Everyone has the right to make free decisions in all areas of their life, including people with mental health problems.

This involves making decisions about aspects of their daily lives (where and with whom to live, whether or not to have a partner, children, etc.). But deciding how they want to live is sometimes limited by a lack of resources and support for independent living, and also because family and the professional teams that care for them, although well-intentioned, sometimes make decisions on their behalf.

People with mental health problems also have the right to decide on the treatment they receive . For this to be possible, not only is advice from professional teams necessary, but there must also be alternatives to medication and hospitalization.

Their decision-making capacity can sometimes be affected by mental health issues, but not permanently or completely, only exceptionally. Even during severe crises, their right to decide must be protected and guaranteed. Therefore, it is essential to do everything possible to ensure that the person retains their legal capacity, has access to the decision-making support they may need at any given time (for example, a personal assistant), and can utilize safeguards such as Advance Care Planning (ACP) .