier Psychiatry, 6 May 2024, [4] 'Disturbing findings about the risk of suicide and psychiatric hospitals,' Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiology (2014), 49: 1353-1355, [5] 'A Danger to Self and Others: Health and Criminal Consequences of Involuntary Hospitalization,' Federal Reserve Bank of New York, staff reports, July 2025, [6] 'Current trends in restrictive interventions in psychiatry: a European perspective,' Cambridge University Press, 22 June 2022, [7] 'WHEN DOES MENTAL HEALTH COERCION CONSTITUTE TORTURE? …' Fordham International Law Journal, Vol 45:5, 2022, pp. 785-786 [8] 'Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Opens Thirty-Third Session,' Meeting Summaries, 11 Aug. 2025, MULTIMEDIA Image link for media: Image caption: The Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR) addressed the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on August 11, urging the global abolition of electroshock treatment (ECT), forced drugging, psychosurgery, and other coercive psychiatric practices – especially when used on children. NEWS SOURCE: Citizens Commission on Human Rights Keywords: General Editorial, global abolition of electroshock treatment, Citizens Commission on Human Rights International CCHR, an Eastgate, United Nations, LOS ANGELES, Calif. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Citizens Commission on Human Rights) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P128523 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business Insider
CCHR Traveling Exhibit in Old Sacramento Highlights Concerns Over Psychiatric Coercion
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) of Sacramento hosted the grand opening of its global traveling exhibit, 'Psychiatry: An Industry of Death,' on Saturday, August 2, in Old Sacramento. The free exhibit, which ran through September 10, drew more than 1,000 visitors and aimed to raise public awareness about psychiatric coercion and promote mental health reform. The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured keynote remarks from Eric Eisenhammer, energy consumer advocate and local business owner, and Edrine Ddungu, Ruling Elder for the North Central California Presbytery. The exhibit was organized to highlight concerns identified in an October 2023 joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which stated that coercion remains a core component of many mental health laws. The report describes practices such as involuntary hospitalization, involuntary medication, involuntary electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), seclusion, and physical, chemical, or mechanical restraint, and warns that these 'can inflict severe pain and suffering… impede recovery and lead to substantial trauma and even death.' Mr. Ddungu spoke about what he described as increasing pressure on parents to approve psychiatric medications for their children, emphasizing the need to protect parental rights. 'As parents, we need to have the right to control the care our children receive,' he said. Mr. Eisenhammer discussed his own experiences and the impact of psychiatric labeling, cautioning that such diagnoses and treatments can worsen depression. 'I wish that 40-year-old me could go back in time and tell 20-year-old me not to believe the labels and to realize that he has a good future ahead of him,' he said. The exhibit's documentary presentations and displays draw from more than 40 years of CCHR's investigations into psychiatric practices, covering issues such as the use of psychiatric drugs in children, the relationship between psychiatric medications and acts of violence, and the historical role of psychiatry in discriminatory policies. Founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and the late Dr. Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse, CCHR states that it investigates and seeks to expose human rights violations in the field of mental health. One of the group's guiding principles is that 'human rights must become a fact, not an idealistic dream' as originated by Humanitarian L Ron Hubbard, Attendees of the Sacramento exhibit described it as informative and thought-provoking, with many noting that it reinforced their concerns about current mental health practices. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is a nonprofit mental health watchdog organization co-founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Dr. Thomas Szasz. CCHR's stated mission is to investigate and expose human rights violations in the field of mental health and to promote reforms that safeguard individual freedoms.
Associated Press
11-08-2025
- Associated Press
CCHR Calls for Clinical and Financial Audit of U.S. Mental Health System
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Aug. 11, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR) is calling for a clinical and financial audit of the U.S. mental health system, warning that plans to involuntarily commit individuals experiencing homelessness could worsen mortality rates while escalating healthcare costs. The group emphasizes that psychotropic drugs commonly used in psychiatric facilities carry serious—often fatal—risks, especially when administered without thorough medical screening. While no federal agency tracks national mortality rates among people experiencing homelessness, studies estimate a death rate between 3% and 8%.[1] CCHR warns this could rise if individuals are forcibly institutionalized and prescribed high-risk antipsychotics—known to cause fatal conditions such as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). High doses of antipsychotics are associated with significantly increased mortality, especially in young adults.[2] NMS has a mortality rate of up to 10%, according to The Handbook of Clinical Neurology.[3] Symptoms include hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, delirium, and coma. An estimated 100,000 Americans have died from NMS.[4] Another long-term risk is Tardive Dyskinesia (TD), a debilitating movement disorder that resembles Parkinson's disease and affects at least 25% of those taking antipsychotics.[5] TD can persist long after the drugs are discontinued. With over 11 million Americans prescribed antipsychotics, this translates to approximately 2.75 million potentially suffering from TD and more than 1.1 million at risk of NMS.[6] 'Drug-induced brain damage is being disguised as 'mental illness,'' Jan Eastgate, president of CCHR, stated. 'Tragically, the homeless are likely to be targeted for these toxic treatments if hospitalized.' CCHR points to concerning practices in California, where psychiatric outreach teams inject homeless individuals with long-acting antipsychotics—under the euphemism of 'street medicine.' These injections can remain active for weeks, with individuals unable to stop the drugs' effects. A core concern is psychiatry's frequent failure to conduct adequate medical assessments before diagnosing and drugging. A landmark California study (1983–84) found 39% of individuals admitted to state psychiatric hospitals had undiagnosed physical illnesses. Medical staff often failed to identify these, highlighting systemic diagnostic failure.[7] The study led to the development of the Mental Health Medical Evaluation Field Manual, which provided a low-cost screening algorithm capable of detecting 90% of these medical issues. There is no evidence that the manual is still in use. CCHR is calling for it to be implemented nationwide. 'This one change—comprehensive physical exams—could dramatically reduce misdiagnosis, psychiatric hospitalizations, and iatrogenic harm,' Eastgate said. TheDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) admits that medical conditions can mimic psychiatric symptoms and must be ruled out. Psychiatrists use the term anosognosia —an alleged inability to recognize one's illness—as a rationale for forced treatment.[8] There is no objective test to confirm this theory. There are concerns about conflicts of interest in psychiatric diagnosis. Of the DSM-5 task force members, 69% had financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. They received $14.2 million—of which $8.4 million went to those determining criteria for drug-induced movement disorders like TD.[9] Meanwhile, mental health spending continues to soar with little to no measurable improvement in public outcomes. Treatment is often significantly more expensive than general medical care.[10] In 2013, U.S. mental health costs reached $201 billion—more than cancer and heart disease. By 2022, that figure had ballooned to $329 billion—a 94% increase in less than a decade, while the population grew by only 6.4%. The consequences extend beyond cost. Antidepressants—sometimes prescribed with antipsychotics—were implicated in 5,863 overdose deaths in 2022, a 226% increase since 2000.[11] They can also increase the risk of repeated suicide attempts by 50%.[12] Psychiatric outcomes remain dismal. The U.S. has the highest suicide rate among developed countries and the second-highest drug-related death rate.[13] A third of individuals in psychiatric hospitals are re-admitted within a year,[14] and 31% are assaulted while institutionalized.[15] CCHR urges policymakers to: 'We need to abolish coercive psychiatric powers and first examine the harm already being done—and how much it's costing lives and taxpayers,' Eastgate concluded. CCHR's co-founder, the late psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz, stated: 'There is neither justification nor need for involuntary psychiatric interventions…. All history teaches us to beware of benefactors who deprive their beneficiaries of liberty.' Founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Prof. Szasz, CCHR is a non-profit mental health watchdog with chapters across six continents. Its mission is to expose and eradicate abuse in the mental health field and to restore human rights and dignity to mental health care. To learn more, visit: Sources: [1] [2] 'Antipsychotic Medications and Mortality in Children and Young Adults,' JAMA Psychiatry, 2024; [3] 'Chapter 25 – The psychopharmacology of catatonia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, akathisia, tardive dyskinesia, and dystonia,' Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Vol 165, 2019, [4] Mad in America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine, and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill, (Perseus Publishing, New York, 2002), pp. 207-208 [5] Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Vol 165, 2019 [6] [7] MEDICAL EVALUATION FIELD MANUAL, Stanford, CA, 1991, pp. 3-4, 18. [8] Thomas Szasz, MD, Coercion as Cure: A Critical History of Psychiatry, 2007, p. 22 [9] 'Undisclosed financial conflicts of interest in DSM-5-TR: cross sectional analysis,' BMJ, 10 Jan. 2024, [10] 'Addiction and mental health vs. physical health: Widening disparities in network use and provider reimbursement,' Milliman Research Report, C, 20 Nov. 2019 [11] [12] [13] [14] 'Readmission of Patients to Acute Psychiatric Hospitals: Influential Factors and Interventions to Reduce Psychiatric Readmission Rates,' Healthcare (Basel), 2022 Sep 19;10(9), [15] 'Fear, Neglect, Coercion, and Dehumanization: Is Inpatient Psychiatric Trauma Contributing to a Public Health Crisis?' Journal of Patient Experience, 9 Aug. 2022, MULTIMEDIA: Image link for media: Image Caption: Mental health industry watchdog, CCHR, is calling for a clinical and financial audit of the U.S. mental health system, warning that involuntary commitment of the homeless could raise mortality and healthcare costs. NEWS SOURCE: Citizens Commission on Human Rights Keywords: General Editorial, Citizens Commission on Human Rights, CCHR International, Jan Eastgate, U.S. mental health system, homeless, LOS ANGELES, Calif. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Citizens Commission on Human Rights) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P128343 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
