- Joined
- Nov 19, 2007
- Messages
- 4,568
Hi All,
I traveled to the UK last year and spent just a short amount of time in London. In that time, I managed to encounter only one man who appeared to suffer from some degree of serious mental illness (extreme paranoia), though he was working and appeared functional. I've been curious how laws in the UK may differ from those in the US with respect to serious mental illness. Here, as far as I understand it, people can be admitted to the hospital for treatment (against their wishes) for only a very limited period of time and only if there is sufficient evidence that they are a danger to themselves or to others. They are "stabilized" with medication, and then sent back home or just out, if there is no home. It appears, though I will admit I've never researched this, that many homeless people are stuck in this cycle, unable or unwilling to receive adequate treatment, and left to function on their own.
So, I've been curious. Where are all of the mentally ill people in London? In hospitals, long term treatment, forced treatment? Or, did I simply not spend enough time there, and I am off-base in thinking that the rules are different there?
I traveled to the UK last year and spent just a short amount of time in London. In that time, I managed to encounter only one man who appeared to suffer from some degree of serious mental illness (extreme paranoia), though he was working and appeared functional. I've been curious how laws in the UK may differ from those in the US with respect to serious mental illness. Here, as far as I understand it, people can be admitted to the hospital for treatment (against their wishes) for only a very limited period of time and only if there is sufficient evidence that they are a danger to themselves or to others. They are "stabilized" with medication, and then sent back home or just out, if there is no home. It appears, though I will admit I've never researched this, that many homeless people are stuck in this cycle, unable or unwilling to receive adequate treatment, and left to function on their own.
So, I've been curious. Where are all of the mentally ill people in London? In hospitals, long term treatment, forced treatment? Or, did I simply not spend enough time there, and I am off-base in thinking that the rules are different there?