Excellent points Brett. What I find so interesting about Pies is his ABSOLUTE unwillingness to consider the possibility that he might be wrong. It is this that precludes me from taking him seriously either as an experienced clinician or “a man of science”.
Please refrain from posting links to stories that have been written to sell newspapers rather than to report any actual truth. I’m sure there’s a more constructive way to spend your time.
Yes, I think often the “not possible” actually means “I don’t want to know or think about this.” Denial is listed in the DSM as a psychiatric condition funnily enough…
Thanks Richard. I’m not actually anti-psychiatry – in fact about the only thing I am anti is ignorance. I’ve encountered some truly wonderful psychiatrists who all tend to have two things in common – backbone and the recognition that what they are dealing with is a person and not just a made-up diagnosis. The issue for me with mainstream psychiatry is that it tacitly appears to be based on Enlightenment principles whereby rationality is king and being judged to be irrational thereby automatically means you forfeit your place in rational society – your social contract is null and void – and this means that things like dignity, respect, empathy are no longer your natural right. Except of course the science that the medical model of psychiatry is supposedly based on is almost non-existent so it’s exceptionally heartening to see people within the system such as Dr Chris Gordon actually willing to look at the hard evidence and try something else.
Thanks Naas. I’ve always found that those people who have either been patients or close to people who have been through intense mental distress are able to better understand Paul’s story. It doesn’t take much imagination however to appreciate how difficult it would be to live each day with the knowledge that you had killed the man you loved the most when in a psychotic state – something you would never have done in your right mind. Somehow, in all the moral judgments, this is always overlooked.
It is absolutely a tragedy – and unfortunately similar tragedies continue to occur.
You might also want to look at the article written by the same author of the Metro article (see link below) in North and South last year in which the Metro article is explained. You seem to have missed that somehow in your internet search.
Paul did not sue the hospital for releasing him as it’s not possible to do so in NZ but rather his family wished to make a case for negligence in the district health board’s duty of care. His initial case was the subject of a government inquiry which found – like many subsequently – that there were many systemic failures but no one could actually be held accountable or responsible.
Like a few other people commenting on the article, you don’t appear to have read it very closely. I would be interested to know where it states that this was a “medication induced” homicide.
It should also be noted that the Metro article gets quite a few facts wrong.
Excellent points Brett. What I find so interesting about Pies is his ABSOLUTE unwillingness to consider the possibility that he might be wrong. It is this that precludes me from taking him seriously either as an experienced clinician or “a man of science”.
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Hi Lovebug
Please refrain from posting links to stories that have been written to sell newspapers rather than to report any actual truth. I’m sure there’s a more constructive way to spend your time.
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Yes, I think often the “not possible” actually means “I don’t want to know or think about this.” Denial is listed in the DSM as a psychiatric condition funnily enough…
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Correct oldhead and I have at no time said that the medication was the direct cause of the homicide.
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Thanks Richard. I’m not actually anti-psychiatry – in fact about the only thing I am anti is ignorance. I’ve encountered some truly wonderful psychiatrists who all tend to have two things in common – backbone and the recognition that what they are dealing with is a person and not just a made-up diagnosis. The issue for me with mainstream psychiatry is that it tacitly appears to be based on Enlightenment principles whereby rationality is king and being judged to be irrational thereby automatically means you forfeit your place in rational society – your social contract is null and void – and this means that things like dignity, respect, empathy are no longer your natural right. Except of course the science that the medical model of psychiatry is supposedly based on is almost non-existent so it’s exceptionally heartening to see people within the system such as Dr Chris Gordon actually willing to look at the hard evidence and try something else.
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Thanks Naas. I’ve always found that those people who have either been patients or close to people who have been through intense mental distress are able to better understand Paul’s story. It doesn’t take much imagination however to appreciate how difficult it would be to live each day with the knowledge that you had killed the man you loved the most when in a psychotic state – something you would never have done in your right mind. Somehow, in all the moral judgments, this is always overlooked.
It is absolutely a tragedy – and unfortunately similar tragedies continue to occur.
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Thanks Rachel. You’re right – no science equals the kind of subjectivity that will interpret most ‘normal’ behaviour as ‘abnormal’.
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You might also want to look at the article written by the same author of the Metro article (see link below) in North and South last year in which the Metro article is explained. You seem to have missed that somehow in your internet search.
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http://www.metromag.co.nz/online/love-madness-a-killers-reawakening/
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Dear Frank
Paul did not sue the hospital for releasing him as it’s not possible to do so in NZ but rather his family wished to make a case for negligence in the district health board’s duty of care. His initial case was the subject of a government inquiry which found – like many subsequently – that there were many systemic failures but no one could actually be held accountable or responsible.
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Hi Lovebug,
Like a few other people commenting on the article, you don’t appear to have read it very closely. I would be interested to know where it states that this was a “medication induced” homicide.
It should also be noted that the Metro article gets quite a few facts wrong.
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