Peg, is it "supportive" to deny some people a forum to discuss things that are important to them, or to have to put it into some hidden corner? It is good to have that corner, at least, but even there one has to be careful of what one says...

As a child, I realize now, I had to not-think certain things, for instance any thought critical of my mother, because if I thought them then I might say them, and that was dangerous to me. So suppression of thinking is one of the most important factors in the history of my mental illness. I did not realize until fairly recently that I can think things even if I am not allowed to say them, but it is still something I struggle with.

I have found in my life quite a few mental health "professionals" whose attitude is to want to avoid anything that makes them afraid; to promote covering up distress, to always say that you are "fine". They often give "reasons" why it is important to avoid strife, but the real reason is that they are afraid of it. But they do not want to admit even to themselves that they are afraid, so they cover that up with "justifications" (which are not necessarily totally wrong, either). What message does that send when the mental health professionals do not see their own motivations?

That is one of the main objections I have had to psychotropic medications: that they are too often used to cover up unwanted truths, rather than trying to reveal them. How can it be supportive to the truth to not let people talk about ALL their experiences?

Now what do you do when (or if) you realize that some of the professionals are afraid of you? If you are lucky, and gain enough understanding, you may accept that they are afraid, and begin to treat them as you would with anyone who is afraid: with understanding, with care, with compassion. Not by totally shutting up, but by being much more understanding when you do express yourself. I find that a hard thing to do, but really very rewarding when I can do it. So, I think there is value in letting people express themselves, even when what they say frightens you -- that is the only way to begin to address the causes of what makes them so "frightening" in the first place.