I don't know about antipathy to the mental health system, but I do know many people with mental health difficulties who are absolutely terrified of getting caught in it. Not necessarily even because they've heard anything bad about it, but because of what they perceive it to mean, and what they think might happen. For example, they might feel that coming into contact with MH professionals will mean that they really are mad/sick/broken/defective, whereas as long as they don't they can keep pretending they're okay. Alternatively, they might be afraid that everybody would find out, or that they will be "locked up". Thirdly, there's the whole issue of what it would entail: would you have to deal with people asking you questions, would you have to talk about things you don't want to, would they drug you, will it affect your job if it goes in your medical records, what will people think of you, will you be labelled for life. I recently plucked up courage to go to my GP about long-standing depression, and got as far as getting myself some medication. Much as I know I also need non-pharmaceutical help, just the thought of it makes me want to curl up in a ball in the corner. I can just about cope with my GP because she's treated me the way i want to be treated, but I'm very much afraid of how anybody else would treat me. So, not necessarily antipathy, so much as fear. Hence it being so important that sectioning doesn't get used as a threat. Fear prevents people from getting help they need. If you're afraid that the ambulance man is going to come and force you into going to hospital or he'll get you locked up, then how likely is it that you're going to call for help next time you hurt yourself and you really need it? I'm not talking in reference to this specific post, here. I just want to mention how afraid people can be of the consequences of coming into contact with medical professionals when they suffer from mental health problems. It may well be that this woman was attention seeking, but for every one of her there will also be someone who isn't, and hearing that she was threatened with sectioning might make them think that that is what will happen to them if anybody ever finds out about their self-injury/overdosing. Just my 0.02. PS Over a year of reading religiously and this is my first comment. :) Although I might not be happy with the whole "sectioning trick", I do like reading your blog.