Being Unable to seek help

I wish I could find someone who could help me without having to worry about their own
legal and moral obligations getting in the way of things. I am all for due process
but when the red tape makes it impossible to get yourself any help it has gone
too far. Not only does such a system create apprhension in between those in helpping
proffesions and positions of athority but it also spawns a general anger that
can not easily be uprooted. If America's youth is continually subjected to this
enviroment, our options are limited. It is hard enough to make good choices about
our lives, let alone choices about our surroundings and the people we select as
our friends.

In today's politically correct "P.C." world, we have no choice but to adhere to the idea
of general acceptance. We are told that people are people, regardless of their ethnicity,
sex, creed, sexual orientation, or differing physical abilities. However, we have yet
to start the process of accepting differing states of mental health as politically
correct. Sure, the terms have become more "P.C." You don't call "a person who has been
diagnosed with a mental illness" a "nut job", "insane person", or even "mental pacient"
Yet, a stigma still exists.

It is my strong belief that the first step to assisting a person who is seeking help in
their life is not to label them, give them a hug, or medicate them. The first and now
offten followed step is to listen to them, but is this enough? I honestly don't think
so. As most people in "helping proffesions" know follow-up is neccisary. However
in the case of many people who seek treatment of some kind, there are details
that are withheld from those attempting to assist them. Maybe, the person has
done something illeagl, it maybe the case is that he or she has caused harm to
themselves, or they could just have an extreme case of paranoia for one reason
or another. Regardless of their motives for withholding information, the person
has no other choice because if they do come clean and tell their story they will
instantly be criminalized. Even if the person who is assiting them is not
jugmental, they are still legally obligated to inform the athourities of
the given individual's case. Permenantly distroying any possible chance
of escaping a label or stigma.

So in closing I ask:

What does this catch-22 do to our society?

Is it best to promote emotional repression in those people
who are already exibiting risky or illeagl behaviors?

Is the law adding to, or helping this problem and why?

You made a lot of good points. You have identified a or maybe the biggest problem people have in getting help for their mental illness.

I was locked away for a time, drugged to a vegetative state for a long time. I only found release by going to a place where I could talk as I felt and people could just listen. They did not have any legal restrictions. Where I went to were 12 step groups. There were no professionals around, just other people like myself. We listened to each other and laughed and cried together.

The place worked miracles for me and for thousands of others that I have worked with over the years. I've been out of institutions and off of my meds for many years.

Jim S

I think the "Insanity Defense" must be abolished. If people break "just" laws, even if they have a label of chronic schizophrenia they should be held accountable. These people that get away with murder because they are "mentally ill" according to the law, makes life very difficult for us law abiding people labeled SZ.

Because a minority of people with SZ commit acts of violence (which is actually less than the normal population’s acts of violence) all SZ's are treated as if they are going to act violently and are forcefully drugged to prevent acts of violence.

This tragedy of drugging innocent law-abiding people is a direct result of lawyers manipulating the legal system to mitigate their client’s actions under the insanity defence. The insanity defense must be abolished for the greater good of all people.

If you break a "JUST" law, do the time just like everyone else. This 2 tiered system must go!