Mental health rights are for people looking for mental health help from a physician practicing medicine. If you or a loved one find yourself under the practice of a physician for a mental health condition, it is important to know your rights as a patient. Below we will explore some of your rights that are important to know and understand before accepting treatment. Even if you are surrently in treatment, knowing your rights now can help you along your journey to a more optimal and full recovery.
What are Your Mental Health Rights?
The right to full informed consent for any mental health treatment, including:
The scientific/medical test confirming any alleged diagnoses of psychiatric disorder and the right to refute any psychiatric diagnoses of mental “illness” that cannot be medically confirmed.
Full disclosure of all documented risks of any proposed drug or “treatment.”
The right to be informed of all of the available medical treatments that do not include the administration of a psychiatric drug or treatment.
The right to refuse any treatment you, the patient, considers harmful.
Every Patient Has:
The right to be treated with respect and dignity.
The right to have a thorough, physical, and clinical examination by a competent practitioner of one’s choice. You may want to schedule one with a practitioner at mytelemedicine today.
The right to ensure that one’s mental condition is not caused by any undetected and untreated physical illness, injury, or defect.
The right to seek a second medical opinion of one’s choice.
The right to choose the kind or type of therapy for your treatment, and the right to discuss this with a practitioner of one’s choice.
The right to have all the side effects of any offered treatment made understandable, in written form and also in the patient’s native language.
The right to accept or refuse treatment.
These rights are recognized by international human rights instruments such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and various regional and national laws and policies. It is important for governments, healthcare providers, and society as a whole to uphold and promote these rights to ensure the well-being and dignity of individuals with mental health conditions.
References:
United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf
World Health Organization. (2013). Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mental_health/publications/action_plan/en/
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