h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK, before we go any further, I'd like to state for the record that the following is MY personal opinion, based on MY personal experience in FRANCE, not UK.

Furthermore, Z & I have discussed this on many occasions & we remain very very close friends despite some funda"mental"(!!!) differences in opinion on certain issues.

I WAS locked up in a French Mental hospital against my will. (Chan-Mick le Frog U208634 may dispute this, but since he has "resigned" from h2g2, is unlikely to respond) I accept that at the time I was undergoing a pretty severe psychological trauma & had a background of abuse stretching back to very early childhood. However, I was physically assaulted (punched in the head) by ambulance staff, restrained forcibly & prevented from using my asthma medication, injected against my will with what turned out later to be drugs dangerous to a pre-existing medical condition; Upon arrival at the hospital, I was not only not informed of my rights, but told that unless I managed to argue my case in French at a review in approximately 10 days time (the psychiatrist was on holiday); I would possibly be detained indefinately.

I requested a translator. This was denied on the grounds that "if you choose to live in a country which does not speak your first language, this is confirmation that you are indeed seriously mentally ill & require hospitalisation;"

Once my GP had discovered the situation, at least I was spared the "chemical cosh" which every other patient was subdued with; my physical condition forbade any but essential heart drugs. Incidentally, at one point, these drugs were DENIED me, as was a glass of water.

I could go on. And on and on. I kept a journal in which I noted names, dates, time etc; I also manged to record some patients statements. I am in the process of writng a book about this issue.

As for "care in the community"; here in Angoulême, a patient released into this position, who I know personally, is in the situation of, when she "flips" & starts stripping naked in public, the local bar-owners merely sigh, try to cover her up & phone some of her friends who then undergo the weary process of driving her back to hospital, where her medication is adjusted until she is returned, zombie-like, into the community once more, to await the slow diminution of the injection, which will inevitably result on the process being repeated.

Sorry, Z, but you KNOW for a fact that this is true over here. Very very sad, even more sadly, true.

Terri.

(aka amongst , or even out of )

Oh Terri not nice now I know where your wonderful compassion comes from.
Have also heard horrendous stories of similar 'lock ups' in Greece and many other european contries. One of the offsprung works in a psychiatric hospital over here (UK) and thanks to relatively decent funding they have time and staff to take proper care and help make life better.
Off on holiday Monday...just in time methinks...head about to explode...I am soooooooo tired. Will post again in about three weeks. Am taking a complete life break. Thinking of you all while I am away.
take care
boots (thanks for messages...I have been lurking!)

Have a nice rest , boots; you of all people deserve it!

(Make sure you take some s with you!)



Terri.

That sounds horrendous, and should never had happened. Thank Goddess you got out of there again, and don't ever do anything to get yourself put in such danger again, please.

Mutters about bloody medics giving wrong drugs and not giving the right ones, are they trying to kill people?

It does make you wonder, doesn't it. Especially ones like me, who won't just sit quietly in the corner & "be depressed"!

zdt