Use of Restraints on the Mentally Ill 5/27/2009 4:23:33 PM
Received news recently that I'm excited about (though I have justifiable emotions of sadness and anger as well). In New York State, it was proposed that the use of restraints on mentally ill patients be abolished completely. Their reasons are apparently humanitarian. The NYS gov't asserts that if professionals such as aides, nurses, social workers, and doctors can't calm a patient, then the restraints are taking the place of a well-trained, able staff. For example, a nurse or social worker could talk to patients, and ask questions such as, "Do you feel alright? Is there something in particular that's bothering you? What's wrong? Is there anything on your mind that you'd like to talk about?" This will settle down most of the ill and incarcerated quite rapidly, which is preferable to restraints, for countless reasons. (I wonder why no one ever thought of this before.) And one alternative, for that small group not calmed by verbiage and caring, there can be rooms (without locked doors) where s/he is placed until s/he is calm. The use of injections should be considered a form of drug-induced restraints. Being tied down so you can hardly move, until you stop screaming, protesting, or appearing "agitated," in my opinion, is a 21st century torture.
As stated by John Kennedy, "The natural state of a human being is dignity." I have yet to find these changes actually occur, though I believe some day, not too far away, it'll begin to happen.
