# How do we balance individual rights and public safety wrt the mentally ill? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 13, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-balance-individual-rights-and-public-safety-wrt-the-mentally-ill/567464 "2011-01-13T16:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-balance-individual-rights-and-public-safety-wrt-the-mentally-ill/567464/41 "2011-01-23T17:07:03Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I’ve tried so many drugs and drug combinations, and most of them have been WACK! Unless you’ve ever been on the other side of the clipboard, I wouldn’t be so quick to judge someone for not wanting to take medication. Once you’ve been burnt a few gajillion times, you figure the treatment is worse than the disease. I know I’m starting to feel that way. > > The people who often say “well, just keep trying till you find what works for you” rarely know how it feels to keep trying and trying and trying but only experiencing, at best, disappointment, and at worse, disabling side-effects. You should never rely solely on drugs to combat depression. Exercise, hobbies, even hanging out with friends on a regular basis can work wonders. Never rely on your doctor to cure you – as with any other major disease, it is _your_ responsibility to take control of your treatment and focus on the path to recovery. > [@spark240](#): > > Isn’t that still a skewed sample? Perhaps, but at least it’s better than a sample of one. :rolleyes: I’m talking about examining the human condition, what it’s like to know these people on a face-to-face basis. You can’t obtain that kind of insight from controlled studies, because statistics distract you from the fact that every individual situation is _unique_. Heck, even now I’m dealing with an appalling situation that’s forced me to re-examine my faith in psychiatry – but I don’t think one extreme bad apple is enough to spoil the whole lot. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-balance-individual-rights-and-public-safety-wrt-the-mentally-ill/567464/42 "2011-01-24T04:00:49Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > You should never rely solely on drugs to combat depression. Exercise, hobbies, even hanging out with friends on a regular basis can work wonders. Never rely on your doctor to cure you – as with any other major disease, it is _your_ responsibility to take control of your treatment and focus on the path to recovery. Now there’s a fuzzypicklepost I’ll ratify! I’ve got nothing against psychdrugs if they do you good. But take responsibility, take control of your treatment. Definitely. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-balance-individual-rights-and-public-safety-wrt-the-mentally-ill/567464/43 "2011-01-25T00:12:47Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > You should never rely solely on drugs to combat depression. Exercise, hobbies, even hanging out with friends on a regular basis can work wonders. Never rely on your doctor to cure you – as with any other major disease, it is _your_ responsibility to take control of your treatment and focus on the path to recovery. I whole-heartedly agree. Which is why I think this country’s treatment of the mentally ill has to be more of a holisitic “take them as they come” approach rather than a “let’s drug them up and then push them out as soon as we can” dealskie. You give _anyone_ enough dope and they’ll be quiet and “good”. But are they living? Are they functional? Are they happy? I’ve never felt so liberated when, a week or so ago, I said, “FUCK THIS SHIT!” and stopped taking some (not all) of my meds. I don’t like the swirly intense thoughts or the dyskinisia, but if I don’t have energy to be creative, I don’t want to live. Thank God I have insurance that covers me for both psychiatric and psychological services. Without the latter, I couldn’t even begin to deal with the former. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-balance-individual-rights-and-public-safety-wrt-the-mentally-ill/567464/44 "2011-01-25T04:05:23Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Now there’s a fuzzypicklepost I’ll ratify! Aw, you’re too sweet. 😉 > [@monstro](#): > > You give _anyone_ enough dope and they’ll be quiet and “good”. But are they living? Are they functional? Are they happy? I’ve never felt so liberated when, a week or so ago, I said, “FUCK THIS SHIT!” and stopped taking some (not all) of my meds. I don’t like the swirly intense thoughts or the dyskinisia, but if I don’t have energy to be creative, I don’t want to live. It does sound like you’re doing better than a few weeks ago – and you’ll get no argument from me that nearly _all_ people are being over-medicated these days. :rolleyes: Just remember, chronic depression isn’t anything you ever want to mess around with. But as long as you’re taking _something_ to maintain balance, it’s a start. Heck, I’ve been on a daily regiment of bipolar-controlling chemicals for most of my life, even though it’s been reduced to meditation, megavitamins & medical cannabis nowdays. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-balance-individual-rights-and-public-safety-wrt-the-mentally-ill/567464/45 "2011-01-25T07:32:14Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > You should never rely solely on drugs to combat depression. Exercise, hobbies, even hanging out with friends on a regular basis can work wonders. Dr. Peter Breggin [suggested](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/24/business/24shock.html?ref=todayspaper) a pet or conversation. > [@monstro](#): > > But frankly, drugs SUCK. I recently stopped taking two of the prescribed meds I was on because they rendered me completely useless as a human being. And the experts can’t even [agree](http://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/18/opinion/l-on-cause-of-psychosis-there-s-no-agreement-688959.html?scp=9&sq=%22Peter+R.+Breggin%22&st=nyt) on drugs. > [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > (Consider: Even if you sincerely believed that the CIA was monitoring your mind, would you be willing to go out and shoot people on the strength of this belief?) If the CIA was [controlling your mind](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqTCCYbBY4U), _belief_ would be irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-balance-individual-rights-and-public-safety-wrt-the-mentally-ill/567464/46 "2011-01-26T04:12:00Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > If the CIA was [controlling your mind](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqTCCYbBY4U), _belief_ would be irrelevant. You’d think if the CIA was so skilled at mind control, they’d prevent that guy from making the video in the first place… …or maybe that’s what they want us to think??? :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-balance-individual-rights-and-public-safety-wrt-the-mentally-ill/567464.md?page=2)