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Originally Posted by VenusHalley
also, let's not forget psychiatry had been abused as government tool, especially in the Eastern Bloc. Demanding Soviet tank leave your country or demanding human rights was seen as danger to others.
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I often think about that.
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Not saying it is happening today. But it could. And if we allow the thought of "for their own good" and "craziest are to crazy to see what is good for them", it sets a dangerous, dangerous precedent.
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I think we do something similar. Whenever someone can't or won't fit in and tolerate an environment, we too often hand them a pill. I think of kids with ADD or caregivers wrestling with the care of small children, ill or elderly relatives, and often working fulltime on top of it.
I fall into the latter category. Mentally ill adult son living at home. A mom in the early stages of dementia I think who needs to have someone
do something. A job I loathe. A house that's falling apart. A pile of debt and a lack of money. Am I depressed? Yes. Do I have a chemical imbalance in my brain? I doubt it. But I'm sure I could easily - today if I wanted - get a doc to write me a prescription for an antidepressant. In fact, last week, if I'd gone to a pdoc and told him frankly what I was thinking I have no doubt he'd have hospitalized me. Not helpful. (Oh, another reason not to force treatment. How can you ask for help if the result will be forced hospitalization and possibly drugging?)