An Evaluation of the Ethical Nature of Forced Psychiatric Treatment: The Need-Want Gap

The social acceptance of psychiatric conditions has seen serious progression since the days of the Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and Feebleminded. This progression came with the implementation of new standards of care, consideration, and respect for patient autonomy. Though, with this progression, the medical field is now faced with a serious dilemma: how does one use ethical consideration to balance the gap between pushing treatment that is needed but also unwanted? Using common procedures for bioethical evaluation, I present here a final standing on the ethical nature of forced treatment, as well as propose a remedy to the ethical gap in providing treatment that is needed but not wanted