3 ms·
Can we? The severely mentally ill, those with willful medication noncompliace and/or violent psychotic episodes, what do you propose we do with them? It's well
by krapht 7y ago
Can we? The severely mentally ill, those with willful medication noncompliace and/or violent psychotic episodes, what do you propose we do with them? It's well known that many of them lack the self-awareness to even realize they are ill. Some sort of involuntary commitment is necessary.
Frankly I believe the asylum would be a better place for many of them rather than taking dumps on the streets of San Francisco. Closing them was a mistake; rather what was needed was more oversight. It would be like shuttering all nursing homes and sending the elderly back onto the streets or into their children's homes, because the cheapest ones are run like deathbed holding warehouses. In fact they've all but reappeared, we just call them prisons today, or sometimes a long-term residential psychiatric care facility.
Historically the severely mentally ill were either put to death, or placed under the custody of their immediate relatives, with the family being punished if said ill person were to cause trouble in society. This is not really an option in modern society. The severely psychotic need inpatient care, and it should be an option. Today they're getting it in jail, this is not ideal.
- alsetmusic 7y agoBi-polar can be treated with medication and people can often lead a normal life as a result.
- krapht 7y agoYes, but in particular I'm referring to the problem of the mentally ill not taking their medication.
- alecco 7y agoI’ve heard many times of bipolar people committing crime because they either decided to stop medicating (it does make you feel not good) or they lost them or something. There is a point between individual freedom and public safety. We can’t just sigh and throw up our hands in the air.
- maxlamb 7y agoI think schizophrenia is the much bigger problem regarding the homeless.
- mratzloff 7y agoI agree. The majority of homeless people I encounter in NYC are mentally ill. Many are drug or alcohol dependent. It's not uncommon at all to see someone having a shouting argument with themselves. Most reek of urine. This is not how a humane society deals with this issue. It is also not safe. Although most homeless people in the city are non-violent, it's not uncommon to read about a delusional person slashing someone across the face with a knife or pushing someone in front of a moving train. Involuntary commitment with compassionate care, properly funded with ethically-aligned incentives, is the most humane solution. Doctors should be the ones to recommend who among the patients is ready to reintegrate into society, and those individuals should receive an apartment and a job with some kind of state or federal work program to provide a routine, though they would of course be free to seek out alternatives.
- sizzle 7y agoSame issue with homeless population in Portland, Oregon. It's a very divisive hot topic right now with no easy solution.