Mental health: a careful balance

Re “Britney’s Law? Not so crazy,” Opinion, Jan. 10

I disagree with Patt Morrison’s view that psychiatric treatment is nicer than it was 50 years ago. Instead of straitjackets, chemical straitjackets are now used: debilitating and addictive drugs. And such barbaric treatments as shock are still being used.

Any forced treatment is a violation of human rights. People who are depressed or distraught are aware that they are suffering. If they experience relief from treatment, they will accept it willingly.

Of course, anyone who has been criminally violent should be incarcerated to protect themselves and others. But many maniacal shooters of recent years have been on psychiatric drugs. Before treatment, they were troubled but not violent. So aside from human rights issues, spending tax dollars on forced psychiatric treatment is fiscally irresponsible. Increasing that would be, well, crazy.

Louise Marquis

San Bernardino

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Morrison suggests relaxing California’s laws preventing the indiscriminate incarceration or forced medication of people deemed mentally ill. But who should make this decision? I do not know the point at which fundamental human rights end and the state, through its legitimate police power, can abrogate those rights, but crossing that point can be fateful. Mental illness is sometimes vaguely defined, and medications can have side effects worse than the conditions they were meant to treat. Mental health professionals can be praiseworthy, or they can be motivated by profit, professional aggrandizement or by their own social agendas. Finding a balance between personal rights and police powers must be done ever so carefully.

Richard S. Adams

Valley Glen