Sir, – Letters concerning mental health and human rights have attracted attention (Letters, April 11th).
Human rights, like every other human endeavour, have a hierarchy. The most basic right is the right to life, and this may be infringed by inadequate protection in persons suffering with an episode of severe mental illness.
What measures are available to protect such psychotic or severely depressed people when they lack the ability to seek help, avail of help offered, and don’t even acknowledge that they need help? Their very lives and possibly that of others are at risk.
Detaining such persons for safety and treatment is the only avenue to protect their most basic human right.
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Psychiatrists are the designated medical specialists trained to manage and treat such persons.
If your loved one is refusing to eat, doesn’t sleep is wandering the streets at all hours and is tormented by hallucinations and delusions, most people would say they are seriously unwell and should receive medical help.
Their very right to life and safety is being denied by not using all means available to rescue them.
The right to protection for loved ones is also a statuary responsibility and any moral society would prevent a person jumping in front of a train or into a river.
This apparent denial of a human right is in fact an endorsement of a more fundamental right to preserve their lives.
The discussion about mental health legislation and the Capacity Bill has seriously conflated genuine human rights with a veneer of lesser rights at the expense of serious harm to vulnerable people. – Yours, etc,
EUGENE BREEN,
Associate Clinical
Professor,
UCD,
Consultant Psychiatrist
Dublin 7.