Rights of the Mentally Ill
Mental illness, especially the three serious diseases of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depression are a huge social problem that affects more than just those it afflicts. More than 2.3 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder and 20 percent of them commit suicide, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Schizophrenia and major depression affects another 2 million and one in 10 eventually dies by suicide (LaFond 30). Add to that 19 million adults who suffer from major depression and it is a large amount of the population who suffer from a mental illness. Out of these 23.3 million people who suffer from these diseases, as few as 20 percent receive treatment for their conditions. (LaFond, 30) Many of the mentally ill simply shun away attempts to help them. Whether or not mental health patients should be allowed to do this is a question that is asked by many. It is argued that they, like every other human being, have the......
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Approximate Word Count: 2565
Approximate Pages: 10 (260 words per double-spaced page) |