2023/10/25
The Inner Foundation announces support of Psynlighet - shedding light on the systemic issues within Swedish psychiatry
The Inner Foundation, a foundation investing in for-profit and non-profit mental health ventures for emerging adults, announces its’ support of Psynlighet. A non-profit organization started with the intention of addressing the systemic issues that prevail within the Swedish psychiatric system.
Founded by Hanna Larsson in 2018, Psynlighet was born out of her personal experiences within the psychiatric system during her battle with an eating disorder in her teens. The injustice and maltreatment she encountered during her inpatient treatment fuelled her commitment to ensuring equal and humanitarian care for all. Hanna encapsulates the vision of Psynlighet, stating:
“The aim behind Psynlighet is to drive the systemic changes needed in the Swedish psychiatric system. Psynlighet is a voice for psychiatric patients, a group that has had a historical difficulty in being heard and believed. “
- Hanna Larsson, Founder and Chair of Psynlighet
The Inner Foundation was introduced to Psynlighet’s work when Hanna received a scholarship from the Göra Gott Foundation in 2021. Annika Sten Pärson elaborates on how this recognition sparked the foundation’s understanding of the systemic issues residing within Swedish psychiatry and the utmost importance of Hanna’s work:
“We want to extend our gratitude to Stiftelsen Göra Gott for all their amazing work, and for connecting us with Hanna and her crucial mission. Through this introduction, our eyes were opened to the utmost importance of Psynlighet’s work and it has further strengthened our belief in this type of collaboration. Our aim is to continue our active work with interconnecting investors and funders to support changemakers in amplifying their impact.”
- Annika Sten Pärson, Co-founder & Chair The Inner Foundation.
The Inner Foundation has chosen to provide support to Psynlighet and Hanna's advocacy with a grant of 100,000 SEK, and explains the rationale behind the grant:
"In 2022, over 12,600 patients underwent inpatient care under Lagen om psykiatrisk tvångsvård (LPT). It's disheartening to read the vast number of testimonials recounting maltreatment, abuse of power, and injustice faced by many of these patients. " She continues,
“Psynlighet is a transformative force, enabling patients to unite and speak up against the systemic challenges within the psychiatric system. Notably, Psynlighet has been instrumental in empowering young women to share their personal narratives. As investors, we must unite and support initiatives that amplify voices traditionally left unheard. Our investment aims to support Psynlighet's capabilities in forging new partnerships and bolstering its advocacy efforts in Sweden. "
- Caroline Stiernstedt Sahlborn, Partner of The Inner Foundation
Psynlighet is responsible for the independent project Opsynliga.se, a digital forum and knowledge base where patients anonymously can share testimonials about their experiences within the psychiatric system and inpatient care. Hanna outlines the background to the project:
"Opsynliga.se was started with the aim to emphasize the voices of those treated within the Swedish psychiatric system. By gathering hundreds of testimonials, we aim to illustrate that cases of maltreatment are not isolated incidents but serve as evidence of a psychiatric system in dire need of change. Our ultimate goal is to urge politicians to take legislative action and no longer ignore the glaring issues within inpatient treatment and the psychiatric system."
- Hanna Larsson
Psynlighet has outlined a set of tangible goals to guide its advocacy efforts. For instance, Psynlighet wants to urge the initiation of an independent inquiry to examine the compliance within the psychiatric system to the current legislation regarding compulsory care and sexual abuse.
Another goal is to assert standards within inpatient care for monitoring the use of neuroleptics for psychiatric patients. This comes in response to Psynlighet's observations of a prevailing trend within the inpatient care system, where non-psychotic patients, particularly young women, often are subjected to overmedication with neuroleptics.
Caroline Stiernstedt Sahlborn encourages other investors to join forces and support Psynlighet, as the non-profit organization actively seeks funding:
"To achieve real, lasting change, we must join forces and echo the voices of those who have been affected. Where the work that Psynlighet is undertaking not only is commendable in validating the experiences of countless patients within the psychiatric system; but essential to foster awareness and ultimately legislative change.”
- Caroline Stiernstedt Sahlborn
For further information, please contact:
Hanna Larsson
Founder and Chair
kontakt@larssonhanna.se
Caroline Stiernstedt Sahlborn
Partner, The Inner Foundation
caroline.s.sahlborn@theinnerfoundation.org
+46 70-249 77 81
About Psynlighet
Psynlighet is a non-profit organization working for better psychiatry. Striving to highlight the structural problems that exist in psychiatry and thus contribute to the development of skills - for better psychiatry and public health. In 2019 the project Opsynliga.se was started. An initiative started with the mission of problematizing the skewed power dynamics, maltreatment, and traumatic experiences that many patients endure within the Swedish psychiatric system by collecting patients’ testimonials and serving as a knowledge base. Where the aim is to collect so many stories that their experiences cannot be blamed on individual mistakes or the patient "overreacting".
About The Inner Foundation
The Inner Foundation is committed to catalyzing a societal transformation by operating at the forefront of human well-being and sustainable impact. Our mission is rooted in driving meaningful change through strategic investments, by supporting proven, powerful, and scalable solutions that increase inner health among emerging adults and strengthen inclusiveness, equity, and diversity in society. Guided by our dedicated commitment to the inner health of emerging adults, we unite public, private, and non-profit efforts to make sustainable human development happen.