Violence In Mental Health

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Violence Violence is a purposeful use of bodily force or power, threatened or real, against oneself, another person, or beside a group or public, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation", but acknowledges that the inclusion of "the use of power" in its definition expands on the conventional meaning of the word. This definition involves intentionality with the committing of the act itself, irrespective of the outcome it produces. However, generally, anything that is excited in an injurious or damaging way may be described as violent even if not meant to be violence (by a person and against a person). Significance I have selected this topic because…show more content…
From early declarations disavowing the competence of mental health professionals to predict violence, there has been a growing willingness on the part of many mental health professionals to predict and manage violent behavior. With the advent of actuarial risk assessment tools, violence risk assessments are increasingly promoted as core mental health skills: expected of mental health practitioners, prized in courts of law and correctional settings, and key aspects of socially responsible clinical management. Substance abuse as a risk factor for violence has been well articulated in other studies. Consequently, this may stand out as one of the robust clinical findings in the field. Substance abuse in the context of medication non-compliance is a particularly volatile combination and poor insight also may be a factor. Even if we were to believe in the opinion of the expert psychiatrist and his tools such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the institution is uncaring enough to subject individuals to a label, they fully recognize can be incorrect. When someone faces adverse conditions and undergoes behavioral changes, the psychiatrist bound by only his scientific approach simply labels him / her without a thought to the ostracization and suffering that label entails. The mental illness label affects every part of the patient’s life, be it their personal relationships, their professional lives or their health. An hour long psychiatric interview can determine the entire life of another. No one should be allowed such power. One mistake on the part of the expert can ruin someone’s life. When you are labeled mad or insane, your thoughts, your speech and every action are plagued by that label. You are rendered ineffectual to society and helpless within and
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