Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, s 2
The Mental Health Act defines “mental disorder” as:
an abnormal state of mind (whether of a continuous or intermittent nature), shown by delusions or disorders of mood, perception, volition or cognition, where
this abnormal state of mind means that either:
there is a serious danger to the person’s health and safety or to the health and safety of another person, or
the person’s ability to care for themselves is seriously reduced.
Note: This definition is important because it is used to decide whether a person has a mental illness that could require them to be treated without their consent.