Agree completely.
• we can’t have it both ways. I consider myself responsible for my actions and others should too
• I’m no fan of the criminal justice system or indeed of official punishment for misdeeds period. But let’s administer justice on a one size fits all basis.
There are procedures for determining someone is incapable of managing their own affairs outside of mental health, but they tend to be a much lengthier process than involuntary psychiatric commitment.
I think common sense has to be at play here. If someone is acting erratically or is in some psychotic state self harm or harm to others is a distinct possibility. If your criteria is that they should be no real intervention until something bad happens or they or others are physically harmed I think you are walking a very dangerous line.
Yes, the stories I’ve heard even recently about what happens to people considered mentally ill but are actually misunderstood by the establishment scares me. My one friend ended up being put in jail since he was unable to post bail, over a case that was eventually thrown out and expunged from his record. They asked him if he ever felt depressed, and as a bipolar person he said yes, of course, sometimes, it’s part of what makes up his mental condition. That immediately put him down for “suicide watch” and he was stripped of all but his underwear. He was not allowed any clothes until two weeks later. I understand of course that “jail” is different than normal institutionalization, but it seemed like a very particular brand of humiliation and degradation to me for them to do that.
Ever since I was a child I was terrified of the power doctors/nurses/counselors had over me. I felt like if I let on that I ever felt depressed, or thought about getting revenge on my bullies, or sometimes considered that maybe living wasn’t worth it any more, I’d be institutionalized against my will for “being a danger to myself and others”. As it turns out, the main cause of my poor mental condition was a lack of control over my life. I had no way to escape my parents, no way to escape my bullies, and had no choice or control over my school life. That’s what was driving me nuts - and is still the chip on my shoulder today. So being forcefully institutionalized would have absolutely destroyed me. The concept of mind-altering drugs being forced upon me in a jail-like setting is the most horrific thing I can think of and I categorize it as torture. It’s a stripping of my basic rights and autonomy.
So reading something like what AHunter3 posted makes me blanch. That sounds like hell to get through. There’s help out there for people, but there’s also abuse in these places as well.
I take the medication my doctor gave me for my mental illness, I think it would behoove you to do the same.
The disease you have does not have a good prognosis. Generally the treatments are in mental wards or medication. Obviously, mental wards are unpleasant places and medications can have side effects. However, if you want a normal life then you should work with professionals to treat your disease. If you do not want to, it seems you are more of an annoyance to others than a danger and you should be able to remain free until you are a danger.
I think it’s my business and not yours.
I was diagnosed when I was 21, second incarceration event at age 23. I’m 58. How fucking good does my prognosis need to be?
I don’t. I like this one. It’s working for me.
Agreed! Thanks!