I hold the view that civil commitment, psychiatric holds and the insanity defense should all be banned and outlawed. Let me clarify that I, for the most part, think that civil commitment and psychiatric holds should be illegal to use on adults over the age of 18, at least with regards to being a danger to one’s own self.
Let me give you a little basic information. Psychiatric holds and civil commitment are used when someone is deemed to be a danger to their own self or others. I am not sure if that is common knowledge.
My reasoning is as follows. There are probably additional reasons why I hold these opinions, but these are the biggest reasons.
Civil commitment and psychiatric holds should be banned and illegal and banned because if an adult is a danger to their own self, as long as they are not being so in public, they should allowed to be a danger to their own self. Harming one’s own self should be a personal choice, even if it is a bad one. I think that societies should use peaceful non-coercive persuasion to prevent suicides and self-harm, not coercion, force and/or effective imprisonment in hospitals. With regards to being a danger to others, civil commitment and psychiatric holds should never be used on adults because if someone has broken a law, then they should go through the criminal justice system, not the psychiatric system. If someone has not broken any laws, then they should be able to enjoy the right of being left alone if they so choose.
The insanity defense should be outlawed and banned because insanity is ultimately subjective and is not something that can be proven or dis-proved. Because of this, it should have no bearing in a legal court.
The insanity defense and civil commitment, together create psychiatric slavery. Psychiatric slavery is wrong and unjust. It should be banned and outlawed. How long did it take for chattel slavery to be banned and outlawed? How long will it take for psychiatric slavery to be banned and outlawed?
