Psychiatrists in Denmark are still threatening to forcibly detain a severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) patient in a psychiatric hospital. They have dismissed the calls and vital severe ME information that more than 4,000 people in the ME and long Covid community, including renowned international patient organisations, presented to them as from “uncredible sources”. Now, 26-year-old Line Langager Anderson says that her psychiatrists are even using it against her, and that it has only furthered:
their belief that I am delusional.
Severe ME/CFS patient in Denmark at risk
Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) is a chronic systemic neuroimmune disease which affects nearly every system in the body. It causes debilitating symptoms – which you can read more about here.
In particular, post-exertional-malaise (PEM) is the hallmark feature of ME. This involves a disproportionate worsening of other symptoms after even minimal physical, social, mental, or emotional exertion.
At least 25% of people live with severe ME. In these cases, people living severe ME are mostly, if not entirely permanently bed-bound or hospitalised. On top of this, they are often unable to digest food, communicate, or process information and are fully dependent on others for their care.
Line Langager Anderson has lived with severe ME since April 2020. This was after a head and neck injury worsened her condition. She’s based in Denmark, and currently living at the care facility Arbejde Adlers Hus.
Threatened with forced hospitalisation in a psychiatric facility
However, as the Canary previously detailed, when her medical providers brought psychiatrists into her care, they started threatening to detain Line in a psychiatric hospital.
In particular, the psychiatrists had attributed her severe ME/CFS symptoms to ‘psychosis’. They began forcing Line to take the antipsychotic medication olanzapine. At the same time, they started withholding the medication Line used to treat her pain symptoms.
What’s more, Line’s medical team have also tried to prescribe numerous extremely dangerous non-evidenced-based treatments for ME patients. This included the notorious graded exercise therapy (GET), and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Either treatment could put Line at immense risk.
The clinician overseeing Line’s care has even admitted how they have no experience or knowledge treating ME patients. Despite this, it hasn’t stopped them setting an ultimatum for Line’s recovery. Specifically, Line previously told the Canary that her medical providers were ignorant that the disease has no curative treatment. As a result, they had given her three weeks to:
accept and try treatment with this medication. If I do not get out of bed during this period, they claim that I am unmotivated and a danger to my own health, thereby justifying forced hospitalization.
ME and long Covid community come out in force
Given the dire urgency of Line’s situation, a group of people from the ME and long Covid community started a petition. This called on the Copenhagen care facility to halt Line’s imminent forced detention in a psychiatric hospital.
The group wrote that:
Involuntary hospitalisation in a psychiatric ward will cause Line harm through:
- Harsh hospital conditions of extreme light/noise/chemical fumes, which are like torture to someone enduring Severe ME.
- This extreme exertion will lead to compounding PEM (post-exertional malaise, the cardinal symptom of ME) which may take months to recover from or cause permanent deterioration in her baseline function.
- The effects and side effects of unnecessary antipsychotic medications and withdrawal of beneficial ME medications.
- The combination of mental distress and severe PEM could undermine her ability to digest nutrition and thereby lead to a life threatening situation.
The letter also pointed Line’s medical team to a suite of scientific information and resources on severe ME/CFS. It has now been signed by more than 4,000 people, and multiple “internationally renowned ME organisations” have gone on record backing the plea.
So far however, this hasn’t been enough – as Line’s medical team continue to dismiss her needs as a severe ME patient. Crucially, they haven’t ceased the threat of psychiatric detention.
Psychiatrists dismissing international patient community and experts on severe ME/CFS
Now, the group have posted an update on Line’s petition. They said that:
Last week the Severe ME Advocacy Group heard from Line in Denmark that the psychiatrists had dismissed our letter as being from “uncredible sources”.
Line added “They are using it against me, furthering their belief that I am delusional”. It might be suggested that, having been provided with an array of links to scientific evidence of the biological basis of ME by a senior UK doctor backed by more than 4000 other people from all over the world, Line is not the person to whom “delusional” should be applied.
In short, the psychiatrists involved in Line’s care at Arbejde Adlers Hus are putting Line’s life at serious risk. Not only have they repeatedly ignored Line’s knowledge from living with her condition, now, they’re also dismissing patients, international experts, advocates, and a wealth of scientific evidence.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the first case of psychiatrists intransigently refusing to listen to severe ME/CFS patients. The Canary has reported on numerous instances of similar abuse and neglect resulting in psychiatric detention. This includes severe ME patient Carla Naoum in West Middlesex Hospital – who the group even referenced in their letter to Line’s medical providers.
Line is now faced with no choice but to seek legal advice – so is raising funds to consult a lawyer. If you are in a position to contribute, you can do so here.
It should never get to the point where a seriously chronically ill patient has to turn to a lawyer to fight for safe medical care. However, all across the world for severe ME patients, this is far too often the case. Ultimately, it’s because arrogant medical professionals consistently refuse to listen. And unconscionably, this continues to be to tragic catastrophic consequences for people living with this awful disease.
Featured image supplied
