The psychiatric paradox: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experience of being assessed and detained under the English Mental Health Act (1983).

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experience of being assessed and detained under the English Mental Health Act (1983). Semi-structured interviews with a sample of seven adult service-users were analysed. The methodology employed was interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three super-ordinate themes were identified: The psychiatric paradox – chiefly concerned with the finding that treatment actually increased distress in many cases; fear of the unknown – considering the role that a lack of information plays in perpetuating distress; and, playing the game – exploring the finding that some people presented falsely in order to be discharged. Recommendations include a cultural shift from the dominant model of biomedical conceptualisation and treatment of “mental illness”, to a more psychosocial conceptualisation utilising the Open Dialogue approach