* Another tragic misdiagnosis
of an EHS sufferer who have been locked up and forcibly medicated (15/9/02)
Tramès per Klaus Rudolph (Citizens'
Initiative Omega)
13 & 14 Sep 2002
Von: Imelda O'Connor ehsisreal@yahoo.co.uk
Greetings:
Further to the grossly unprofessional treatment of Dr. Munzert by psychiatrists
(access through Google entry of "Citizens Initiative Omega"),
I would like to bring to your attention this letter I received yesterday.
I have the original plus address of the writer. She has given me permission
to share her tragic treatment by psychiatrists who did not believe in
her EHS condition.
Below, I have transcribed the handwritten letter I received yesterday
from a U.K. based EHS sufferer who was forcibly locked up in a psychiatric
institution when she sought help. One psychiatrist concluded that as she
claimed she could not use a telephone anymore, she must be mentally ill!
I had requested and have now received her permission (as noted below in
her own words) to share this letter with all other sufferers and supporters
of our EHS cause.
Documentation from other ES/EHS persons who have been tragically misdiagnosed
as psychotic and involuntarily committed to psychiatriceps institutions
have been requested. Here is one that has happened very recently--within
the last few months.
The psychiatric profession is in serious need of an overhaul and that
goe for every aspect of it from freshman courses right through humanitarian
care of its patients! It has taken very sane indeed electrosensitives
to expose the stomach churning lack of sensitivity, malpractice, and plain
cruelty (the word evil as a qualifier here keeps suggesting itself) that
has been going on within that institution that at whim gives patients
a thumbs up or down as to their level of sanity! What barbarism!
Best Wishes,
Imelda
______________________________________________________
Note: where I can't decipher right now a word, phrase,
or number, in this hand-written letter, I'll indicate that with _____
and use [ ] for my comments. Later, these minor difficulties
in text transcription can be resolved by a more careful study on my part
or/and consultation with the writer.
_____________________________________________________
Envelope is postmarked 9th September, 2002
______________________________________________________
Dear Imelda:
Thank you so much for your letter of 27.8.02 and the info.
1. Yes, you can share my letter with your ES friends.* However,
will it not depress them? N.B. As pointed out [in previous letter],
I have not given you my professional surname.
* sufferers & supporters
2. Circumstances of section [U.K. term for being psychiatrically
confined] (as requested by you). I had to move out of my flat (due to
equipment the neighbour in the flat above me was using, --maliciously).
[Her use of the word "malicious" here, does not indicate paranoia!
I have also experienced the very negative actions of some people who just
for malicious "fun" knowing I'm electrosensitive, would turn
on every possible light to roast me.] It is this equipment which has triggered
all my serious hypersensitivity problems. I found it increasingly hard
to procure temporary accommodation (given the Gatwick summer trade), whilst
I reached for suitable longer term accommodation. I therefore, eventually,
reminded "my" G.P., the local authority housing departments
(where I had been living)--and where I was then living temporarily, and
social services that they had a legal obligation to assist anyone "homeless"
for medical reasons. I was told (by social services and a doctor)
that I could use a room at the hospital from which I would be free to
come and go as I searched for long term accommodation. I pointed
out that hospitals were not appropriate places for electrosensitive people
(fluorescent lights, smoke sensors and other sensors, . . . ) and was
told this was a "special" room in a "special part"
of the hospital without the devices I was concerned about . .
.. However, I found that the room and ward in question were an ordinary
hospital room and ward &, on my very first visit, I began to feel
very unwell. I therefore thanked the "hospital" but explained
that I would not be able to take up the offer of a room. Thereupon,
seven thuggish members of staff were ordered to grab me and drag me down
a corridor into a secure psychiatric unit (the "thugs" had been
waiting for me in a room into which I had been asked to step). My arms
were badly twisted (despite my shouting out that I have osteoporosis),
my shoes were dragged off my feet (one shoe was broken in the process).
I was covered in bruises & red marks on my skin. I was put on a __[this
may be 9.2 but more likely, it is 5.2]. During this, a psychiatrist
spent some four minutes with me in a courtyard & declared that because
I could not use a phone I must be mentally ill, & put me on a section
2 (28 days). I was force medicated for a while (again very brutally).
The psychiatrist in charge of my case saw me twice only (and only during
a "review", with students and other people present), & "spoke"
to me for some 5 minutes only on both occasions ( & did not in fact
enter into any real conversation with me). The mental health reviews
tribunal did nothing to help me, and simply endorsed the section (!) Whilst
___[avoiding] (as did, by now, the hospital) that I was electrosensitive
the psychiatrist in question then wanted to put me onto a section 3 (up
to 6 months & -- [repeatable] for life),--but needed agreement from
an independent psychiatrist. When the first one failed to agree
with her, a second one was dispatched---- [she] too, however, did not
think that I should be placed on any section. By this time, the psychiatrist
in que tion ran out of time (the 28 days had been served)--& I was
released. Surviving under the numerous fluorescent light units,
the smoke __sensors has been very difficult. (Excuse handwriting:
some of foregoing written at night in a house which is problematic for
me EHS-wise.) Some sadistic staff made problems worse . . ..
I am now, tragically, sensitized to fluorescent lights: which cuts
out most of the job market __ when I need more expensive accommodation.
(A detached house--annexe or mobile home would be cheaper, but not easy
to find around here). I've moved from the flat into various forms
of temporary accommodation--rented a semi-detached house for a while,
but my neighbour, it turns out, has a four foot __ [gas] tank along our
joint wall, & it is proving very problematic for me--the area also
has a lot of traffic which is also stressful.
I cannot, honestly, see a satisfactory way forward for me at the moment.
The right accommodation would help tremendously, particularly if in the
right place, but I cannot afford it.
3. Please answer as many questions as you can in my previous
letter. Informal jottings will do.
4. Presumably, you do not know of any fund, etc. which might help
with securing affordable accommodation? Help could be with the search
&/or financial.
5. I imagine I am more sensitive than you (e.g. phone problems,
total deterioration, . . .).
6. Is there any way I can protect myself legally from any repeat
of my appalling experiences re. sectioning?
Best wishes & thank you again for your generous responses.
J.
6-7-8/9/02
P.S.
7. Have you ever heard of/know of anyone being "cured"*
or getting much better re. ES via any treatment (Dr. Jean Monro at the
Breakspear Hospital, Dr. Kenyon, homeopaths, etc. ?)
8. Enclose article re. current Director of World Health Authority
who is ES.
*Or do you conclude that "avoidance" is the only solution (it
is only a temporary solution, with myself at least).
N.B. ____ on paper due to rain drops: trying to write outside!
My doctorate research was not relevant to ES. (Biology, but of no
relevance).
Since, I have lectured on aspects of Human [Physiology] and on aspects
of Environmental Science, but again, not on ES matters. I am not highly
specialized on Human [Physiology]--although my background would make it
more understandable.
--I would have responded earlier but I have been packing at my flat (difficult
because of my serious symptoms here), and I am having considerable symptom
problems at the present address. The packing had to be done by a
date deadline.
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