Stigmatization endangers help: mentally ill in the discussion

Stigmatization endangers help: mentally ill in the discussion

Magdeburg, Deutschland - The CDU politician Carsten Linnemann recently expressed a controversial concern: the creation of a register for mentally ill and criminal people. This proposal came after the tragic attacks in Hamburg, Aschaffenburg and Magdeburg and raises considerable ethical questions. Critics warn of stigmatization of people with mental illnesses who have no simple status in Germany. According to Tagesspiegel are often mentally ill beyond their illness phases.

Andrea Benecke, President of the Federal Chamber of Psychotherapists, criticized Linnemann's claim as backward. She explains that the instrumentalization of individual acts can lead to all mentally ill people under general suspicion. Studies show that only about 2% of the general population are violent, while this value increases to 4% in mentally ill people. At the same time, there are indications that over half of the registered people with "mental and behavioral disorders" are not violent.

The dangers of stigmatization

The negative effects of the stigmatization of mental illnesses are far -reaching. The necessary help seekers often shy away from being used for fear of being outlawed. Ärzteblatt emphasized that many affected people are excluded, which is excluded from the pressure and risk of the risk of one Chronification of your illness increases. The stigmatization is referred to here as the "second illness", which significantly affects the quality of life of those affected.

The search for help in mental illnesses has increasingly been found in recent years. According to Netzpolitik , over 40 percent of legally insured adults in Germany had a diagnosis. This increase could indicate an increased search for help in problems such as addiction, depression or psychotic symptoms.

police recording and their consequences

The proposal for creating a register is also complicated by the existing practice of police data storage. Details on mental illnesses are already recorded in “PHWS), and there are efforts to use this information on the safety of the police and those affected. However, if PHWs are awarded without the necessary medical evidence, this often happens on a questionable basis. This is evidenced by reports on at least 3,035 cases of improper award in the past.

The demand to invest in the improvement of treatment and prevention instead is supported by far -reaching specialists. Physiologist Elisabeth Dallücke emphasizes that there is no clear connection between mental illnesses and crimes, a point that is often forgotten in the debate. In addition, the training of police officers in dealing with mentally ill people is inadequate, which could further tighten the situation.

The current efforts in politics to stigmatize and establish registers for mentally ill people are not only a potential violation of human rights, but also undermine the urgently needed social support for mentally ill and their relatives.