The Psychiatry: An Industry of Death exhibit at the University of Central Florida Student Union last month drew students, veterans, and law enforcement personnel to examine what organizers describe as systemic abuse within mental health treatment. The traveling exhibition, which reaches tens of thousands globally each year, focuses on practices including electroshock therapy, involuntary examinations, and medication of children with psychiatric drugs.
Hosted by the Florida chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), the exhibit prompted strong reactions from attendees, including psychology students reconsidering their career paths. One UCF psychology major stated the display fundamentally changed her perspective on psychiatry, noting she entered the field to help people but now questions standard practices highlighted in the exhibition.
Orlando City Commissioner Antonio "Tony" Ortiz participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony and toured the exhibit, calling the content "extremely important" and advocating for wider visibility. Ortiz specifically referenced pharmaceutical industry influence on legislation and concerns about Florida's Baker Act, which allows for involuntary mental health examination. He endorsed CCHR's parental rights booklet as a community resource available through their Florida website.
The exhibit mirrors a permanent museum at CCHR's international headquarters in Los Angeles and another installation in Clearwater, Florida, which has hosted over 10,000 visitors since its 2015 opening. The Florida museum features 14 audiovisual displays documenting psychiatric abuses through interviews with doctors, attorneys, and survivors, presenting psychiatry as a "multi-billion dollar fraud."
Nursing and technical college students regularly visit the Clearwater facility as part of clinical training, with many describing the experience as eye-opening. CCHR complements museum tours with seminars on mental health law led by attorneys and healthcare professionals, educating attendees about patient rights under statutes like the Baker Act. Both the traveling exhibit and permanent museums operate free of charge to the public.
The exhibit's presence at UCF underscores ongoing debates about mental health treatment ethics, particularly regarding involuntary procedures and pharmaceutical interventions. As students and public officials engage with CCHR's materials, the organization aims to influence both professional practice and legislative reform in mental health care.
