First of all, thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book explores a very important topic and gives voice to people whose voices are usually slipped under the rug. That being said I cannot recommend the book. While the topic of those people who are drugged by force which causes them to have consequences because of the drug given or because a forced medicalization stays in their record or the different things that can happen to them is of extreme importance. Especially taking into account that when these people try to talk and express opinions about what they went through or complain, and receive an apology,... everything is excused by their supposed "illness". Despite this, the book portrays only an extremely negative view of the mental health system and institutions and could be extremely damaging for someone who might be going through a dark path and is considering reaching out for help.

"Your Consent Is Not Required" by Rob Wipond is a hard-hitting and eye-opening piece of investigative journalism that sheds light on an issue often hidden from public view. Wipond's book is a searing exposé of the state of psychiatric incarceration and forced interventions in contemporary society, revealing a shocking reality that challenges the commonly held beliefs surrounding mental health treatment and involuntary commitment.

In a time when asylums have been largely consigned to history, Wipond presents a disquieting truth: the practices of involuntary commitment and coercive psychiatric treatment are far from obsolete. The book dives deep into the lives of people from various backgrounds who find themselves subjected to surveillance, confinement, and powerful drugs without their consent. Wipond's meticulous research and extensive reporting present an unvarnished and unapologetic look into the world of psychiatric coercion.

Wipond dismantles the misconception that only "dangerous" individuals are committed today. He uncovers how involuntary psychiatric interventions are pervasive, occurring in various settings, including hospitals, care facilities, residential treatment centers, and even within people's homes under outpatient commitment orders. The book paints a vivid picture of the terrifying, traumatic, and often life-altering experiences faced by those caught in the web of psychiatric coercion.

The narrative underscores the multifaceted motivations behind the practice, from genuine concerns for individuals' mental health to the more sinister aspects of power, profit, and social control. Wipond illustrates how psychiatric coercion is used to manage school children, quell family conflicts, police the streets, control vulnerable populations, boost hospital profits, and much more.

"Your Consent Is Not Required" is a powerful and essential read, grounded in real stories and hard data from both the United States and Canada. Wipond's book builds a compelling case for increased transparency, vigilance, and the need for transformative change in the realm of mental health treatment. This is a wake-up call for society, urging us to confront the often hidden but deeply troubling realities of psychiatric coercion and the urgent need for reform.

This was a really interesting book to read. I really enjoyed it if that’s ok to say. The subject had been thoroughly researched. The book was written very well

So, wow. I firmly believe that our mental health system, like our legal system, needs an overhaul. But this book is all scare tactics, which is not helpful and can be incredibly damaging to those who need to and should seek help.

I feel like, at the very least, the author suffers from confirmation bias. He went into this project with a personal grudge and specific intent to expose a flawed system. And that he did. But that’s also ALL he did. There’s no balance here, at all.

While I can’t support this book, I do think the material provides the base for some much needed, serious discussions.

I will be honest, I did have a hard time in the beginning. However, around 30% it picked up and I really enjoyed it!

3 out of 5!

This is an important book, and covers a topic that definitely does not get the media attention it deserves. It's hard to believe that as a society we allow forced hospitalization. The stories that were shared are horrifying. To think you could be locked up and medicated against your will. It almost seems as though institutions, doctors etc. are just taking the easier softer way and prescribing rather than treating. But as you learn in the book, mental health professionals are barely educated in how to work with those in need of psychiatric help or counseling. We all here do now harm, but that is exactly what is being done. My only critique is I felt like I was reading a college term paper, a bit too technical except when reading the patient stories. I wish there had been more of those,

This book is written by a Canadian journalist who started "writing for American audiences" and I almost felt like he was feeding the fire around mental illness.

The book talks about involuntary commitment of people who exhibit abnormal symptoms in periods of stress or tumult (when a mental illness would demonstrate symptoms) and them being taken to asylums without their consent and doped with haldol. He reports the practice continues today.

I felt like this book only focuses on the negative of mental health treatment and is meant to scare people into not seeking help. He discusses the stigma surrounding mental health treatment but then essentially tells readers, hey if you're in a bad spot and having some abnormal behaviors that people deem crazy you're going to a mental institution and they're going to load you up on drugs so you don't know which way is up.

This just perpetuates the paranoia surrounding mental illness, those on the outside who think these people are dangerous (far from it) and those who need the help who have been terrified into thinking they'll be locked up.

Disgusting.