Just once, I’d wish some legal-begal would define “treatment.” I can’t find it in legal code anywhere (CA/USA). I think if the word “treatment” was swamped-out
for the word “mistreatment”, our position would be much more clear to people. This just out.

Kathi Stringer
A Director for the California Network of Mental Health Clients
http://www.californiaclients.org

Ok … I know I’m mentally ill & I take my medications … but I can’t get anyone to do anything else to help me towards recovery. What is wrong with this picture

Kathi, as a mental health professional you already know that stabilizing the patient with medication that works is the main treatment option. But state laws govern the parameters of involuntary treatment, so it varies in what the law allows them to do. The debate over the right of the unaware mentally ill to remain sick and medicated (sometimes homeless) vs. it is more humane to help them with involuntary commitment is a huge debate with many on both sides.

dragonfriend, here are things you can do in addition to medication:
-psychosocial or cognative therapy;
-peer support groups
-nutritional supplements

But you are right, there are huge barriers to getting well. What is available is one question, and can you pay for it is another.

Elise, Speaking myself as an individual that has been hospitalized over 30 times in many different hospitals, I can make the following statements looking from the inside out.

Elise, In a PERFECT world one might say, “Stabilizing the patient with medication that works is the main treatment option.� In the real world, I view this as a very naive statement. More often then not, patients are abused by rude staff, and/or handed a misdiagnosis that leads to medication errors, which leads to excessive involuntary confinement. (In fact, forensic psychiatry makes the claim as a defense in court “Psychiatry is not an exact science.�) It’s not by accident that nearly every county hospital has an oversight agency that is the Department of Patients Rights. Why the need for a Patients Rights Department if the mentally ill population is served with good “treatment?� That sad fact is, more often then not, it is mistreatment and the Department of Patients Rights has a hard time keeping up with the mistreatment complaints.

Another sad fact, civil laws that allow involuntary treatment makes the assumption that “treatment� is what the patient is going to get, when the reality of the situation is that the patient is getting “mistreatment.� Perhaps this is why one won’t find the word “treatment� legally defined within California W&I code, Title 9, Title 22 or Civil code. I would imagine that law suites would pile up in reference to patients not getting “treatment.�

Kathi Stringer
A Director for the California Network of Mental Health Clients

Kathi, I am so glad that you are a part of this world!!!!!

Elise, “can you pay for it”, now that is what it all seems to boil down to isn’t it? For the record, that is the most arrogant, pompous, insensitive, uncaring, callous comment that anyone could ever have replied with.

I may have multiple mental disorders, but I am by no means STUPID!

In my lifetime I have been the head of a checking account dept at a bank (5 yrs), and been the lead trainer of a 125+ person dept at a major securities firm (10 yrs) … and had to work my way up the corporate ladder to reach each of those positions.

But due to mental disabilities my brain can no longer function at the high, over-achiever, work-aholic, stress level that it takes to obtain employment that will allow for frivolities such as rent, utilities, and food; much less $50+ per hour for “psychosocial” or “cognitive” therapy.

My disabilities caused me to lose EVERYTHING … my home, my belongings, my family, my friends. I have spent almost 3 years medicated, but homeless, and searching for the help I need.

I would give my right arm for “psychosoical” or “cognitive” therapy.

I do have “peers”, and there are a “group” of us, and we do try to “support” each other as best we can. But 1) even if there were peer support groups available nearby, I would 2) still have to have the ability to get to them and back again.

As far as “Nutritional Supplements” are concerned, I can’t even keep anemia under control … if I cannot get enough nutrition for my physical health how do you suggest I find the nutrition for my mental health? Should I eat more spinach? Can I buy it with food stamps? Can I cook it on YOUR STOVE?

So, again I say:

I know I’m mentally ill & I take my medications … but I can’t get anyone to do anything else to help me towards recovery. What is wrong with this picture?????????

Hi Kathi, very good comment! Realize that what I replied was not MY opinion but what research says. “Can you pay for it” is indeed a dilemma, not my suggestion. Is it available and can you pay for it is what the world has answered…It is again a subject of debate. I will post more on funding mental illness soon. Also the other treatment options are again, what research says is available, not me. I am glad you are demonstrating the inadequacies of our mental health system in your post, yet of course my heart goes out to you with this struggle and I wish you the best.