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Pros And Cons Of Involuntary Asylum

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Involuntary admission and medication have been administered to the mentally ill and disabled for centuries; this course began in the 1800s when the first insane asylum opened in Britain after the 1808 County Asylum Act. While many organizations are aimed at equal rights for all who are not a direct danger to themselves or others, there is still large injustice for the mentally handicapped when his/her rights are violated by being pushed into unnecessary hospitalization. Countless innocent, mentally ill people are impacted by having treatments they are involuntarily given; fortunately, organizations such as Mental Disability Rights International are attempting to make a difference by fighting against the treatment the mentally disabled receive …show more content…

To summarize, “a person must be seen as a danger to self or others and hospitalization would be the least restrictive means of treatment” (Oberg). The hospitalization must be for a short time and the principle strongly urges the opinion from a second doctor, although it is not seen as a necessity. Involuntary treatment can only be given when patients are seen to be an impending danger; however “if all efforts were exhausted”, then judges will tend to favor the doctors at giving the patients treatment, especially if the pros of treatment outweigh the cons that may occur (Sederer).
Since doctors can make the call for treatment, sometimes without the consent of the mentally ill or disabled, as well as the mental disabilities not being visible, it can make coverage for the patients difficult. When getting coverage for the mental disabilities, “people who suffer from mental illness [tend to] have a hard time trying to get insurance coverage for various reasons, such as difficulty in proving their condition, little attention being paid to mental illness, and limited coverage from providers who do not deem mental illnesses a health

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The 1800’s made steps towards equal opportunity and Civil rights, but laws had not fully established in comparison to today. Medical law makers quickly adopted the concept and between the 1960-1980’s large state-operating mental-health hospitals systematically dismantled. Problems generated, however when funding for the proposed community mental health centers was never implemented. (Reluctant Welfare State,

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