"Degrading 'treatment' and denial of Human Rights"

During my time on the ward (nearly two months), several staff breached their duty of care and violated my human rights. I was not given my Section 2 paperwork for more than two weeks after I was detained at the ward, meaning I automatically lost my right to appeal against my section.

On three occasions I was forced to stay overnight, alone, in the ‘de-escalation room’. The door was locked and staff refused to let me leave to use the toilet, even when I was banging on the door for help. As a result I had to wet myself and sleep in my own urine. On one occasion I had to defecate in the room, which the staff member who opened the door in the morning ordered me to clean up myself with a paper cup. I felt completely dehumanised.

Once, multiple staff used excessive force to drag me into the room, leaving my arms covered in bruises.

The first night I spent in the room I was so terrified of being harmed or forcibly injected I spent the entire night awake, trying to press a mattress against the door to protect myself from the staff. There was no clock inside, so I had no sense of time or how long I would be in solitary confinement.

On one occasion I was escorted to the room after losing control of my bladder in my room late at night, due to the side effects of the medications I was forced to take. On another I was forced to sleep there after I was having a quiet conversation with another patient in the communal area at night, who herself wanted to sleep in the communal area due to safety fears and who was being very vocal about these. Yet, I was the one dragged away.

It is clear that I was secluded, but it is not clear that I met the criteria for seclusion. Eventually, I managed to telephone the police, who visited the ward and I showed the evidence of harm on my body. But afterwards, one of the staff members I'd named as using excessive force to restrain me confronted me about what I had said and accused me of lying. I did not feel it was safe to speak up against the staff members whose control I was under.

Additionally, during my time on the ward, my mother brought me various items of clothing and personal belongings, which I kept in my room. I frequently requested for my room to be locked. Yet, more than 30 of my belongings were stolen from me, including underwear, clothes and books. Instead of trying to help, staff accused me of giving away my belongings. It’s true that I let a fellow patient borrow one of my jumpers, which she returned, but I never gave away my belongings. Consequently, there were many days when I had to walk around the ward without underwear. Worse still, my legitimate concerns were medicalised as 'paranoia regarding staff'.

Further, one of the patients on the ward was repeatedly violent. On neither occasion did staff take action in response to their behaviour or attempt to support the victims. It is my belief that some patients were discriminated against when it came to de-escalation/seclusion, while others exhibited violent behaviours, seemingly with no repercussions.

And, finally, at the worst point, the ward psychiatrist forced me to take around 18 pills a day because he refused to believe I was taking them all (I was). Not only were they not effective, but they also caused frightening side effects, including passing out and having seizures. Staff ignored what was happening and refused to help. I asked one member of the night staff to help me up after I had passed out in another area of the ward and dragged myself on the floor to the water machine. She refused, told me to “get off the floor” and watched as I dragged myself back to my room.

I complained to the West London trust months ago and they have not responded. No one should have to go through this in the name of mental health 'care'.