&gt; I know several people who were committed against their will after as little as a cursory 5 minute conversation.<p>Not to call you a liar, but quite simply I don&#x27;t believe that.  Having dealt with wanting to get someone committed against their will, I found it was all but impossible unless they&#x27;re actively and obviously dangerous to themselves or others.<p>&gt; Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists weld a frightening amount of power<p>They really don&#x27;t. They can&#x27;t just commit people because they talked to them and decided hey lock that guy up.