I don't know, Sir William. Mental illness is something that's a total mystery to me. Things like Tourette's Syndrome, for example. People with that don't just ramble, they come out with the most obscene, inappropriate language at the worst possible times, almost as though someone else planned it. They say psychology is a science, but I think it's a guessing game and they're still basically in the dark ages when it comes to diagnosis and treatment.
LOL. I often thought so when I was in practice.
On a slight off-topic detour: Tourette's actually involves involuntary tics. What you are thinking of is a verbal tic. It is rarely a matter of obscenities (forget Bill Murray in "What About Bob?") but may be barking, yelping, laughing, or any of a variety of other noises. Obscenities are rare.
Back on topic... You are quite correct, that the lack of judgement and impulsivity can be both self-destructive and dangerous. If, for example, a person becomes 'manic' and drives 100 mph down city streets because it's fun and he feels invincible, well, it isn't just himself he endangers.
That said, I am APPALLED at the suggestions on this forum that individuals should be FORCED BY LAW to take medication. Not kidding. Do we or do we not stand for individual liberty as gun owners? Since when do we want to give the government the right to force psychotropic medications into ANYBODY??? If an individual is so deranged as to be an IMMEDIATE danger (suicidal or homicidal) then that is the exception, but to require someone to take a medication that may have horrible side effects (and the medications for bipolar and its frequently-associated cousins do indeed have awful side effects in some individuals) is NOT what this country is about.
An individual who chooses not to take their medication usually makes that choice not when they're deranged, but rather when they are feeling well, when they have been asymptomatic for a long time and thus hope that it has "gone away". Bipolar usually is a life-long illness and so that hope is usually (note I said 'usually') false, and so the individual will end up relapsing. I know from bitter experience the wish to throttle the one who refuses his meds!!!! But the important thing is for that person to (1) have a support system that can be there to intervene if possible and (2) to understand,
while they are sane and symptom-free, what the consequences of NOT taking that medication might be in the future. IOW, they need to make an informed choice. That done, if they then refuse it they then take the consequences of those actions when or if they occur.
We believe in freedom and dignity of the citizens of this country. We don't force medication on people, we don't force them to have blood tests to ensure they're doing what WE tell them. If the government has that kind of power, does anybody on this forum think for a SECOND that YOU are immune from that power being used against YOU when YOU are inconvenient, difficult, or out of the mainstream???
And one more time: I believe the air marshals did EXACTLY THE RIGHT THING. God only knows what was in that man's head, but what he SAID made him a risk, and his refusal to stop after repeated warnings led to the sad but inevitable conclusion of the affair.
Springmom
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