| HN Mirror

I'll take a look when I get some time, thanks so much for sharing the link.

And no, I'm so sorry about the misunderstanding and I know you're in good faith, but in my initial comments, I was more or less adding details to what other commenters were suggesting if such a blood test were mandatory or at least common:

Basically, what might happen in such a scenario where psychiatry is used as a blunt instrument to treat an illness that hasn't manifested/possibly won't ever manifest in people that have done nothing wrong - with only a single test and a possibility of illness to justify forced treatment.

Which, unfortunately, isn't too far-fetched given our laws today. Like I said previously, in my state, you just have to argue that somebody could benefit from treatment to take away their freedom. I think theoretically, everyone could benefit from some sort treatment or therapy - and that's all it takes to get whisked away for 20 days or longer, forcibly. Even if you were in bed and you were woken up at 4am by a loud bang, even if nothing is wrong with you, even if you don't want that, even if the evidence actually isn't in evidence. There's not enough due process with involuntary commitment - you should still have a basic set of rights, after all where is the crime or threat to others or self?

I'm suggesting that maybe we are too heavy-handed with anti-psychotics and other pharmaceuticals as the standard treatment methodology of schizophrenia and other mental illness. I think Soteria Houses and other, similar standards of care need to have a closer look as they are absolutely onto something. That disorders in the schizophrenia spectrum, or simply other psychotic disorders or even mental illness at large are primarily a response to trauma and other stress, and/or that there is a measurable, medical issue that we have yet to diagnose or conceive of in these people, or that mental illnesses are perhaps caused or exacerbated by the modern lifestyle being so drastically different from what even our parents lived.

"Environmental" as a cause is a very big umbrella to point to when we have been exposed to so many new chemicals, modes of living, technology, behavior, stimulation, etc. all very, very quickly evolutionarily speaking. I think it's natural with so many variables, stress, and toxins in the products we put on our body or have in the food and water we consume that illness like cancer or other autoimmune diseases are seemingly more common than ever.

But it's hard to point the finger to any one such chemical or habit besides the obvious ones, because of the sheer volume. I think the EU is much more sane with how they regulate chemicals that could cause harm - they ban them if the burden of proof of safety is not met, and if nothing else, I feel like if the world emulated them, there would be a lot less doubt or uncertainty on what is truly harmful.

Ultimately in responding to you, I'm trying to suggest to you that perhaps schizophrenia is not a lifelong, chronic disease for everyone in part because of my own experience in dealing with hearing voices and other sounds, having delusions, displaying psychotic behavior, and secluding myself for a significant period of my early twenties. I was a victim of some pretty serious crimes that happened in quick succession in my early twenties (assault/head injury from my best friend, and then being raped repeatedly by a younger family member who convinced me that nobody would believe me if I reported him).

I could've (and probably should've) received therapy and in an ideal world psychiatric help during that time, but after a handful of very bad experiences having my anxiety and depression treated in therapy and some nearly deadly medication side effects and I was perfectly content to work through alone all the trauma of my unfortunately very traumatic life, which doesn't start or end with being assaulted or raped, those were just the events leading up to my breakdown.

Changing my environment to one where abuse could never happen (or conceivably happen) was the most helpful thing for me in managing my illness (no medication period). This environment change included people in my life that showered me with an incredible amount of kindness, understanding, and support. Something I had a great lack of prior. Sort of like a Soteria House. Basically, I stopped hearing voices when I was finally safe. Feeling safe took a while, though. I stopped having irrational fears and beliefs that I never had prior to my illness - I became myself again, minus whatever deficits I received from the head injury.

But an anecdote is just that. I am aware that schizophrenia and other serious mental illness can manifest with no apparent psychological or environmental cause, and in those cases, it's perfectly rational to assume or speculate that there may be a deeper, less obvious cause, such as a genetic cause.

I just think, given my history, that things like involuntary commitment, or forced treatment, or even being told you are going to be ill for the rest of your life and have to take medication is incredibly damaging. I know I wouldn't have been able to get better if I kept that mentality alive at any point during my illness.

But I'm not arguing that a no or minimal medication path is right for every person suffering, just that choice and consent is very important. You should have the choice to go to a Soteria House, for example, when you refuse medication in a hospital setting. But instead you just get a forced treatment order and effectively raped.

Thanks so much for you response and time and I hope you have a good holiday, and I'm sorry to bring the holiday down with such a serious subject. I just desperately want to shed light on an issue that I feel needs a lot of serious attention.