Hi I have just come upon this site and I feel that I would like to tell my story. I know Steve Taylor, and he is a smart and compassionate person. I am thankful that he has given a space for people to speak of the nightmare that involvement with the mental health system often brings to individuals, families and loved ones. My mother went to the doctor five years ago with a slight tremor in her hand worried that it was Parkinsons Disease. She was was told it wasn’t Parkinsons but anxiety although she did not feel anxious in the slightest. She was prescribed an antidepressant and started vomiting after her first pill. Her doctor decided to try on another antidepressant and another until 8 months later after 8 antidepressants and going out of her mind with akathesia she attempted to commit suicide by cutting her wrists and throwing herself off a cliff. She survived ( unfortunately for her).She was then after multiple operations placed under the Mental Health Act and given multiple antipsychotics, lithium and eventually ECT. I was with her at many ‘family meetings’ where she pleaded to not have to take any more pills. The psychiatrists ignored my mum and me, and when we went before the judge he took the ‘expert opinion’ of her psychiatrist and her colleague who it was very obvious would never disagree with her colleagues ‘professionial opinion”.The pain and suffering that my mother has suffered has been incalculable. It has destroyed her, and everyone that loves her. A year ago the doctors told us that my beautiful mum has only a short time to live as they now realise that my mother has been suffering from end stage Parkinsons all along.My mum was told in the beginning that she definately didn’t have Parkinsons, and was prescribed anti psychotics that are highly dangerous to anyone that there is a possibilty that that they may have Parkinsons.I witnessed the development of drug induced Parkinsonism first hand.
I have fought the psychiatric community for 5 years. I slept overnight in my mums room when they have sent her to psychiatric hospitals at 70 years of age to protect her. I have just now left my beautiful mum, as I do everyday, with her pleading with me to help her, pleading come off the pills. She now can hardly walk, is completely incontinent ,can’t read, watch television, and cries all the time. And I still battle with the medical profession. They have destroyed her. I am thankful to Steve for having a place to speak of the ongoing nightmare we have experienced in the medical profession.
I have fought the psychiatric community for 5 years. I slept overnight in my mums room when they have sent her to psychiatric hospitals at 70 years of age to protect her. I have just now left my beautiful mum, as I do everyday, with her pleading with me to help her, pleading come off the pills. She now can hardly walk, is completely incontinent ,can’t read, watch television, and cries all the time. And I still battle with the medical profession. They have destroyed her. I am thankful to Steve for having a place to speak of the ongoing nightmare we have experienced in the medical profession.
