[WikiEN-l] Could we tone down the language a bit?

[Fred Bauder]

>A least one problem I envision with such MH Articles in WP is the fact that
>you would, in some cases, have patients writing the textbook. There are many
>aspects of mental, emotional, and behavioral conditions that are beyond some
>persons¹ ability to accept. In the very first month that I signed on as a WP
>editor I encountered such a problem. I wanted to upgrade an existing Article
>on a chemical dependency-related subject, and immediately encountered strong
>resistance from another editor. I was attempting to emphasize the disease
>component of the condition, but the editor refused to acknowledge this fact.
>Being very new to WP, after a least a week of back and forth with this
>editor, of endless diatribes by them, and every one on my edits being
>changed, I finally gave up, left the Article, and haven¹t looked back since.
>I have practiced (one day I may get it right :-) ) in the fields of Clinical
>Psychology and Psychotherapy for 42 years now. I wanted to bring some
>expertise to the Articles in WP related to my fields, but have backed away.
>
>I would love to see more, well-written Articles on all aspects of MH in the
>encyclopedia. I believe they should be written by persons schooled in the
>fields, and should be written so that any sentient person could understand
>it. For me, the true measure of an ³expert² in something is his or her
>ability to explain it to someone who isn¹t.
>
>I would also like to see links to biographies of persons in the encyclopedia
>who have suffered from these conditions.
>
>Some thoughts.
>
>Marc Riddell

If that had become an arbitration case, the focus would be on use of reliable sources. Neither patients nor therapists count as reliable sources, however much personal or professional experience they have, or how incisive their insights.

Fred