Depression - The Mental Heath Act “Being sectioned under the mental health act”

Many of us have heard of the phrase “to be sectioned” but very few of us actually understand the meaning behind and also what it means for those that have been detained in this way under the mental health act. Beginning to understand the process of being sectioned needs to be started with the understanding of the mental health act itself and also the mental health problems that can be held with in the act such as depression.

The mental health act can be used to detain someone against their will if it has been believed that they are either a danger to themselves or to other people and although this seems rather forceful in nature, it is considered to be one of the best ways of treating somebody with a mental health condition that doesn’t choose to get treatment themselves. The mental health act applies to those who have a mental disorder and this could cover many things, schizophrenia and depression being some of the most common, but many others apply the mental health act as well.

There are various sections within the mental health act, which is what gives the process of sectioning its name. There are various sections with regards to how long you can be detained, the places in which you are detained and also where you are found to then be detained, guardian over the person with the mental health problem and also sections to with criminal proceedings that have taken place with a person with a mental health condition such as depression.

Treatment and referrals are also guide lined by the different sections within the mental health act and these are there to make sure that the safety of the person who suffers from mental disorders and also those they have been subjected to is of the highest standard.

There are five sections of the mental health act which can be used to detain a person that is considered to be a danger to themselves or others, section 2, 3, 4, 5 part 1 and 2. And these allow for the person with the mental health disorder like depression to be detained for up to 28 days, 6 months, 72 hours, and then pending further assessment respectively. The length of time that a person will be detained for will vary on the situations that have occurred and also how bad this situation is recorded to be.

Section 135 and 136 are responsible for the detaining action itself, and respectively these are to break into a property in order to ensure a persons safety and to detain them if the need be, and also to be accompanies by the Police force to a place that is considered to be safe. Again this will vary from situation to situation and the mental health disorders involved.

Sections 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 47 and 48 are to do with the criminal proceedings regarding a mental health patient and include things such as referring a criminal for a mental health report or to a hospital to receive treatment, restrictions that will be imposed on the discharge of a criminal that is suffering from mental health problems and also prisoners being transferred to a hospital to receive treatment.