How easy is to feign insanity?

As with so many things insanity is something that I infrequently think about because for the most part I find it distressing to think about. It is only when cases such as Ian Brady’s hearing come up that I am forced to face what insanity might mean for me and for the wider population. I guess when something horrific occurs we all want to think the person insane or at the very least not in their right mind. We want it to not be understandable and we run to lock people up but the choices are limited, hospital or prison, and though the idea is to punish with insanity it is to treat and help make well but it is increasingly difficult to accept that hospital is what people need when it hurts so much.

But what is insanity?

An online dictionary defines insanity like this 

in·san·i·ty

[in-san-i-tee] Show IPA

noun, plural in·san·i·ties.

1.the condition of being insane; a derangement of the mind. Synonyms: dementia, lunacy, madness, craziness, mania, aberration.

2.Law. such unsoundness of mind as frees one from legal responsibility, as for committing a crime, or as signals one's lack of legal capacity, as for entering into a contractual agreement.

3.Psychiatry. (formerly) psychosis.

4.a. extreme foolishness; folly; senselessness; foolhardiness: Trying to drive through that traffic would be pure insanity.

b. a foolish or senseless action, policy, statement, etc.: We've heard decades of insanities in our political discourse.

But it seems nobody really knows and what it is and even more interesting the definition of sanity is not much better nor one that can easily be tested for, so when it comes down to it the different between sanity and insanity is very subjective.

Because the difference for those who’ve been convicted of a crime the difference becomes whether the person goes to prison or who goes to hospital. This is not to say that treatment for mental disorders will not occur whilst someone is within the prison population quite the contrary but it is a matter safety and security.

For many insanity might seem a very good option since this would take them out of prison and into hospital and although neither place is the same as freedom I can see why you might want to feign insanity however it seems it is far more difficult to prove ones sanity than ones insanity and having got yourself into a hospital you may well find that the process of becoming sane is more complicated than might be first thought.

But sanity is not good mental health it is merely a state that is less of a present danger to themselves and others. It’s a state of being that is mindful of danger and risk, right and wrong but it doesn’t mean they will play well with others or be able to control all emotional responses in every situation and they may well become violent if pushed.

So to Ian Brady and his claim of sanity.

Mush as I am loath to put my finger on it I am disturbed to find I am in favour of him going back to prison however I know far too little to feel this should opinion should hold weight with anyone. For the most part I don’t see what he’s asking as insane and despite anecdotal stories of his symptoms there doesn’t seem to have been any evidence of his violence and it’s not like they are actually treating him with therapy or medication so it seems it ridiculous to keep him in the hospital. But again I know next to nothing. The reality for me is that regardless of what’s decided no one is ever going to know. His sanity will always be in doubt no matter how long he manages to appear normal.

More interesting though is the idea that he feigned his problems to what end who knows but why is it so easy for us to believe he’s insane rather than believe he’s improved and how can we guard against the assumption of insanity and the long-term incarceration of people way past the time when they might reasonably be released, because it is not just criminals who go insane. 

It may be that hospitalization of patients is down however the use of sections and country treatment orders are up and is it likely that having a history of such needs that people are far more likely to be considered in need them in the future. And do people become more likely to push peoples treatment in on e direction or another based on a past that suggests of big problems because how useful is a persons past?

The fact is that once you have a history to shapes how people see you and feel you need to be treated and behaviours that are perfectly understandable for those without this history can and are misinterpreted as signs of upcoming illness and problems are far greater than the actual problem. So for these people feigning insanity becomes far easier than appearing sane and certainly far easier than proving they are sane.