Mental health laws surrounding psychiatric treatment under coercion have remained largely unchanged since the eighteenth century. The grounds for involuntary treatment in psychiatry are first, that the patient has a "mental disorder" that warrants treatment; and second, that the patient needs to be treated in the interests of his or her safety or for the protection of others. Men in White Coats: Treatment under Coercion is an accessible and timely resource on medical treatment under coercion and its justifications. Split into thirteen chapters, George Szmukler examines the current grounds for involuntary treatment of patients with mental disorders. He argues that the existing laws are both discriminatory and morally unacceptable, and that they should be replaced by an entirely different approach for over-riding treatment refusals. Using case studies and real-life experiences, Men in White Coats: Treatment under Coercion discusses how involuntary treatment in psychiatric practice affects patients, their families, and society, and looks to potential solutions to the current legal frameworks surrounding coercion that could be made applicable across all medical specialties and settings.

`This handbook planned for carer's will offer relatives and friends with noteworthy organizational health care information. It will also help guide carer's regarding the key roles, and the functions of support agencies that are seen as crucial elements when planning and seeking alternative care interventions...This book aims to provide carers with basic facts and the confidence to deal more effectively with their role.' - The International Journal of Psychiatric Nursing Research This is an essential resource for all people caring for family members or friends with mental illness. Written by experts, Mental Illness: A Handbook for Carers provides basic information on: * forms of mental illness * treatment plans * what to do in an emergency * the role of mental health professionals and other agencies * legal issues and confidentiality * housing, work and benefits. Mental Illness examines the provision made for people with mental illness and their carers, and the support that is available to them. It includes information on housing, employment, social services and the law. The writers avoid jargon, and the book includes a glossary of terms with which carers may be unfamiliar. Accessible, practical and comprehensive, this handbook acts as a one-stop shop for anyone caring for a person with a mental illness.