Lived experience is expertise.

"After being a medical doctor and then a #MentalHealth researcher, I realized that my lived experience was actually the most interesting part about me. I took up a career in mental health research full time because I felt, as a survivor, I bring a combined expertise that could be valuable in advancing science, keeping the survivor perspective central to it."
-Bijajyalaxmi

When survivors help lead the research, the science gets closer to what people actually need.