Brilliant psychiatrist stabs his own doctor to death

The Independent (U.K.) ^ | 08/12/03 | Peter Popham

[Pokey78]

A psychiatrist suffering from schizophrenia stabbed to death a former colleague who was treating him. Arturo Geoffroy, 47, killed Dr Lorenzo Bignamini in a Milan street last Friday and was arrested on Sunday at Camogli, near Genoa. He confessed immediately.

Dr Bignamini's name was top of a "hit list" of 13 enemies, including former colleagues, health service directors, magistrates and carabinieri which police found in his car. They also found the knife used in the killing, still covered in blood, and a loaded sub-machinegun.

The tragedy of a brilliant psychiatrist who developed the same condition as his patients began six years ago, in June 1997, when Geoffroy was held captive at knife-point for an hour and a half by a youth who was angry because he had not been paid a disability pension.

Geoffroy eventually managed to calm the youth, who was committed to a psychiatric hospital. But then the doctor began his own descent into madness. He later said of the incident: "The stress threw me into a state of psychological prostration that made it hard for me to continue working."

Rather than the knife incident itself, it was the refusal of the authorities to accept his demands for compensation that seems to have triggered his mental condition.

He stayed at home for many months, sending a series of medical certificates to his hospital excusing himself from work, inundating Italy's health and safety agency Inail with demands for compensation, and denouncing the Italian public health service for lack of security at the workplace.

As petition after petition was rejected, his behaviour grew wilder. He insulted his lawyer, made threats against his landlord, punched a carabiniere who allegedly failed to help him, and even threw his elderly mother downstairs, claiming afterwards that "even she has gone over to the other side".

He lost his job, was struck off the medical register, and in 2001 was committed to San Paolo hospital in Milan for treatment as a schizophrenic. The doctor in charge of his case was Dr Bignamini.

Dr Bignamini's widow, Donata Zocca, told Corriere della Sera newspaper: "When Lorenzo was trying to cure Arturo Geoffroy he had the sensation that he was playing with fire. He was in crisis over how to manage a psychiatrist turned patient ... He treated the case with his usual dedication but he was worried. [Arturo] was his most difficult patient because he was familiar with all of the mechanisms of psychiatry - but he was so profoundly narcissistic that he was unable to recognise his own sickness."

[bedolido]

I had to verify the subject's title... Brillant, he is not.

[Drango]

brilliant psychiatrist

Brilliant or not, the psychiatrist I know are far more twisted than the general population.

[CarmelValleyite]

I hate to say this, but people with major problems themselves tend to gravitate to that profession -- sorry for the generalization, no doubt there are many exceptions.

[Hodar]

Brilliant or not, the psychiatrist I know are far more twisted than the general population.

My findings also .... I've always wondered if these people went into psychiatry because they want to figure out why their lives are so messed up.

[quark]

"'The stress threw me into a state of psychological prostration that made it hard for me to continue working.'"

Spoken as a true lefty.

Rather than the knife incident itself, it was the refusal of the authorities to accept his demands for compensation that seems to have triggered his mental condition.

Socialist refused government handout, kills associate. Yes, a really big lefty...

[elbucko]

the psychiatrist I know are far more twisted than the general population.

They do tend to be in need of the very medicine that they purport to practice.
They are also poor risks for credit.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I've only met one shrink that I would consider normal, and he's French as well (go figure).

[skr]

Hmmmm, Demand-for-Compensation-itis seems to be not only contagious but also fatal in some cases. There also seems to be a strong connection to It's-All-About-Me-itis.

[Billthedrill]

Heckuva thing. The guy owns a submachine gun and he kills his shrink with a knife. Must be crazy.

[Calvin Locke]

Were fava beans and a nice Chianti found in the general vicinity?

[Calvin Locke]

Were fava beans and a nice Chianti found in the general vicinity?

[SwinneySwitch]

Give to mental health - or I will kill you!

[FITZ]

I've only met one shrink that I would consider normal, and he's French as well (go figure).

Maybe certain abnormalities cancel out others.

[cake_crumb]

There's a saying : "People only make a career out of psychology because they need treatment"

In general, it's true.

[cake_crumb]

"I hate to say this, but people with major problems themselves tend to gravitate to that profession -- sorry for the generalization, no doubt there are many exceptions"

Heheheh...yes there are exceptions, but in general it's true.

[Bluntpoint]

Q: Why did the schizophrenic cross the road?

A: To get to his other side.

[Bluntpoint]

Psychiatrist phone


Hello. Welcome to the Psychiatric Hotline

If you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly.

If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2.

If you have multiple personalities, please press 3, 4, 5, and 6.

If you are paranoid-delusional, we know who you are and what you want. Just stay on the line so we can trace the call.

If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press.

If you are manic-depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press. No one will answer.

If you are anxious, just start pressing numbers at random.

If you are phobic, don't press anything.

If you are anal retentive, please hold.

[tet68]

I think that should have been,

"Brittle Psyciatrist"!

[Cheapskate]

Now mabye we can get started on the rat lawyers