Abstract

KIE: Thomas S. Szasz's concept of the "psychiatric will" is examined by Chodoff and Peele, who find logical, moral, and legal flaws in his proposal to allow competent individuals to authorize or refuse involuntary hospitalization should they ever become psychotic. They also take issue with his narrow organic definition of illness and his rejection of the sickness label for mentally disturbed persons. Szasz's solution to the problems of involuntary treatment is seen as impractical in both theory and practice and as compromising the ability of psychiatrists to help the mentally ill.