Mental Health Act review

There's currently a government review of the Mental Health Act (MHA) 1983.

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/independent-review-of-the-mental-health-act

There are two surveys for mental health service users and for carers available through that page, which are closing in a couple of days. There will I believe be further chances to submit evidence over the next few months.

At the moment the Act follows the psychiatric establishment in seeing autism as 'disorder or disability of the mind'. This is elaborated in the current MHA code of practice, chapter 20. Addiction is excluded from the Act however (so to be blunt, the state can often try to stop you killing yourself, but not drinking yourself to death), and learning disabilities are excluded unless ''associated with abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible conduct'.

  • Should autism be excluded in a similar way?
  • Do you know how many people are detained just on the basis of autism or learning disabilities?
  • Do you have any other experience or opinion on the Mental Health Act? What about advance directives, or mental capacity?

Some useful submissions already made:

Parents
  • There is a lot more intolerance for displays of anger in today's enlightened world. I wonder why. I wonder what could possibly be going on to create the kind of frustration and dissatisfaction that might make individuals under pressure really lose it. 

  • Ha, ha, well it's enough to get you sectioned, well I did walk around the Job Centres fair after being ordered to, with a copy of 'I Daniel Blake' openly displayed as a poster.  I was so angry that I enjoyed telling all the stall holders I was on anti-depressants and they would not want me.  That's what made me seek an autistic diagnosis, oh well I don't regret it as some one had to make a stand.

  • It certainly made an impression and I did get a response and then I pointed out all the things that was wrong with the system to the Manager.  We got on very well after that incident...

Reply Children
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