Dear Luise

A predictably "beyond tragic" narrative documenting the enforced use of profoundly toxic "specific" psycho-pharmacology through alleged iatro-genic grievous bodily harm to premature death, described by the "care system" as "an unintended event".The last photograph of Luise perhaps serves to illustrate profound metabolic syndrome associated with injudicious psycholeptic drug use for an implausible "diagnosis".Then add the serial incarceration, separation from family and friend's support and the insight preserved in Luise and her mother as they tried to fight an arrogant and cruel system which is, on occasion, the reality of "orthodox western psychiatry."Perhaps "Dear Luise" might be most clearly understood when read alongside: - Rebekah Beddoe - Dying for a Cure, Dr. Peter Gotzsche : Deadly Medicines and Organized Crime in chapters 17 and 18, A Straight Talking Introduction to Psychiatric Diagnosis by Lucy Johnston, The Bitterest Pills by Dr.Joanna Moncrieff, Saving Normal by Allen Frances MD (Chair of the DSM-IV Task Force) and other books of sincere and erudite questioning.From those who did find compassion, diagnostic re-consideration, acceptance of the abscence of any psychiatric morbidity and understanding of how ill-judged psychiatric prescibing can produce entirely drug induced behavioural toxicities, acceptance that an acute general medical admission for skilled supportive medical management would have prevented serial detention, we can only record profound gratitude for such unassuming psychiatric professional integrity.

Dear Luise is something close to a masterpiece. Mainstream medicine learnt 50 years ago to listen to the concerns of a mother even when the diagnostic apparatus didn't support what she was saying. It hadn't always been like that. But within mental health, the culture not only fails to listen to mothers and family but will often demonize them, call them schizophrenogenic, or over-involved or expressing too much emotion when they question what is happening a family member.In brief and understated vignettes Dorrit Cato Christensen outlines the sequence of events that killed her daughter. It feels like a Drug Traffic Accident happening in slow motion in front of you leaving the reader paralyzed.This a book for anyone who is a patient, a relative or friend, an advocate or a mental health professional. Its not about some rare event. There is almost certainly a case like this happening every day of the week in every psychiatric unit in the land. Few books make a difference - this one might.

Dorrit Cato Christensen has written a heart rending account of her daughter's care and treatment in the Danish psychiatric system which resulted in her untimely death aged just 32. From an early age Luise displayed signs which would now almost certainly be recognised an being on the spectrum of Asperger's Syndrome. However, despite being seen by numbers of psychologists, neurologists and psychiatrists they struggled in the beginning to arrive at a diagnosis. Initially it was thought she suffered from 'hidden epilepsy' and she was given anti-epilepsy mediation. This was to be the beginning of her mental deterioration and of Louise's and her mother's struggle with the psychiatric system in which they became inextricably caught up.This system is one which pays no heed to the voice of the patient or the family. We hear of an over rigid, Kafkaesque bureaucracy which seems incapable of seeing patients as individuals with strengths as well as symptoms, of reflecting on its own practises and certainties and impervious to challenge or complaint. Luise and her mother are rendered powerless as Luise gradually succumbs to the devastating effects of the cocktail of drugs she is given in ever increasing doses, lengthy stays in psychiatric institutions, regular use of physical restraint and the use of the law to enforce this regime of 'care'. As her state worsens she becomes filled with anxiety and experiences psychotic symptom, a situations which inevitably leads to a diagnosis of schizophrenia and more drugs, now to treat this condition. No consideration is given to Luise's pleadings regarding all the negative effects the drugs have on her or her mother's contention that Luise is acutely sensitive to psychiatric medication. Despite the onset of psychotic symptoms where before there were none, chronic vomiting or even when Luise suffers an episode of neuroleptic malignancy syndrome(a medical emergency which leads to death if not promptly treated) due to the high doses of neuroleptic, antipsychotic drugs she is on, none of these are these taken as an urgent wakeup call to her psychiatrist to reconsider his treatment approach. Instead she continued to be given high doses of drugs, but different ones instead. Small wonder, perhaps, that Luise foresees that the medication will kill her and presciently tells her mother that on her tombstone should stand 'the medication killed me'. Luise died in hospital in 2005 hours after she was given her first depot injection despite the strenuous objections of both Luise and her mother, Dorrit Cato Christensen, who was convinced it would lead to her death. Tragically, she was right.Although Luise lived in Denmark and her story concerns the Danish psychiatric system, there is much here for the English reader. It is beautifully and meticulously written. And, despite the torment of all that Luise and her mother endure, and it is certainly extremely hard at times to read, it is also about love. It is about a mother's agonised feelings of love towards her only child who she could not save from those who were meant to care for her, her helplessness in the face of insurmountable odds and her grief over the loss of Luise. And it also tells of what happens when the practice of psychiatry, in Denmark as in Britain, is based solely on the biomedical model which sees all symptom as arising from some fault in the brain the only cure for which is medication. In this model the patient all too easily becomes a dehumanised object and the doctor the all knowing expert. Should the patient not view the situation in the same way a power struggle ensues, one which is described with such clarity and feeling in this book and with which both Luise and her mother engage to the utmost but tragically lose. Ultimately this book is a chilling indictment of the arrogant use and abuse of power - medical, personal, institutional and state sanctioned - over the vulnerable in the name of care and cure. Sadly, that continues to exist the world over.

This is a most elegantly written and translated book which tells the harrowing story of how terribly wrong certain aspects of the medical professions can eventually lead to a total loss of faith in those we are supposed to trust our lives with.As I read the book I became more astonished at the way repeated requests went unheeded, yet sadly, I was not surprised. There is a dreadful attitude in the so called professionals where the patient is disregarded because 'we know best'.This book deserves the widest readership so that there can be a greater understanding as to what might just happen to those who entrust themselves to the medical profession and the medications they prescribe.

At around age ten the smart, funny, quirky, and loving little Luise is misdiagnosed. When really she has Aspergers, it is said she has a form of epilepsy. She is medicated with potent anti-seizure medications for which she initially needs hospitalization to get the dosage right.The kind of hospital ward most familiar with these meds? A psychiatric ward. From this moment on Luise's carefree, joyful, adventurous life is afflicted with erroneous psychiatric diagnoses, unneeded drugs that make her dangerously physically ill, and sheer, reckless mistreatment until she dies in psychiatric 'care' aged 32.Luise's heart breaking tale is poignantly told by her mother. First person accounts of her life with Luise are interspersed with actual letters she wrote Luise when she was out of reach - either mentally, or physically (Luise was locked on psych wards, at times strapped down in isolation for days) that Luise never gets to read before her absolutely preventable death.Luise's experience happens in Denmark, and it would be a relief to those in other countries to think this couldn't happen there. This is sadly untrue as treatment like Luise's is occurring right now on psychiatric wards the world wide.Mental health patients need to read Dear Luise to see if they might recognize their experience in Luise's. Families of mental health patients need to read Dear Luise to see if they might recognize their experience in Luise's mother's. Mental health professionals need to read Dear Luise to see if they might see their treatment and conduct in that of Luise's carers.This book has the potential to save and change the quality of many lives.We tend to think we have evolved so far for the better in relation to stigmatizing differences, judging differences, in our prejudices, and in relation to segregation, and discrimination. Luise was a gorgeous kid who happened to be a `bit different', and she was persecuted for it, to death.Perhaps we still have a bit of a way to go . . .

Luise dies at the age of 32 in psychiatric care of an overdoes of medicine. Through the book Dorrit Cato Christensen gives an account of her and her daughter's struggle in the psychiatric Danish system. As a Dane you think - is this really going on in my country? And yes, it is - Luise is not the only one to die of doctors insistent on more medicine - more medicine.The book was originally planned to be written by Luise and her mother, but Luise was done for before - so the mother courageously wrote it on her own.I think this book is not only for doctors and relatives to patients in psychiatric hospitals. It is a mother's fight against a system of experts unwilling to listen to both mother and child.Luise said at one point to her mother that on her tombstone should stand "Medication killed me" - and so it does.It is a very touching story - told with so much love. Read - be touched - and learn. Are such things going on in your country?