People with extreme mental distress are discriminated against

‘We don’t treat people without their consent in other healthcare contexts even if their life is at risk.’

WE ARE all vulnerable to periods of mental distress. One in four Irish people will experience a mental health issue during their lifetime. This can happen to any one of us at any stage during our lives for myriad reasons, including job loss, illness, or other life stressors.

According to the former UN Rapporteur, we are “all potential users of mental health services”. Under current legislation, people experiencing extreme mental distress are at high risk of being denied the right to make decisions about their treatment, deprived of their liberty, and having their human rights violated. The risk of coercion impacts
anyone being admitted for mental health treatment in Ireland on a voluntary or involuntary basis due to regrading powers in our legislation, which are being further expanded.