Into the Void

Well, we are losing ground. There are a number of groups that are fighting for more humane treatment of mental patients, except that by “humane” they mean “treating the poor benighted bastards whether they want it or not.”

Although there are are indeed patients who are unaware of their illnesses, it is unacceptable to treat all of the mentally ill that way. It opens the door to unimaginable abuses. By the way, anognosia is also found in stroke victims with damage to the frontal lobes. And on a more chilling note, some psychiatric treatments induce anosognosia.

NAMI is once again at the forefront in this growing threat.

Anosognosia Keeps Patients From Realizing They’re Ill
A growing body of evidence points to the fact that for many people with serious mental illness, lack of insight is a medically based condition.
About half of the people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may not be getting the treatment they need because of a brain deficit that renders them unable to perceive that they are ill, according to one expert.
Xavier Amador, Ph.D.: “People will come up with illogical and even bizarre explanations for symptoms and life circumstances stemming from their illness.”
Anosognosia, meaning “unawareness of illness,” is a syndrome commonly seen in people with serious mental illness and some neurological disorders, according to Xavier Amador, Ph.D., who spoke at the 2001 convention of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Washington, D.C., in July.
People with this syndrome do not believe they are ill despite evidence to the contrary, said Amador, who is director of psychology at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and professor of psychology in the department of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Treatment Advocacy Center
“The Treatment Advocacy Center has been the catalyst for many positive changes in our laws and a shift in our perception of the importance of intervention. Their unique advocacy is restoring the important balance between individual freedom and caring coercion.”

Legislation
These issues of “involuntary commitment” and “assisted outpatient treatment,” are labeled in academia as “controversial”, a concept interpreted by many as too difficult for the average person to understand. Without the support of scientific research, we all felt until now, intimidated and afraid to be rendered guilty of tampering with everyone’s civil rights. To continue protecting their civil rights only allows our loved ones to remain psychotic, addicted to substances, wandering the streets of the USA, wasting their lives in jails and using, over and over again, most of the economic resources available to treat ALL mentally ill persons. We cannot forget that, not too long ago, freeing the slaves and fighting for an end to discrimination were also considered “controversial” subjects.

Bill mandates treatment for mentally ill (phillyBurbs.com)
Others, though, contend there is little evidence the court orders are effective, and the laws deflect attention from deeper problems plaguing the mental health system, such as a lack of funding for expanded treatment and support services.
Patient advocates fear that law could be abused by applying it whenever a patient disagrees with a doctor’s recommendations. A 2005 state law allows for psychiatric advanced directives specifying treatment preferences when a person’s decision-making is impaired, patient advocates added.
“I believe that the bill has grown out of a sincere desire to help people with mental illness,” said Joseph Rogers, president of the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, if it became law, it would have the exact opposite effect.”

Be afraid. Be VERY Afraid. If you disagree with your caregivers, they can pull out the anosognosia label to get you out of the way.