Case Mental 2
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MENTAL 2 The doctor who was admitted against his will Physician: This was a doctor who was suffering from a mood disorder. His wife, who had two children, came and saw me in the OPD. She complained that her husband was spending money, wandering about and had sexual relationship with other women. There was an unacceptable behaviour and sometimes he had aggressive outbursts. She believed that her husband was not in a normal condition. She said that her husband, being a doctor, would never accept that he had a psychiatric problem. Earlier, she had come to our ex-professor at his private clinic without the patient. She had received some medication for him from that medical doctor, but her husband never took the prescribed medicine, even though she tried to hide the medicine in the meals he took. Questions Q Think about this case. Do you think it was justified to attempt to give medicine in this secretive way in this case? Q Consider the fact that the patient had not been medically examined and the possibility that the wife might want to avenge her husband's extramarital affairs. Discuss various options and identify their ethical implications. Physician: When she came to me she said that her husband could not be managed at home and that he needed admission. First I had to see the patient. She had to bring the patient to me at the OPD. After having talked with the patient, and depending on his condition, I might admit him. She said that he would never come and see the psychiatrist in that environment, because he said he had no illness. But I said to his wife, "With any kind of action you must take the patient to me to see and interview him." She then discussed with her brother-in-law and they told her husband that she was in a state of depression, and that he should discuss her treatment with the doctor in that hospital. Then the patient - that doctor - he drove in his car to the OPD and saw me and discussed about his wife. He said that he would consent to do anything on his wife, including ECT (Electro-Convulsive Therapy).
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Transcript of Case Mental 2
MENTAL 2The doctor who was admitted against his will Physician: This was a doctor who was suffering from a mood disorder. His wife, who had two children, came and saw me in the OPD. She complained that her husband was spending money, wandering about and had sexual relationship with other women. There was an unacceptable behaviour and sometimes he had aggressive outbursts. She believed that her husband was not in a normal condition. She said that her husband, being a doctor, would never accept that he had a psychiatric problem. Earlier, she had come to our ex-professor at his private clinic without the patient. She had received some medication for him from that medical doctor, but her husband never took the prescribed medicine, even though she tried to hide the medicine in the meals he took.
QuestionsQ Think about this case. Do you think it was justified to attempt to give medicine in this secretive way in this case?Q Consider the fact that the patient had not been medically examined and the possibility that the wife might want to avenge her husband's extramarital affairs. Discuss various options and identify their ethical implications.
Physician: When she came to me she said that her husband could not be managed at home and that he needed admission. First I had to see the patient. She had to bring the patient to me at the OPD. After having talked with the patient, and depending on his condition, I might admit him. She said that he would never come and see the psychiatrist in that environment, because he said he had no illness. But I said to his wife, "With any kind of action you must take the patient to me to see and interview him."She then discussed with her brother-in-law and they told her husband that she was in a state of depression, and that he should discuss her treatment with the doctor in that hospital. Then the patient - that doctor - he drove in his car to the OPD and saw me and discussed about his wife. He said that he would consent to do anything on his wife, including ECT (Electro-Convulsive Therapy).After talking about fifteen minutes with him I found that he was suffering from a little bit of mood disorder and hypomania. But I never said directly to him that he was suffering from a mental illness. I told him to see his wife in the hospital ward. This was not actually true. I told him to discuss about his wife with the ward staff and Medical Officer concerned. I sent him to the ward along with the ward attendant and his brother. In the ward, he was physically and chemically restrained by the staff.
QuestionsQ Discuss the indication for admission of this patient against his will. Do you find this procedure ethically justifiable in this case? Why/why not?
