right to treatment

1. a statutory right, established at varying governmental levels, stipulating that people with disabilities or disorders, usually persistent or chronic in nature, have the right to receive care and treatment suited to their needs. Such statutory rights may apply nationally or to certain state or provincial areas, and they may be limited to certain conditions and disabilities.

2. the principle that a facility that has assumed the responsibility of treating a patient is legally obligated to provide treatment that is adequate and appropriate.

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Psychology term of the day

November 28th 2024

cocaine withdrawal

in DSM–IV–TR, a characteristic withdrawal syndrome that develops after cessation of (or reduction in) prolonged, heavy consumption of cocaine. The essential characteristic is depressed mood, sometimes severe, and there may also be fatigue, disturbed sleep, increased appetite, vivid and unpleasant dreams, or psychomotor retardation or agitation, or all of these features. Marked withdrawal symptoms (see crash) often follow an episode of intense, high-dose use. The equivalent term in DSM–5 is stimulant withdrawal. See also substance withdrawal.