Is anyone here a paid mental health advocate? Working with changing laws and directly helping the suffering? I've experienced first hand how broken and flawed the system is for the mentally unwell. When we are symptomatic, we are especially vulnerable and the system is set up to abuse us.

When we are hospitalized, we are often treated as criminals. Our possessions are removed as are our rights. Just like convicts. Communication with the outside world is shut down to a minimum. This does not happen the same way for physical illness and while it might be an appropriate choice for SOME people, it's not something which should be an automatic across the board thing. The list goes on and on.

I see what is broken and I want to help fix it. But how? I'd like to get paid for this as bills need paying and I can't afford to volunteer, even though I'd like to. Does anyone have a paid position helping the mentally ill? Tell me about your job, training, schooling and how you help. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I need to find a job I'm passionate about and mental health advocacy is my passion above all else these days.

I'm starting my journey by being my own advocate which is proving harder than it should be. It's a start but I'd like to expand and help others. I want to make sure that what's been done to me isn't done to others. I'd like to hear your experiences. Thanks in advance.