Should a mental patient have the right to refuse medication?

Why or why not?

Any patient has the right to refuse medication. You can live with the flu and not have the cure. You can have cancer and not get treated. You can have a broken arm and never get it set. You can have mental illness and refuse medication.

There is only one exception to self refusing of medication, that is when you are a danger to yourself or others. Then you can be put in a hospital for a small period of time. This varies by state. While in a hospital (there are no more crazy houses), they can make you take medications. What usually happens is that you no longer want to be a danger to yourself or others. You will voluntarily continue to take medication. I have been on medication for mental illness for over 12 years now and would not be without them. But if I wanted to quit I have that right.

Hello,
In my opinion a mental patient needs to be observed by a psychiatrist and the psychiatrist needs to determine whether or not the patient is deemed fit to make their own medical decisions. If the patient is not deemed fit, the patients next of kin should make the medical decisions.

It's not that I don't think a mental patient shouldn't have rights - but a lot of the time they don't know what is in their best interest and if we allowed them to make their own decision, a lot of the time they would die.

No they should not. I read or hear on TV many, many times how some individual did this or that to a stranger and often times their own children. People shouldn't die because someone felt good that day so they didn't take their meds and therefore went off balance and drown their kids or threw them off a dock. We hear people ***** daily about how police are so wrong to taser someone who is mentally unsound (as if they would know!!). Well, someone has to do something to get them under control or they can hurt a whole lot of innocent people. I think it's completely horrible that these people have kids. Yeah, that's such a GREAT idea to put tiny, defenseless kids whose life is in the care of someone whose very sanity lies in taking medication properly.

As for mental patients that are in an institution, heck yeah they should be made to take their meds. It's amazing how their own family members will say no to the very meds that make it possible for them to be care for. Sure it may be their job but NO ONE needs to be neat on and kicked, bit, spit on when they are trying to give good care. Not to mention the other patients in the institution that don't need to be abused by this person who will not or is not allowed by family to take meds.

sure you can, do you like needles, thats next

Yes, they should have the right to refuse medication if they choose to. It is no different than a DNR order, and at that point, you can't decide anything for yourself. Or if you find out that you had cancer, would you want to be FORCED to have chemo? There are a lot of mentally ill people out there that are perfectly capable of dealing with their symptoms without the use of medication. Most of the ones that are deemed "a danger to our society" are either placed in a safe environment or understand that they are unable to control their symptoms and are willing to accept medication as treatment to function in society.

A lot depends on the level of the mental health illness. I am bi-polar and I refuse medication and I manage to cope with counselling and life style changes and if I do get too high or low I have learnt to recognise the signs and get help during those episodes.

Some mental health patients may not be well enough to make a healthy decision with regards to their health.

I guess each situation is different and in most cases I believe it should be the individuals choice. Doctors are very quick to prescribe drugs and very slow to listen at times! Well that's been my experience.

I do agree.

Some people become mentally ill when being fed those pills, the mental institute needs a fair amount of patients in order to keep their business running.

I think a mental patient should have the right to refuse medication.

Some times the side-effects are severe and no one should be forced to endure that.