[madnak]

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Do you believe we should intervene in the case of schizophrenics, or should they be free to cut themselves during a relapse "to get the demons out"? This isn't some made up scenarios, this stuff (and worse) actually happens - to people who are quite normal when not suffering from psychosis.

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What does, "we should intervene" mean?

I've been held against my will in situations after cutting or burning my own self, in institutional environments that definitely did more harm than good. I don't cut or burn any more, but I am still enraged at these violations (one in particular). Who says it's your job, or the government's, or anyone else's, to choose what's best for me? To evaluate my rationality and determine what choice I have over my own life and my own body?

Then again, I've had bad experiences. If I hadn't, I might be saying "intervention saved my life, I'm so glad." And some people are so clearly dangerous and insane that there's no question of letting them be. Where can we draw the line? I suppose there are worse places than "serious danger to self or others." Depressed people can seem very rational, but I know from experience that everything gets distorted.

I don't think there will be any easy answers until our understanding and treatment of these illnesses have improved.