few days ago we were lucky enough to interview Vincent Spina, president of the association of users of mental health pro Sevilla, ASSOCIATION FUTURE. His motivation to chair the association is that of wanting Future improve the situation in which many people
q ue have a serious mental disorder, promoting quality of life, autonomy and self-management. He wants the group he represents have a voice in society, and through the word and the information is overcome the obstacles that people with mental illness face in day to day. Vicente Espina studied and American History Teacher, is currently completing her third race, Psychology. He has worked as an educator and civil registration. - Vicente, which is the association future?
is an association of people with mental health problems was founded in 1998. We are not a general partnership, specifically, a particular disease, such as bipolar about, but mentally ill in general.
- How was it born?
ASAENES born here, we had concerns. At that time the patients were not represented because ASAENES is an association of relatives and we were not at any time. We thought it would interesting form an association of people with mental illness and plan our own activities claiming things that interested us.
- Why did you choose that name?
We met, we were seeing some names, we knew other associations, in those days there was and still is an association of people with mental illness in Zaragoza, called the Brotherhood of Encounter. We toyed with several names on a proposal from a fellow who was very fond of poetry gave it this name after various proposals.
- What are the aims and objectives of the association future?
The future goals of the association is to improve the quality of life and rights of persons with mental illness and solidarity among all users with this disease, we are for what we need.
- What is the location of the association?
We want to be local but we are now here in ASAENES mainly but would not want to be here, we want to have a separate room. Are already participating with us in partnership people from other places, as Well Street, and elsewhere, as we are trying to expand to other social clubs, but what really interests us is to have a separate room, FAISEM wanted to get local, what happens is that for now no means it would require someone who is local slope, which works to open the file and close it, ie to maintain a schedule that will lead to the sick, because I'm studying, or I'm working and I have no time to perform this task, I can not devote 100% to it. If people participate more perhaps could be done I say.
- What person would need to open that location?
I believe that psychologists would be ideal, there were morning and afternoon shift.
- What are the relationships with ASAENES?
The truth is actually very good, before half and half. With the former president of ASAENES was little relationship, we discussed our concerns him, but she could not circumstances, but with the present if, now ASAENES supports us, helps us and encourages the voluntary movement and we are working. Relationships this association are very good
- What kind of activities does the future partnership?
We do all kinds of activities. We have always talks, we have sought to improve the training of people, many years ago we were talking about the psychiatric reform, diabetes and mental illness, lots of subjects that interest us. There have been talks of various kinds, technical director Juan Paredes ASAENES has spoken of FAISEM also have come, and other acts in the world of culture. Last year we had a talk about music, people came from the conservatory speaking of music, but it is not easy, the talks are not easy to organize because we must find speakers and the speaker have to pay for or encourage him in any way, if psychologists is easier but in other areas of the world of culture, out, is more problematic. Also hike, we took a trip to Lisbon and one in Madrid, also goes to the beach in summer or winter, we went to Huelva a couple of times, sports activities, outputs are made by bike, play Padel, Pin Pon play, we do eating out. Future ASAENES the Association will try to arrange something now that is going into the spring, the spring festival. I have a pending Conversation with FAISEM delegate with Elen, who wants to speak FAISEM programs here in Seville and the province, we have a magazine, it has out two numbers and we are waiting to take the third. We're always open to activities that people propose.
- Do I need to join to participate in these activities?
No, now is targeting who you want. To join the association activities need not be associated, no, it has been suggested here who wanted it.
- Vincent the activities you carry out cost money?
Yes, unfortunately the association receives very little support, very few grants, we have only some help from FAISEM to publish the magazine, now we have published a calendar with the direction of our blog. We have people who are awaiting calls for aid in making it difficult to get them. This year we will ask for a subsidy equal last year so we did and we rejected it, we know that things are pretty bad. It is possible that if they give money to other associations, to us who have been working many years as well; we need.
- editáis know that a magazine and you have a blog on the internet, can you talk a bit about this?
We removed an annual magazine, during the winter we collected the articles and poems that people passing us going in the summer we had all the computer and back in September, when we return from the holidays Rafael Gonzalez brought to the workshop so that the layout and print. With the blog we have a little more than a year working and being a success, many people are visiting us, and there are about eight hundred visitors from the beginning of the blog.
- Do you feel heard?
If the Future partnership, although we have not opened great struggles, but we've always given our opinions and we have suggestions, primarily from FAISEM and recently also to the area coordinators. The truth that we have heard on important issues like the bonobos solidarity, compatibility between benefits and work, flexibility and adaptation of working hours and contracts adapted for people with mental illness.
- What would you say to our fans to participate in future partnerships?
is very important that people with schizophrenia, which we consider the lowest in the world, we do not want anyone, other people with mental disorder and bipolar, which is aware of his situation, is important to organize. Partnerships are a tool to shape the world we can cover our needs reviewing, writing and communicating concerns and it is important that all users are linked to associations be ours or another and work towards improving our quality of life, there are many problems and needs we have.
- At the last meeting of the Association discussed the possibility of changing the name of schizophrenia by another name as was done in Japan What is decided in this regard?
The word schizophrenia is a very old word and a major negative connotations associated with violence and social maladjustment. Nowadays, thanks to medication and other treatments a person with mental illness have higher quality of life and in most cases you can study, work and live like anyone else. If renaming helps improve vision of society why we are not going to change?
- Why do you think is as much violence to persons with schizophrenia?
I recently looked at articles on the Internet on this topic is that people with schizophrenia comment fewer crimes than the general population and when the make is for acute or drugs and alcohol. Anyway I think that we should not denigrate colleagues found in the psychiatric prison serving a sentence. I think we should give these people a chance to recover and ensure a better quality of life in the place where they are and when they leave is clear that we must help them. In the case of suicide if they are more likely, especially when they have symptoms.
- What do you think of how the media treated people with mental illness?
treat us very badly. The important thing is awareness, we do not, but if it goes ASAENES schools and colleges to report on mental illness and the stigma attached to it. As in many schools spend hours talking about cancer, drugs, ill-treatment, end days are dedicated to inform a lot of things, but few make any mental health, should be a few hours for this. The fact that one day education programs to talk about mental health in Spain would mean that during that time, was going to talk about the reality of people with mental disorders, problems, solutions and alternatives.
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