Under the new mental health act you can be sectioned for mild depression.?

Question

Take the recent case of Anna McHugh, who visited her GP after a failed intensive cycle of IVF treatment. She admitted that she was a little depressed and needed some help.

Four hours later she found herself admitted to St Pancras Hospital. Then, having admitted to the attending doctor that she had contemplated suicide, she was sectioned under Section 5.2 of the Mental Health Act and detained in a lock-down ward. When her husband tried to rescue her, she was held in a headlock while a doctor discussed her case with him...


Isn't this just so outrageous!? Why do we let such bastards rule over us?

i'm not trying to spread panic, its just what i have read. if you all think i should delete it ?

i will do so happily.

Answer 1

I don't know anything about this case, but I find it rather surprising that she was sectioned for mild depression. Generally though, I don't think anyone with a mild depression will / should get sectioned. There may have other factors in the Anna Mchugh case that contributed to her being sectioned.

I'm aware of people with severe depression and suicidal tendencies that were never sectioned. In the current NHS climate and considering that the government has cut the Mental Health budget, I'd thought "they" would try to keep as many people out of hospital as possible. Someone with a mild depression that is not a serious threat to themselves or to others is unlikely to be sectioned.

Answer 2

I'm afraid, andylefty, that I'm in agreement with I'm A Tiger on this one.

You are spouting off about something that you, obviously, know little about.

Section 5(2) can only be used on patients who give their permission to be admitted to hospital, but then change their mind and wish to leave. This period of assessment can last up to 72 hours, when, if it is deemed necessary, a further section of the Mental Health Act can be brought into effect.

If Section 2 is invoked, a further assessment is made. This can last up to 28 days.

If Section 3 is invoked, this results in a treatment order coming into effect. This can last up to 6 months, when a further assessment is made. Treatment orders can be extended, initially for a further 6 months and then yearly thereafter.

What I do find most distressing is that Ms. McHugh was physically man-handled. Considering she was admitted voluntarily (if Section 5(2) was, in fact, the Section invoked), I feel that this was 'going overboard'.

Unfortunately, due to cost implications and the necessity of 'containing' a number of patients who may have been Sectioned under different sections of the Act, it is quite evident why Ms. McHugh was detained on a 'lock-down' ward.

It's quite easy for someone on the outside, who doesn't have all the facts to criticise others in the care of a 3rd person.

I have little doubt that should a mentally ill person commit some horific act against someone else, you'd be among the first to criticise the Mental Health profession, Social Workers, Courts, etc.

Answer 3

DON’T DELETE THIS. PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW. WE CAN’T CHANGE SOMETHING IF WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT.

I just looked up and read her story. This really happened??

What an abomination. What a witch hunt. I thought the U.S. was bad. Here they just park you behind a dumpster and forget about you until you make too much noise.

No one should have treatment, especially hospitalization forced upon them unless they have a documented (not just a hunch) history of violence, like Andrea Yates, Mark David Chapman, etc. By the way, if Andrea had been properly medicated in the first place her children would be alive today. I truly believe that.

Public education is the key. The amount of ignorance out there, even among the educated is staggering. I was released from the hospital this week, nothing mental by the way, but even if it was I would not have minded sharing. But when the discharge nurse gave me my prescriptions (Nexium, Zyrtec, etc) I said that the doc forgot my Wellbutrin. She said oh no he didn't; he has a lithium rx for you in there!!!! I'm thinking, you have been sticking needles in me all week long and you don't know why these two meds are different!!! The guy mopping the floor at the hospital does not have to know, but the nurse should, and especially the friggin doctor!!! The bad thing is that the people who would benefit the most from public education are often too sick to educate anyone.

You see so much about breast cancer awareness, especially out of Hollywood (it is a good cause). And all over TV are commercials about HPV, herpes, levetra, restless leg syndrome . . . . . .

No one talks about mental illness. Most people really don’t care until it comes home to them. But I don't think there is any other illness that touches more lives. Most of us, you would not even notice, the rest of us you either make fun of or are too embarrassed to talk about.

If any like minded people out there know a good way to promote public education on this subject, please allow me to tag along and help. I accept IM’s and e-mail.

And until this kind of idiocy is a thing of the past, please continue to vote these b*stards out of office.

Answer 4

In the State of Georgia, if you go to the Hospital and say your suicidal, you are detained and sent to the Medical behavior Center and there's nothing nobody can do.
The Police will even be escorts.

Now once your in the center and see a Psychologist and they find that you're not suicidal then you can be released.
If they say your not ready to go the only things that can help this situation are two factors.
1. Is this being paid by Insurance?
2. If you have no insurance and they feel that your okay in a mild State...your released, if not, your sent to West Central and now your goose is cooked.

Answer 5

I was sectioned under section 2 of the MHA. The nurse on duty at the time said, I shouldn't be in hospital yet I was clearly suicidal ( I even tried it whilst in hospital and ended up on special observations even having to have someone accompany me when I went to the loo or for a shower!!!). I felt at the time that it was horrific, but now I realise it was a "necessary evil" as if they didn't do it, I wouldn't be alive now!!! Unfortunatley, there are some horror stories of people being sectioned.

Answer 6

She would never have been sectioned for being a little depressed. We won't ever know what she said to the doctor and really shouldn't make assumptions over peoples mental health status - good or bad.

Answer 7

Is this really true? MY god it's so scary. I've suffered with post natal depression for some time and to think that if I went to the doctors he could possibly get me sectioned, it just puts me right off getting any help. What would happen to my kids and my marriage if something like this happened.

Answer 8

It isn't a good idea to spread panic like this.
No one should be afraid to talk to their doctor about how low they are feeling. Be honest and get the help you need - you will only be sectioned if you are a serious risk to yourself or to others.

Answer 9

maybe the doctor thought she was saying that