Dignity Restored

doi:10.1017/9781009587747.031

Chapter 30 - Dignity Restored

The Power of Treatment First

from Part III - Neuroethics

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 April 2026

Jhilam Biswas

Edited by

Katherine Warburton and

Stephen M. Stahl

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Katherine Warburton: Affiliation:
California Department of State Hospitals, University of California, Davis, USA
Stephen M. Stahl: Affiliation:
University of California, Riverside, USA

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Summary

The perspective article explores systemic issues in psychiatric care, particularly the barriers to timely treatment and the ethical dilemmas involved in involuntary interventions. It further examines the impact of anosognosia—lack of disease insight—on treatment, noting the difficulties in managing care for those unaware of their illness, and scrutinizes training materials from international organizations that might mislabel necessary psychiatric practices as human rights violations, thereby complicating the care landscape. The discussion extends to the legal and societal implications of psychiatric interventions, using Massachusetts’ Rogers Guardianship as a case study to highlight the consequences of legalistic approaches to mental health treatment. The article calls for destigmatizing psychiatric treatment and integrating robust, evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes and healthcare equity. The global mental health policy landscape is urged to recognize the critical role of psychiatric care in restoring health and dignityto individuals with serious mental illnesses, advocating for a more nuanced understanding and application of human rights in mental health.

Keywords

health equity anosognosia global mental health antipsychotic medication healthcare burnout Rogers Guardianship substituted judgment psychiatric commitment

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: Ethical and Clinical Complexities in the Treatment of Schizophrenia
Liberty or Life
, pp. 246 - 252

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009587747.031 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2026

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