Control or treatment? Experiences of people who have been psychiatrically hospitalized in New Brunswick.

Retrospective personal accounts of 48 people concerning their admission to, treatment in, and discharge from a psychiatric unit were examined. Analysis reveals that the research participants were poorly informed about their legal rights. One in eight participants did not know whether they were voluntarily or involuntarily admitted. Few participants were ever consulted about their treatment programs or discharge plans. In general, the research participants reported being powerless and having little control over their lives during psychiatric hospitalization.