Should forced "involuntary psychiatric commitment" be outlawed?

[Anonymous]

Yes

No

Yes if they are a harm to others in which case they should be allowed the option of a mercy killing

[xobrowneyedbeauty]

when was this video made? it seems either super outdated or extremely biased. i worked in a psychiatric inpatient unit last summer and, though i couldn't stomach much of this video because it's so dramatic and anti-psychiatry, i don't think involuntary commitment is anything like what is being portrayed. it's for the patient's wellbeing.

involuntary psychiatric commitment is only used in situations in which the patient is deemed a danger to him/herself or others. if a patient is voicing suicidal or homicidal ideation, the psychiatrist has every right, and is actually fully responsible and required, to keep the patient involuntarily. the job of the doctor is to protect the patient and others. if the patient was allowed to go free and then committed suicide, this would actually fall back on the doctor, and the family of the patient could actually sue the doctor for not doing his/her job of protecting the patient.

psychiatrists are not dying to keep their inpatient facilities at full capacity, take it from someone who has worked as a medical student fellow in an inpatient facility - we DO NOT WANT to be at full capacity. we simply are not allowed to let someone go if they are a danger to him/herself or others. it's part of the hippocratic oath, do no harm philosophy, etc etc.

[Asker]

I'll have you know I was involuntarily sectioned even though it turned out that I wasn't suicidal and it was THE most traumatic experience of my life and it was worse than what was portrayed. But here's the ultimate irony: before then I never had suicidal thoughts or committed self harm. Now I can't even go a week without it 9 years later. The wounds are as fresh as the day they were made and the haunting memory has robbed my quality of life ever since then. And have you ever heard of something called the RIGHT to die? Why should this only be reserved for physically ill patients and not mentally ill ones?

[Asker]

"for the patient's wellbeing" MY ASS

And how else can we make sure what happened to me doesn't happen to others?

[Asker]

here's the whole documentary from which that video was taken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II96QkZaz1E

[Offthelist]

A i think

[Anonymous]

Unless they are a direct threat to someone else it should be illegal. If a child is a direct threat to themselves I can also understand. However the moment someone turns 18 it is their right to do whatever they want with their own bodies as long as they don't violate the rights of others in the process. They should even be free to hurt themselves if that is what they want.

We are living in a world where a person having a personality others don't like or understand is now being reclassified as a disease. I seriously don't think there is anyone alive that couldn't be diagnosed with having some mental disorder.

We even have lots of kids being forced onto medication that are so dangerous they have been banned in other countries just to make them become someone they are not meant to be. They are literally banned from going to school, a place they are legally required to be, until they are on dangerous medications like Ritalin. We are on the brink of outlawing free thought by classifying it as a disease.

[Tim47]

Most times when people are forced into psychiatric care they are at the point where they are not mentally capable to make the decision for themselves and don't have any family member that can take care of them. Whilst obviously sometimes malpractice occurs its stupid to base an opinion on this kinda stuff from propaganda videos.

[kaylaS91]

No, I don't see any need to outlaw forced involuntary psychiatric commitment.

I don't think it's carried out all that often but what else is law enforcement supposed to do with individuals who have things such as Bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia, who are having manic episodes and posing a danger to themselves as well as those around them?

In many such disorders, they reach a point at which, during an episode, the individual lacks the mental capability to even realize what's going on and see how out of line it is. Likewise for when it's teens and such who are acting out aggressively or completely erratically in rebellion from their parents or any other forms of authority.

[aliceinwonderland69]

I've been Sectioned and work with people with mental health problems and unfortunately sometimes it is necessary. Often if they don't section people they hurt themselves or others or end up in prison.

[reptocarl]

In your case being a minor you don't have the same rights as an adult. My God you act worse than Anne Frank ever did in her years of Nazi rule

[Asker]

This pertains to minors to

[reptocarl]

Minors don't have say over their bodies. The parents do. You've heard of parents denying their child medical care that could save their lives but won't because of their religion?

[Asker]

I think that's wrong too, both should be stopped

[reptocarl]

At what age? It's proven that teens aren't capable of considering the ramifications of major decisions. That part of the brain isn't fully developed yet. Your parents did what they had to to save your life and you don't see that as an act of love. You need to be inpatient for awhile until you start seeing reality. Right now your reality is distorted which is what depression does

[Asker]

Save my life?
CAT SCRATCHES DON'T KILL
You'll excuse me if I don't take your claim that they did it out of love seriously if all they did was ruin my quality of life since then.

[reptocarl]

They thought you were suicidal from depression. You've admitted you were depressed. ANY loving parent would've done the same. If they'd have done nothing you'd be whining about that too saying they don't care about you

[Asker]

No I wouldn't because I was handling my depression on my own and it wasn't that serious. But my parents were fed crap about how dangerous it was and acted rashly and now I have to live with it for the rest of my life.

[reptocarl]

See right there. You can't handle depression on your own. Why? Because it distorts reality. My own psychiatrist told me that when I thought the same

[reptocarl]

It isn't crap depression is the #1 cause of suicide. Remember Robin Williams? Depression is as deadly as diabetes

[Asker]

well the psychiatrist I saw at the hospital also said it wasn't severe

[reptocarl]

How would your parents know that?

[Asker]

talk to a shrink about my symptoms

[reptocarl]

You talk to your Dr how bad you had it and how bad your parents are. I'd be amazed if he didn't laugh

[Asker]

Or section me which is why I won't see one. My parents could have just asked me to see a psychiatrist.

[reptocarl]

Your an adult now. That changes things. You have to understand. They thought you were suicidal which means crisis. In a life or death crisis there isn't time to make a Dr's appt then wait. You'd be dead by then.

[reptocarl]

You're also suffering extreme paranoia. You need to be seen

[Asker]

These days anything could interpreted as signs of suicide but that's no excuse to lock people up.

[Asker]

and I wouldn't be dead (although my mom will be in a few months)

[Asker]

Based on my experiences it seems my fears are pretty warranted.

[reptocarl]

Again there's that distorted reality. I have nothing to gain by telling you to be seen. I'm actually sensitive to persons with mental illness. I'm a mental patient myself remember? I don't feel anyone is out to hurt me or have alterior motives

[Asker]

I'm a mental patient myself remember?
Yeah, no kidding, you're telling me to go back to the place that made my life a living hell, if that isn't mental I don't know what is

[SüßeJäger]

Yes it should be unless they could harm another person.

[Asker]

But if they were involuntarily sectioned should they have the right to chose to be Euthanized?

[SüßeJäger]

I don't think it's anyone's business what a person does with their body.

[Waffles731]

There are some circumstances where its simply the best option.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

Forced psychiatric commitment does far more harm than good.

[ObscuredBeyond]

Only if the committed is shown no respect and is not given a timetable. As long as I knew the plan and had a reliable watch and calendar, I could tolerate quite a bit. Thankfully, I've never had to find out firsthand. Now, put someone like that in a situation where they have no clue what's going on, and no sense of time, and it can be terrifying. Part of what makes Hell what it is, is that traditional methods of keeping track of the passage of time are all but completely meaningless there. Prisoners in solitary with no window concur: no concept of time means a horrible existence.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

@ObscuredBeyond No you seem to not know what you are talking about, but let's say you were right. In a psyche ward you are counseled by a psychiatrist, then they give you medication regardless of if you want it or not. How is staying away from friends or even family, but in a dark place to simply ponder your choice to commit suicide. A psyche ward does not cure anything, in fact people come out traumatized, you actually just answered to a question regarding this where an individual had a difficult time adjusting to the fact he was in one. Generally, suicide watch lasts for 48-72 hours on average but can be extended, which it most often is. I think its great that you could tolerate it, but you did not happen to go there nor are you an individual in those situations needing to go there.

[ObscuredBeyond]

I'm basing this on various other medical procedures I have been through. Surgeries. While painful, fear of the unknown and having no to timetable always frightened me more than knowing I'd be poked with needles or have something cut out of me. It's the loss of control that is the worst part. Feeling lost and helpless.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

@ObscuredBeyond Being locked in a psyche ward is more than needles and a bunch of nurses standing around.

[ObscuredBeyond]

By all means, do a take on the minutia. I'm writing some books, and your insights would make for excellent research.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

@ObscuredBeyond MMmmm yes oh im certain.

[ObscuredBeyond]

Somebody's got a grudge.