You are a clinician in the psychiatric ward of the localhospital. A patient is refusing medication. Before medicatingagainst his will, the likely next step, the actiing psychiatristhas asked that a therapist meet with the individual in a last ditcheffort for them to take the medication voluntarily. You are thattherapist and you are given the brief note found below beforeentering the room to speak with the patient. How might you addressMr. Johns?  

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Mr. Johns is a 34-year-old man diagnosed with paranoidschizophrenia. He was first diagnosed at age 19, and has beenhospitalized several times over the past 15 years. In betweenhospitalizations, he has lived with his parents, who have supportedhim financially and provided for his basic needs. While herecognizes that he is unable to work and care for himself, he alsofeels that his parents are overly controlling and he desperatelywants to be able to live independently.

Currently, Mr. Johns is enraged at being hospitalized againsthis will. As he sees it, he decided to move out of his parents’home because his mother was trying to give him drugs in his foodthat would make him follow her wishes. In addition, heself-reported that whenever he fell asleep at home, his fatherwould come into his room and read his mind, using his thoughtsagainst him the next day. Naturally, he has been unable to sleep oreat under these conditions, and so decided to move out on his own.However, when his father saw him walking in the street, he begantrying to force him into his car and bring him back home. When herefused to return, he called the police and had him admitted to thehospital.

Mr. Johns is adamant in his opinion that he has the right todecide how to live his life. If he wants to live on the streets orsleep on park benches, he says that is his right. He has beenrefusing to take medication because he knows that it only poisonshis mind and keeps him from thinking clearly.