Having studied psychology in college, I fear that something like this in the US will bring about folks who put off going to a shrink in lieu of their gun rights. We shouldn’t have to fear prosecution for “sitting on the couch” nor should we have to worry about losing our right to self defense if we’re on anti-depressants. Mental illness is a VERY vague term, a gigantic gray area. If the pols get their mitts into mental health, we’ll all be under scrutiny for simply believing in conservatism.
Sounds like a reasonable indicator to me... :)
I have been a mental health counselor since for many years and part of the problem, as I see it, is that mental health is “governed” by a medical model and included in states’ insurance codes.
I agree that this is a breach of confidentiality. Revoking licensure is where states have the mental health professionals.
Child abuse, threats of harm to self and others are already allowable as breaches to confidentiality because mental health counselors are defined as “mandated reporters.”
I believe that mental health professionals should have privileged communication between themselves and clients — not confidentiality which is subject to subpoena and other reporting requirements.
I explain this difference to clients in their first session. I will say that the ordinary person doesn’t know the difference between confidentiality and privileged communication. I will admit it’s a fine line difference but it’s an important one.
— Jane Reinheimer
“If the pols get their mitts into mental health, we’ll all be under scrutiny for simply believing in conservatism.”
We could see worse than that. In the former Soviet Union, some dissenters were accused of mental illness for not recognizing the virtues of Communism and were tortured with powerful mind-altering drugs as “treatment”.