Harm Reduction, Humanistic Psychology, and the CRPD

Harm reduction, which was initially developed as a public health response to illicit drug use, has relevance to the prescription of psychotropic medication. Indeed, focusing on the agency of people who use drugs—licit or illicit—facilitates a more authentic engagement with treatment. In this paper, we show how the framework of harm reduction is congruent with the guiding principles of both humanistic psychology and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Moreover, applying a harm reduction model to psychotropic drug use raises awareness that there are risks to taking these medications, risks which are frequently glossed over because of the emphasis on medication adherence and compliance. We provide case examples of organizations that take a person-centered (vs. medication-centered) approach to people experiencing mental health crises. In their unique ways, these organizations embody the principles of harm reduction and the humanistic impulse that informs the CRPD.