The right to go mad with dignity: Mental health and labor precarity as a legal and political phenomenon

Abstract

This article provides a critical reflection on how labor precarity functions as a structural form of violence that threatens the right to mental health in Colombia. The main objective is to highlight the psychological impact of informal, outsourced, and abusive working conditions, particularly for individuals with neurodivergence, such as the author. The reflexive and experiential methodology is grounded in normative analysis and direct observation of precarious labor contexts. By combining legal frameworks, personal experience, and social critique, the text denounces the institutional disregard for the mental suffering caused by work. The text argues that current labor models deny the right to take a break and demand emotional silence, punishing those who are different. Instead of promoting resilience, the article advocates for dignity and reimagines labor as a space for subjective care, rather than just productivity.