Medication Nation

Thank you for informing us that Sutter Health still uses ECT treatment. I was also told that Heritage Oaks Hospital, the sister hospital of Sierra Vista Hospital, used to perform ECT treatment and that Dr. Lloyd Benjamin was one of the physicians who regularly performed the procedure on his patients. Allegedly, one patient came in with moderate depression, and Dr. Benjamin supposedly did ECT treatments 4-6 times a week, and the man died. The family was devastated, but were too destroyed and shattered to do anything. I would try to check out in your investigation-- or perhaps have someone else do so, whether Heritage Oaks still does ECT since I personally know that Heritage Oaks is not always ethical or obeys the laws in what it does. In fact, after I informed my intake pscyhiatrist at Heritage Oaks that I had twice been previously sexually assaulted at Sierra Vista, I was later almost wrongfully committed to a locked unit of a nursing home on diagnosises that since has been ruled out. (I was allegedly "Schizoaffective" with a "Delusional Disorder.") Further, Dr. Benjamin later told me that he and HO in their Consevatorship "lied" about what they wrote about me in the Petition for Conservatorship in their attempt to institutionalize me. (I have a copy of the Petition and it is, in fact, based on many misrepresenations and lies that can be proved by evidence to be such in a Court of law.) So, clearly the truth does not matter at times at these facilities because one is a "mental patient" and it appears that they can abuse their power with impunity because of the lack of oversight by others. In fact, initially, in order to get me in a "gravely disabled" category, the first psychiatrist originally wrongfully convinced my boyfriend that I was so severely mentally ill and needed such long-term hospitalization that I could not go back to live with him. However, after I was discharged, we have been living together happily and without any hospitalizations/ incidences for almost 4 years-- with every diagnosis made at Heritge Oaks being ruled out. Further, my boyfriend and I are marrying next month despite the fact that the psychiatrist told him "to forget her and go on with your life." I was not informed of my constitutional and patient rights of what was happening to me, so I did not even know that they were attempting to commit me, nor was I able to present evidence on my own behalf, etc.. (All of this happened after I told five people that I had been sexually assaulted twice at their sister PSI hospital, Sierra Vista, and the records used for the Conservatorship Petition also came from Sierra Vista.) Although the Superior Court Judge dismissed the case (I am suing Heritage Oaks for their attempt to wrongfully and illegally commit me to a locked unit of a nursing home for a year)-- think of what they could possibly do to someone who really did not need ECT treatment. All of these procedures are legally suppose to be done in the "least restrictive way," but from what I experienced, the Patient Rights Advocates in Sacramento County were very inept. I found I was not protected-- even though I have a law school degree and would have understood what was happening had I been informed of their intent, plan and, most importantly, my patient rights. If there is virtually no one overseeing what is happening in these facilities except one of two physicians agreeing that they: (1) can order any procedure, i.e. ECT (2) attempt to commit someone to a locked unit/institution for a year without following legal procedure; (3) prescribe over-medications; (4) illegally use restraints or seclusion, (5) decide among themselves that they do not have to investigate patient's backgrounds, such as if he or she has physical illnesses as well, indeed, these hospitals can become very insular and dangerous places to be. That is why we need websites like this to continue to inform and allow an open forum to do patient advocacy work to ensure that we have safe and high quality medical care and hospitalizations.

Wow thank you for this news! 4-6 times is certainly excessive, I personally think 2-3 times a week for 2-3 weeks is enough to pretty much corrupt anyone's software. That's upwards of 10 treatments! It sounds like this doctor doubled it!

I have a hard time believing in any light that psychiatric doctors are in any way shape or form human. They certainly are not winning any awards for service that is for sure. But to knowingly, willingly, and without hesitation cause a person massive brain trauma as a form of treatment just seems completely insane to me.

Mary I am glad you brought the sexual assault up here. That is an extremely urgent issue I want to address soon. You saw the articles from the Chicago Tribune about how children were being molested? Anyway, if you have a sensitive constitution do not read it, it is the most heart breaking story. This is the greatest evidence that I can find in support of eliminating all institutions across the US. It's bad enough that they make a gigantic profit from the American people, but to add insult to injury like this...

Conservatorships are inherently corrupt, I used to work in the collections line, and I would see so many people who were literally bankrupt as a result of their conservator ripping them off. There are no controls, and it is just one big system of theft. On top of the fact that perfectly capable and healthy people are being interred into such a status, and have absolutely no control over it.

I can tell you, I almost want to believe it when people say we are living in a state of absolute dogma and control, the NWO you know? Dissent and you will be destroyed and then enslaved... That's what it translates to for me.

"to forget her and go on with your life." Do you know that these scum bags took this same line with my parents? They employed so much intimidation and told them so many lies "with authority" that my parents were thinking of putting me in a group home! What would happen to my house? My animals? My job? Who would pay my bills? They WANT us to be abandoned, when we have no family and friends left who care for us, we can just be fed into the grinder and left for dead! But when someone is supporting us, or fighting for us, this just gets in their way, and interferes with their plans for exterminating our lives.

I hope you are successful in your case Mary, you need to set a precedent. This is beyond a violation of human rights, because I am sure you are not alone. And so many voices are muffled out, please do not give up on your pursuit. I support you 100%. :'[ If it was me I would be going on a murderous rampage--exactly what they would want to see. What you are doing is noble and superior.