Lesley Brown is a retired psychotherapist who has lived in Lancashire for around 50 years, has written a book documenting her experiences, describing negligent and at times abusive care, alongside a system that she says repeatedly failed to listen to carers.
The book has been written under a pseudonym to protect those involved.
She told the Lancashire Telegraph: “I wanted to write a story to protect others from some abusive services.
“The book is part of my passion to improve them.
“When I started to realise there was a major problem with services, I began to record what had happened, cancelled meetings, chaotic situations.
“During one particularly bad admission, I kept a diary while he was on the ward.”
Her book charts nearly three decades of struggle, during which she says under‑resourced services, poor communication between providers and a lack of proper assessment contributed to her son’s decline.
Ms Brown said: “It was about being heard.
“We’re not listened to and I wanted to get my story out there.”
Drawing on both her professional background and personal experience, she also raises concerns about the use of psychiatric diagnoses and medication.
In the book, she questions what she describes as a “trial‑and‑error” approach to prescribing powerful drugs without sufficient monitoring, echoing wider debates in mental health care as the UK Government updates legislation and international bodies call for a reduction in coercive practices.
Her son first became unwell in his late teens, after heavy cannabis use led to paranoia. She believes medication prescribed at the time worsened his condition.
“He was put on antipsychotics and he deteriorated physically,” she said. “It happened with two different medications.
“The drugs kept coming and it kept getting worse.”
She said the experience left her exhausted and fearful for her son’s safety.
“When you see your family being traumatised by the service, it’s devastating.
“I had nights where I lay awake thinking, ‘How could I protect him?'”
Ms Brown, who previously worked as an NHS speech therapist before retraining as a psychotherapist, said she had long been passionate about supporting marginalised people, including those with learning disabilities.
“I’ve been burnt out fighting the system,” she said. “Very few people who work in services listen to carers.”
Her son, once a high‑achieving grammar school pupil, now lives in supported accommodation and has not been admitted to hospital in seven years after previously being sectioned annually.
“He’s terrified of being admitted again,” she said. “She believes he may now have PTSD from his experiences.”
Despite her criticisms, she acknowledged that some professionals within the system are dedicated but said many leave due to pressures or become desensitised.
Ms Brown has worked with mental health trusts and carers’ groups and was named a Carer Contributor of the Year by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2022.
She hopes the book will prompt reflection among professionals and policymakers.
“I’d like it to be read by mental health professionals and students entering the profession,” she said. “I would like the book to reach government departments as well. Change is needed.”
The book combines personal testimony with research and references to wider studies, aiming to give a voice to families who feel unheard.
“I share what it was like to be with my son in very dreadful places,” she said. “This has been a passion of mine for a long time, giving a voice to people who are not listened to.”
Groundhog Day is available to purchase for £12.99 at troubador.co.uk/bookshop/health-wellbeing/groundhog-day.
