MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2016 - SECT 10
Meaning of mental illness
MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2016 - SECT 10
Meaning of mental illness
(1)
"Mental illness" is a condition characterised by a clinically significant
disturbance of thought, mood, perception or memory.
(2) However, a person
must not be considered to have a mental illness merely because— (a) the
person holds or refuses to hold a particular religious, cultural,
philosophical or political belief or opinion; or
(b) the person is a member
of a particular racial group; or
(c) the person has a particular economic or
social status; or
(d) the person has a particular sexual preference or sexual
orientation; or
(e) the person engages in sexual promiscuity; or
(f) the
person engages in immoral or indecent conduct; or
(g) the person takes drugs
or alcohol; or
(h) the person has an intellectual disability; or
(i) the
person engages in antisocial behaviour or illegal behaviour; or
(j) the
person is or has been involved in family conflict; or
(k) the person has
previously been treated for a mental illness or been subject to involuntary
assessment or treatment.
(3) Subsection (2) does not prevent a person
mentioned in the subsection having a mental illness. Examples for subsection
(3)— 1 A person may have a mental illness caused by taking drugs or
alcohol.
2 A person may have a mental illness as well as an intellectual
disability.
(4) A decision that a person has a mental illness must be made
in accordance with internationally accepted medical standards.