In the present day world, several individuals suffering from psychiatric disorders spend a lot of the time suffering the effects of their ailments. Consequently, it affects their perception which most people consider as an essential aspect of human life. The perceptual disorder stems from their levels of cognition, thinking, and temperament. Civil commitment is a legal process which grants a court the powers to order an individual to go to receive mental treatment if they are deemed to suffer from mental disorders. A nations constitution usually establishes the criteria used to implement civil commitment. It may vary according to the laws of a particular country The decision to restrict civil commitment in a specific country is not a good idea since it undermines health ethics and poses a risk to the safety the mentally-ill individual and the societal members.

First and foremost, restriction of civil commitment means that a person who is found to suffer from severe mental illness cannot be hospitalized to receive medical attention. Subsequently, it undermined the role of psychiatrists who are tasked with the duty to ensure such individuals receive medical care. Despite the mentally-ill individual lacking autonomy to decide their health, the state must ensure its citizens receive treatment for the interest of the individual and the society

Secondly, restricting civil commitment means that the state obstructs involuntary treatment of mentally ill persons. Persons who have a mental disorder pose a threat to society since their perception and thinking is distorted (Melton, et al., 2017). Thus, if they are not hospitalized, they can become a threat to their own life or the lives of societal members. Ideally, civil commitment confines the individual in a safe environment where their health care is provided, and their actions are monitored to prevent them from inflicting physical harm.

On the Contrary, many may argue that the restriction of civil commitment is a good idea since it provides justice to persons suffering from severe mental illness by upholding their right to liberty. The legal system also undermined their right to trial before being confined in health institutions. Despite the argument, the protection of an individuals life is more significant than the right to liberty. Thus, the restriction civil commitment is not a good idea because it compromises the health of other members of society and undermines the importance of individual health.

Reference

Melton, G. B., Petrila, J., Poythress, N. G., Slobogin, C., Otto, R. K., Mossman, D., & Condie, L. O. (2017). Psychological evaluations for the courts: A handbook for mental health professionals and lawyers . Guilford Publications.