samcassell940....the short answer is yes if a treatment provider here in the USA feels you are a danger to yourself and or others without medications they can have you involuntarily taken into custody, placed in a mental facility or local hospitals mental health unit for evaluation and medication.

long answer is here in america we have many freedoms but that freedom of how we choose to handle our mental or physical health can be taken away under mental health laws and the zero tolerance laws that went into affect years ago when america was faced with the hard fact that there were people out there who wanted to hurt their self\not take care of their mental problems and ended up taking as many people along with them through terrorist acts (9\11) and other self injury\suicidal\homicidal acts (school shootings by mentally ill people for example). treatment providers are whats called mandated reporters. that means if they know of anyone who is a danger to their self or others they have a responsibility to follow their state and federal laws and also the laws\ethics of the mental health agency that they work for.

Sometimes its hard to balance all those factors with the clients wishes, especially if a treatment provider feels their mental disorder or physical health problem is affecting that clients ability to think clearly and make an informed responsible decision. and unfortunately legally and ethically ...my father went nuts on meds so no way, no meds for me.... isnt grounds for not taking meds in the mental health system...if it was I would not be on medications,

heres a suggestion...how about a compromise...let your treatment provider know your fears and about where its coming from. then take a hands on approach to this medication issue by finding out what the medication options are, and with your treatment provider take time to research those medications. who knows meds and how to measure their effectiveness \dosages most likely have changed from the times of your father. After checking out in detail the medications they would like you to be on, give it a try for a couple months to see how that medication works for you. I say a couple months because in general it can take up to 4 to 6 weeks for a persons body to adjust to a new medication and really see whether that medication is going to work or not, what changes need to be made...

by taking this kind of open minded approach treatment providers usually are willing to work with someone who says ok enough no more meds, because that way its a client making an informed responsible decision based on their own body reactions to meds.