Have you had a negative experience from the mental health care system?

[Janet2021]

I am a survivor of traumatic experiences and a survivor of the mental health system. Trauma was not recognised as the cause of my mental health problems and I was mis-diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. This resulted in very heavy handed treatment, strong medication and the fight of my life to go against the mental health system. This was 10-15 years ago. I eventually recovered by leaving the country, unaided by medication or health care professionals and have now been working full time as a paralegal for years. This is despite being told I would need to be on medication for the rest of my life and could never work again.

Following a recent police investigation into a historic rape where I was the victim, a rapist was convicted to 9 years in September 2020. To prepare for trial, I read my medical records. I was appalled by the number of errors and negligence by professionals in the mental health system. I am concerned that victims of trauma are left to suffer in a system that seems incapable of recognising trauma as a cause of illness. I was made to feel that my mental illness was hereditary and that the mental illness caused by rape and other traumas was not valid.

I have joined this community because I wonder how many others have experienced something similar and find out if anything can be done. I wonder if people have been left to die in this system and/or are unnecessarily on strong medication and so unable to function, as I once was.

I am looking for solutions and am open to suggestions.

[Sarah_Mencap]

Hello Janet2021

I am so sorry to hear this. Are you getting any support for your mental health and to help you deal with any past experiences?

Mind (mind.org.uk/) have a wide range of support for mental health. They also have local groups.

There also charities and groups that support people who survivor of abuse. One of these is the Survivor's Trust - thesurvivorstrust.org/ but there are many others too.

This community is for anyone with an interest in learning disability, rather than mental health support (although people with a learning disability can also need support with their mental health). Do you have a learning disability? Or do you know someone with a learning disability?

This may not be the right place for you to get the support you need, or for other people to share their stories.

Mind and the Survivor's Trust both have helplines you can call to talk to someone, and Mind also have their own online community that may be better suited to the issue raised in your post - mind.org.uk/information-sup...

I wish you all the best

Sarah

[Janet2021 in reply to Sarah_Mencap]

Hi Sarah, thanks for your reply. I am getting counselling through a charity for rape victims. I would like to add that because my traumas are a long time in the past I am in a good mental condition, considering the last year and the pandemic, I'd say the doctors in my case were very wrong! This is basis of my post to find out how many survivors of trauma are mis-diagnosed with an illness they don't have ?

[learner01]

Dear Janet, I think that your experience is sadly very common. I suffered something similar myself when I had something that was described as a mental breakdown even though it wasn’t. Fortunately there were people in my life - non medical - who knew and understood what was happening to me and the causes of my problem - I had gotten involved in dangerous spiritual practices. I understand your shock and anger at discovering the contents of your medical records. Very concerning that they contain such inaccuracies. I believe that under data protection law you have a right to have them corrected.

I think that far too often normal reactions to extreme situations and trauma are described as mental illness when they are nothing of the sort.

There are quite a few professionals questioning the current accepted practices and many advocating for change. You might find the website ‘madintheuk’ interesting. It contains comments and blogs from psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals who are challenging current practices. As well as people who like you have recovered and who are advocating for different approaches to the current ones.

Unlike in America where there seems to have been court cases about mistreatment of people and the dangers of various drugs. Dr Peter Breggin is one expert there. I don’t think there have been any court cases here.

I am afraid to say I think that you’re right and that there are people trapped in the system.

[Janet2021 in reply to learner01]

Thanks for your reply. I will look at the website 'mad in the uk'. I considered court action, the problem is that it is so expensive that ordinary people cannot possibly take the NHS to court (unless its very straight forward and that is unlikely when you want to reverse a medical diagnosis). I have tried to amend my records under the GDPR. There is no obligation to amend the GP record although you can have a 're-assessment' done that will contradict errors made. This is the stage I am at and this requires a psychiatric visit. I'm busy and psychiatry departments are busy at the moment. An advocacy service told me it could take 10 years to do this with a lot of persistence. They do not like to admit errors. No doubt this could open a can of worms of a multitude of errors and misdiagnosis'. In the meantime, how many are trapped in the system, heavily medicated and unable to live their lives.

The best cure for me was yoga and counselling services to talk through trauma.

[learner01 in reply to Janet2021]

I’m sure that you are right that there are many people trapped in the system. I am shocked that it’s so complicated to get your medical records corrected but it doesn’t surprise me.

It is hugely unjust that it is so difficult and expensive to get things corrected which means it is only those who can afford it who can seek justice.

There is a charity called Action against Medical Accidents - avma.org.uk which fights for patient safety and justice.

Maybe you could make a complaint to the General Medical Council or

other professional body but I realise that that sort of thing takes time, is costly and may not succeed.

It also doesn’t address your concerns that other people are trapped in wrong care.

Perhaps you could write an article about what happened to you and try to get it published. It might help raise awareness amongst the public.