“My every word was misrepresented”: a Muscovite seeks to cancel the diagnosis, because of which she lost her apartment

Svetlana and Maxim Gudkov lived together for 16 years.

They raised three children (currently they are 18, 16 and seven years old).

As Svetlana recalls, problems in the family began seven years ago, shortly after the birth of their third child.

“I then left work to take care of the child, and in the meantime, my husband completely cut me off from finances.

Because of this, I decided to file for divorce, ”said Svetlana RT.

The Gudkovs divorced in May 2018.

Already after the divorce, Svetlana drew attention to the oddities in her husband's behavior.

For example, according to a woman, in 2016 he tried to force her to pay for a communal apartment through the court.

The corresponding lawsuit was registered in 2016 in the Savyolovsky court.

As follows from the materials of the court, the claim was left without consideration.

Maxim Gudkov and his lawyer declined to comment.

"Telling Fables"

The former spouses did not manage to part amicably: the trials began, which are still ongoing.

Despite litigation, Svetlana and Maxim continued to live with their children in a common apartment.

It is not surprising that, as Svetlana notes, quarrels constantly broke out with her ex-husband.

In June 2018, the woman could not stand it and went to the doctor.

“I couldn’t sleep for several days due to nervousness, so I ended up calling an ambulance myself,” says Svetlana.

Gudkova was taken to hospital No. 4 named after Gannushkin, from where the woman was able to leave only after 50 days.

The hospital obtained involuntary hospitalization through the courts.

Svetlana was seriously diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

According to the Muscovite, her ex-husband had a hand in this, who in paints painted the doctor with oddities in her behavior.

“He told the head physician some fables about me.

Allegedly, all this time I behaved insanely, but for some reason they hid it before and did not go to the doctors.

Every word I said was twisted.

For example, I told the doctors that for three years I was, figuratively speaking, a hostage, because I was completely dependent on my husband financially and could not just leave the family.

It was presented as if I had delusions of persecution.

I allegedly believed that I was kidnapped and forcibly held, which, of course, is not so, ”Svetlana explained.

Subsequently, the woman voluntarily underwent an examination at the outpatient clinic center "Help".

She was examined by Doctor of Medical Sciences Mikhail Drobizhev, who concluded that the diagnosis was erroneous.

According to the conclusions of this examination (available to RT), Gudkova did not have a number of criteria for determining schizophrenia listed in the ICD (“echo of thoughts”, hallucinations, etc.).

Moreover, the diagnosis was made only at the age of 44, although the first severe attack should have occurred before the age of 30.

Thus, it is not clear how Svetlana managed all these years to work and raise children without attracting the attention of psychiatrists.

According to the expert, the only reason for going to a psychiatric hospital was stress from a conflict with her husband, while the manifestation of schizophrenia does not depend on external conditions.

“At the time of observation, there are no signs of a mental disorder.

Gudkova does not pose a danger to children ... She does not need treatment with psychotropic drugs and observation by a psychiatrist, ”the conclusion says.

"They didn't let me go home"

After the first hospitalization, Svetlana returned to the shared apartment.

But on December 15, 2019, she was again taken to Hospital No. 4.

According to the Muscovite, the ex-husband called an ambulance.

This time, instead of paranoid schizophrenia, Gudkova was diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder.

The doctors themselves refused the diagnosis originally made to her, but the court took into account that the woman was hospitalized with schizophrenia in 2018.

Svetlana was again kept in the hospital for 50 days.

An independent examination did not confirm schizotypal disorder.

As Drobizhev noted, the medical history indicates that the woman “had strange beliefs in the past that did not correspond to cultural norms,” but this in itself cannot be a sign of disorder, which is even enshrined in law.

At the same time, she did not have other symptoms that should have manifested throughout her life (obsessions, depersonalization, etc.).

After the second hospitalization, Svetlana could not get home.

“They simply didn’t let me in, I can’t even pick up my personal belongings left there.

I am forced to live with relatives, although I own a large share in our common apartment, ”she complains.

This happened because the ex-husband filed a lawsuit against her for restriction of parental rights, the Muscovite continues.

As noted in the court materials (available to RT), Maxim Gudkov motivated his demands with his wife's diagnosis.

He stated that “the defendant has a mental illness of paranoid schizophrenia, in July 2018 and in December 2019 she was placed in a psychiatric hospital.”

Gudkov also noted that his ex-wife does not take medicine, does not visit the PND, and her behavior allegedly poses a threat to the life and health of children.

According to him, Svetlana does not properly fulfill parental responsibilities for raising children.

Battle of expertise

Maxim Gudkov submitted to the court the conclusion of specialist No. 7718-243 "MVI EXPERTISE", from which it follows that Svetlana, in connection with her diagnosis, may pose a danger to her minor children.

The document states that his ex-wife “has a mental illness of a schizophrenic structure, there is a negative attitude and hostility towards her ex-husband, the communication of children with their mother is unbearable and a stationary forensic psychological and psychiatric examination is necessary.”

Svetlana underwent an independent examination and submitted a medical certificate issued by the Forensic Institution MO (available to RT).

It notes that the woman showed no signs of mental illness and “she does not pose a danger to others, including children.”

The court appointed Gudkova an additional examination, but Svetlana did not go through it, since this would mean a long stay in a hospital.

“At first it was a one-day examination.

I went to her, she did not confirm the results made during hospitalization, but they could not remove the diagnosis based on her results, so they recommended a hospital, ”she says.

“I refused to go there.

Going back to the hospital for 30 days, when you are completely dependent on doctors, with no connection to the outside world, was very tough.”

As Elina Zhgutova, head of the Ivan Chai movement, noted, Gudkova's decision is quite understandable.

“In our country, the methods of punitive psychiatry are used by dishonorable relatives, including for the purpose of alienating a child.

It’s hard to judge a woman who has already gone through several of these hospitalizations and knew what she would face,” she says.

As Zhgutova clarified, the results of such examinations, as experience shows, are usually not in favor of the mother, which Svetlana probably guessed, so she did not rush to the hospital: “Usually, doctors give a very vague conclusion, and the court also does not want to take risks.

The reinsurance mechanism is activated, and as a result, the mother is deprived of the right to raise her child.”

"It's hard to diagnose"

Now Svetlana is trying to restore her parental rights, and at the same time she is seeking in court the right to use her living space.

“I am ready for different options, you can sell the apartment and allocate the due share to me, I would then buy housing for the children myself from this money, but my ex-husband does not make any compromises.

He clearly has a goal to deprive me of everything, ”she complains.

As lawyer Ramil Gizatullin noted, although according to the law Gudkova owns a large share in housing, she cannot use it, since this infringes on the interests of children.

“There was a legal conflict: although she has all the property rights, she cannot use them without the permission of her husband, and he does not seem to be inclined to compromise,” the expert notes.

In his opinion, this case clearly explains why people treat a psychiatric diagnosis as a dangerous stigma.

“It is very easy to get to the appropriate institution and get a diagnosis.

Often this is done simply from the words of neighbors and relatives, but it is very difficult to make a diagnosis.

At the same time, even just registering very seriously affects the quality of life, ”says Gizatullin.

Now, in his opinion, a woman needs to seek in court the cancellation of registration with the PND.

“If the diagnosis is removed, then the restriction on parental rights will be canceled due to the discovery of new circumstances, and the whole case will fall apart,” the lawyer said.

At the same time, he admitted that this removal of the diagnosis is an extremely difficult path, and cases when it has been completed to the end are still rare in Russian practice.