Human rights and mental illness: the limits of the freedom of the mentally ill

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Published: Mar 25, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/ethiki.22779
Keywords:
Human Rights; Mental Illness; Freedom (Liberty); Deinstitutionalization; Involuntary Hospitalization; Social Stigma; Medical Ethics; Hippocratic Oath
Stavroula Paraskevopoulou
Abstract

This article explores the historical evolution and contemporary ethical challenges regarding the treatment of mental illness and the protection of patients' human rights. Starting from the Hippocratic Oath, the author traces the transition from archaic perceptions of mental illness—often viewed as divine punishment or demonic possession—to the scientific and humanistic approaches of the 20th and 21st centuries. A central focus of the study is the "deinstitutionalization" movement and the tension between the patient's right to self-determination and the state's duty to provide involuntary hospitalization in cases of danger to self or others. The paper examines international legal frameworks, such as the UN and WHO guidelines, and discusses the persistent social stigma that continues to hinder the full social reintegration of mentally ill individuals. Ultimately, the author argues for a balanced ethical approach that prioritizes therapeutic benefit and human dignity over mere custodial care.

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