Mental illness, does not negate personal responsibility for abusive actions.

August 4, 2015 by Healing From Complex Trauma & PTSD/CPTSD

Today in counselling, I brought up this bizarre belief many in society, including many within the mental health profession have…. of justifying/rationalising abusive behaviours… and ‘blaming’ mental illness. I see it all the time … “she/he can’t help it, she/he is mentally ill”. So unwise. Actually in most cases, yes they can help it. They made choices.

And the response was, an agreement that indeed not all mental illness means people are not responsible and conscious of their actions.

There are some mental illness, like psychosis, that does mean people are not consciously aware of their behaviours. But this a very small % of people.

To say narcissistic, sociopathic people, paedophiles, predators, con artists etc…. are ‘just mentally ill’ and ‘can’t help what do’ – is absolutely wrong. That’s not compassion/empathy. That is cognitive distortion – rationalising, denial, minimizing, justifying etc. That’s not dealing in truth.

Within most mental illness, people still know their abusive actions are wrong and they do it anyway. They are fully responsible for their actions.

Having a mental health diagnosis does not negate personal responsibility for actions. It is still choices people make. And people need to be made responsible for their actions.

People with mental illness, are not exempt from responsibility for their actions. They are still responsible and if they repeatedly choose abusive behaviours, and they hide it and deny it like many do…. they know what they are doing is wrong, it is intentional and they ‘are’ bad people and they ‘do’ need to feel shame. Being honest and feeling ashamed of abusive actions and wrong doing is actually necessary for real remorse, repentance and empathy for those they have harmed.

I was thankful to hear this validated as correct.

I was also glad to hear my counsellor state there are very unwise attitudes about personal responsibility/mental health, within the mental health field. I see that clearly.

In fact, I see many cognitive distortions and unwise issues, within the mental health field.