RYL Forums - View Single Post - When do you think someone SHOULD be sectioned?

Too Shy · 04-05-2010, 02:05 AM

I think it depends. I think it should be avoided until absolutely necessary, because it's a horrible situation to be in, it often doesn't help, and it can have serious consequences.

I don't know a lot about most sections so I can't really comment, but I think with s.136s there should be a broader range of situations - if you've caused yourself serious harm or attempted suicide obviously, or if you're threatening to. I wasn't suicidal when I was 136ed, and I actually told the police that, but the police officer who detained me said that because he had grave concerns for my safety in that situation he wasn't willing to have that on his conscience - and to be fair, it's their jobs on the line if they let you go off and do something. Obviously the police aren't generally trained in mental health, so I think in certain circumstances they should be able to section someone threatening self-harm or suicide.

But in general I don't think self-harm alone should be a criteria for sectioning - there are better methods for dealing with self-harm than sectioning, and I do think sectioning should be a last resort, especially because it can probably have the opposite effect and cause someone to panic more.

04-05-2010, 02:05 AM	#5
Too Shy Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: West Sussex I am currently:	I think it depends. I think it should be avoided until absolutely necessary, because it's a horrible situation to be in, it often doesn't help, and it can have serious consequences. I don't know a lot about most sections so I can't really comment, but I think with s.136s there should be a broader range of situations - if you've caused yourself serious harm or attempted suicide obviously, or if you're threatening to. I wasn't suicidal when I was 136ed, and I actually told the police that, but the police officer who detained me said that because he had grave concerns for my safety in that situation he wasn't willing to have that on his conscience - and to be fair, it's their jobs on the line if they let you go off and do something. Obviously the police aren't generally trained in mental health, so I think in certain circumstances they should be able to section someone threatening self-harm or suicide. But in general I don't think self-harm alone should be a criteria for sectioning - there are better methods for dealing with self-harm than sectioning, and I do think sectioning should be a last resort, especially because it can probably have the opposite effect and cause someone to panic more.