Some people think that society has no obligation to the people in it and I understand that they are only refraining from killing and eating other people for fear of consequences. Personally I lean towards the idea that society owes all its members a minimum decent lifestyle and in return you try and be decent to other people.

In the UK there are a few situations where a doctor can suggest you return your driving licence. (I don't know if they can force that or not).

But in that situation you can apply for a bus pass to give you free bus travel. (Sub optimal, it has restrictions on times). That pass can also get cheaper coach and train travel.

A cynical but rational outlook on life.

It is not really all that rational. "A few bad things happened, so obviously the world is crap" is an emotional response of the sort normally associated with adolescents. I have plenty of contrary anecdotes of my own, but they would also not prove a universal truth about the world.

True enough, but one must tread carefully. A history of mental illness that demonstrates that you were a threat to yourself or to others is going to impact your residency in the US if you are an alien. A history of alcoholism (and depression may lead to alcohol abuse) with evidence of past harmful behaviour is going to work against you.

I am fortunate to be healthy, but if I weren't, would I tell anyone? Probably not. I like the US and want to stay here.

I can't name a single person in my life who has sought help and not been punished for it. I have, fortunately, learned from their mistakes, and will never seek help myself.

I can't see how it isn't rational. I have ample evidence seeking help is bad. I have none whatsoever that it's good. The rational choice is objectively obvious.

There's even a doctor in this very thread defending that punishment as "first-rate care"[1]. What other proof should I have before deciding mental health care has nothing to do with caring, and everything to do with punishing and isolating people who are inconvenient?

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7119969

No; cynicism is intellectual and moral laziness. It allows you to distill a complex world to a simplified negative caricature that justifies not making an effort yourself (or makes your efforts seem more extraordinary than warranted).

My personal counter anecdote: 2 weeks ago, I lost my camera (with a nice new lens on it) in the subway. Worth more than $700. Everyone I told said almost the same thing: "you'll never see it again, someone would have to be stupid to give it back; I would, but I'm stupid."

Well, 2 days later I picked it up at the lost&found.

Cynicism has never been useful to actually helping anyone.