what would you say to someone who refuses meds?

[Warpy]

2. The problem is that some really distorted thinking goes on

once psych drugs have worn off. It used to be recognized that seriously ill people didn't have the capacity to make rational decisions about their health care and they'd be involuntarily committed until they were stabilized on drugs.

The problem is that there are a lot of very good reasons for a rational decision to go off psych meds. The side effects are often horrific, worse than being so afraid they won't accept a sandwich from an outreach group but will pick it out of a trash can later if there's a bite taken out of it. Most of our drugs just aren't very good, especially for psychosis.

Unfortunately, civil liberties lawyers have stuck us with a very narrow definition of "danger to oneself or others." Unless you can persuade this person to give it a trial for a couple of weeks, your hands are legally tied unless there is a credible threat of violence, either to you or the person him/herself. And then it's very risky to call the cops for assistance and even if you only call an ambulance, they'll show up too. ERs won't be terribly helpful, either, since they've got the same restriction you do. Our jails are the mental hospital of last resort and no one gets treatment in them.

Those aren't cracks the mentally ill are falling through, they're chasms.