Comments on: It’s as though I have a crystal ball http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2007/09/28/its-as-though-i-have-a-crystal-ball/ A blog about mental health Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:55:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Alison Hymes http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2007/09/28/its-as-though-i-have-a-crystal-ball/comment-page-1/#comment-2558 Alison Hymes Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:06:42 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2007/09/28/its-as-though-i-have-a-crystal-ball/#comment-2558 It isn't prison or hospital. TAC keeps saying that but it doesn't make it true. It would take over 300 people being force treated or euphemistically "AOT"'d to prevent one arrest for a non-violent crime according to a very reputable study by the Cochran research group, hardly a radical group. So are we prepared to have more than 300 people force drugged to prevent one arrest for a non-violent offense? TAC's other argument is that people are sick, they need help. Well, yeah, all kinds of people are sick and need help and a lot of them don't get help because it isn't available, they aren't insured, or they have been so abused in the past that they are afraid of asking for help again. What about all the people with medical illnesses out there who are non-compliant? I don't buy into the theory that someone who risks amputation or death by not taking care of his or her diabetes is making a rational, competent decision while someone who decides not to take neuroleptics is clearly making an irrational, incompetent decision. I have kidney failure. I'm lucky enough to be off dialysis for now, but in the future it will be my choice whether to be on it or not. If I decide to die like Art Buchwald (I won't but hypothetically), the state can't do a thing about it nor can my doctor. But if someone says I'm psychotic and deteriorating and not going to die, the state and a doctor can force me to take drugs? How does this make any sense at all. I am the same person in both instances. It isn’t prison or hospital. TAC keeps saying that but it doesn’t make it true. It would take over 300 people being force treated or euphemistically “AOT”‘d to prevent one arrest for a non-violent crime according to a very reputable study by the Cochran research group, hardly a radical group. So are we prepared to have more than 300 people force drugged to prevent one arrest for a non-violent offense?

TAC’s other argument is that people are sick, they need help. Well, yeah, all kinds of people are sick and need help and a lot of them don’t get help because it isn’t available, they aren’t insured, or they have been so abused in the past that they are afraid of asking for help again.

What about all the people with medical illnesses out there who are non-compliant? I don’t buy into the theory that someone who risks amputation or death by not taking care of his or her diabetes is making a rational, competent decision while someone who decides not to take neuroleptics is clearly making an irrational, incompetent decision.

I have kidney failure. I’m lucky enough to be off dialysis for now, but in the future it will be my choice whether to be on it or not. If I decide to die like Art Buchwald (I won’t but hypothetically), the state can’t do a thing about it nor can my doctor. But if someone says I’m psychotic and deteriorating and not going to die, the state and a doctor can force me to take drugs? How does this make any sense at all. I am the same person in both instances.

]]> By: Kent http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2007/09/28/its-as-though-i-have-a-crystal-ball/comment-page-1/#comment-2557 Kent Sat, 29 Sep 2007 04:13:00 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2007/09/28/its-as-though-i-have-a-crystal-ball/#comment-2557 If an email is peppered with emotional appeals, does that make it salty? If an email is peppered with emotional appeals, does that make it salty?

]]>