Mental health lawyer, poker player, and gay schizophrenic

DT,

Just wanted to thank you again. I spoke with my psychiatrist this morning and it went about as well as possible. She prescribed me 10 pills, which I can break in half and will last me another 3 weeks.

You are the ****ing man.

Schizophrenia is a big mental health issue. Most of those guys are unemployed or on dissability.
How you cope with schiziphrenia? How you cope with beeing gay? Since when do you know you are gay?
Do you take your medication? antipsychotics like apriprazol, risperdone and seroquel comes to mind.

Interesting thread to read. I have schizophrenia too or schizoaffective.. Currently on Abilify for it. Before that I was unmedicated for a long time... Question: do you still coach? Do you coach PLO6 as well?

Thanks

Awesome! And I just won my second consecutive hearing! Good news all around.

Second consecutive hearing on what?

I think some psychiatrists prime their patients for less than their full potential which is a barrier to many of them seeking gainful employment. Some really cannot work but many could with the right circumstances.

My mental health issues are not really front and center anymore, I sorta consider it in remission at this point due to strict adherence to medication and other good life habits. For example I don’t read the news anymore. I eat well sleep well and exercise socialize etc.

As far as being gay I don’t feel a need to cope, raising children is a huge responsibility and I’m
not sure I will ever be ready for that. I’ve known since my teens around puberty.

Yes, I coach a little on weekends. Just PLO5.

Involuntary civil commitment hearing. These are civil proceedings where a hospital is asking a judge to commit someone to inpatient hospitalization against their will for treatment and their safety or the safety of others.

You didn't agree with the hospital that treatment was in his best interest?

Do you ever not side with the patient and agree with the hospital that someone should be committed because they are a threat to themselves and others?

Honest question - where do you think you would be right now without the meds? You’re stable with a a job as a teacher right now because you are on meds

We advocate for our clients’ stated interests and for liberty when they cannot communicate their interests. That often means we are asking for them to be released from forced inpatient hospitalization against their will so they can go back into the community and obtain outpatient assistance.

There are occasionally cases where I am not sure I did what was in the client’s best interest health-wise but many of them absolutely hate being held in the hospital. It’s a terrible environment a lot of the time - patients screaming at night, poop on the floor, nurses checking on your room every fifteen minutes. No wonder so many want to leave I don’t blame them.

Never. That would be unethical.

You said you wanted to be a mental health lawyer to "defend" people like yourself. But you admit you advocate for the client's "stated" interest regardless of whether that's truly good for them. Would you consider it ethical to hand an alcoholic a beer because that was their "stated" interest?

And if a client can't communicate their interest, you advocate for "liberty"? Wtf does that mean. If a client can't communicate their interest, how can they even seek counsel of an attorney?

Be honest, don't bull **** me. After how many of your "victories," do the patients actually go to voluntary outpatient treatment? Can they even afford it?

In reality, you claim to "advocate" for the mentally ill. There's a reason the hospital needs to involuntarily commit something. They are a threat to themselves and the public. And you're "helping" them by allowing them to avoid treatment?

I don’t want to give legal advice for someone in a different country because I don’t know what the rules are there.

If you are doing well and stable on your meds I suggest sticking with them. I have been adherent to my meds for years and I owe my stability and success in poker and work in large part to taking them consistently. I really wish you well.

It’s hard to come to terms with having a serious mental health issue but the way I view it I am a stronger person because I am overcoming my diagnosis and thriving in spite of (and in part because of) my unique circumstances.

My meds cause side effects the worst of which is sedation but over the years I have gotten used to it. Perhaps you just need a medication with fewer side effects which you can discuss in consultation with your psychiatrist. Be well.

No man I quit putting bad things into my body thats why I am stable.

I want this thread to be a safe space where people feel free to be open without being attacked. Please keep it civil and respectful. If I think someone is crossing a line I will block them.

Did you mean you never not side with the client as in you always side with the client even when the doctors are recommending they are committed and even you believe so yourself?

I do what the client wants. That’s what being a lawyer is all about.

seems declining the job would be proper if you thought they should be locked up.

How would you feel if the client wanted to be free against the doctors wishes and you also know he’s a threat to society and then he ends up raping and murdering some good, innocent people who are productive in society? Trying not to cross the line here but I’m genuinely curious about the ethical dilemmas of a lawyer and this is an ask me anything thread

Holy ****. This makes Me question whether you should even be practicing law.

It is not only morally wrong to hand an alcoholic a beer.

It is also unethical and violates your duty as a lawyer to blindly pursue the client's objectives, without giving them honest advice.

Your job is not to just "do whatever the client wants."

That's especially true when your client is mentally ill and has no ability to understand their true interests and needs.

It is utterly hypocritical for you to brand yourself as a "mental health lawyer and advocate" when you've admitted that you blindly follow the "stated interest" of your clients without critical feedback.

And even worse, despite all of the doctors who are testifying in court that your patient is a physical danger to himself and others, you fight to keep him out of the hospital so he can avoid treatment.

And you have the balls to call yourself a "mental health lawyer"? You advocate foe the mentally ill like bars do for alcoholics: You enable.

DumbosTrunk would consider this a "victory" because he allowed a violent, mentally ill person to pursue "liberty." He doesn't give a damn about the "liberty" of the woman he rapes.

From what I’ve read (a few times) over the years regarding mental health court, the patients have little to no rights and it’s more akin to a kangaroo court.

Essentially, judges side with doctors/the hospital quite often.

Would you say this is an accurate assessment DT?

Giving those who have little to no rights a “fair” or “more fair” hearing in mental health court seems like a noble pursuit and something you should definitely be proud of.