A Better Life For The Mentally Ill
John Henry Ruffin II
Devry University
A Better Life for the Mentally Ill Mentally ill individuals in America are forced to endure numerous forms of abuse and do not receive the proper care they require and deserve. In the past, the “insane” members of society have been treated horribly by the people that live within their communities. Today, There are many different treatment options available to the mentally ill individuals that require help to live in today’s society. Although there are plenty of treatment options, the individuals still need to have the ability to make choices pertaining to the care that they receive and the type of medical/mental treatments they are given. The facilities …show more content…
This can be anything from being bi-polar, having brain damage, or having a genetic defect that effects the natural growth and development of the mind. People in the past have used the term “retard” to describe a person with cognitive disabilities. This term has changed due to the use of it as a derogatory remark to a person not as smart as they are. Now they may say things like “he has a cognitive delay”, “she suffers from down syndrome”, or “he has special needs”. These terms are far less demeaning to the individuals and are much more accepted in the health …show more content…
The mentally ill should not be excluded from this basic human right. If an individual does not want to take a shower for example; the person (mentally ill or not) should not be punished or forced to do so. If a patient has been told by her “care team” that they need a specific surgery due to the weight of the patient or because they could possibly do something they are not able to do now unless the surgery has been completed, then the individual should not have to complete it. The declaration states that any patient has “the right to discharge oneself at any time and to be discharged without restriction, having committed no offense. This is basically saying that if a person refuses to have a type of treatment done, then they should not be forced to just because someone else is their legal guardian and wants the treatment completed. Just as should the person be free to chose medically whether they want something or not, they should be able to chose whether or not they obtain