Are mental health services legally justified in using force on some people diagnosed with a mental disorder who have not committed a crime? The opinions of users and survivors on this topic have traditionally been marginalised. In a two-part article, Mary O’Hagan looks first at the perspectives of users, before examining how the use of force might be reduced or dispensed with entirely

It is clear that users and survivors are demanding less or no force. This should compel legislators, bureaucrats and providers to consider how to reduce or end the use of force in mental health services. The ultimate way to do this is through the long and labyrinthine process of legislative reform. However, in the meantime there are many opportunities for the people who design, fund, monitor and run mental health services to discourage the use of force.