Three Bay Area military veterans struggling with serious mental health issues have filed a federal lawsuit accusing their former Veterans Affairs (VA) psychiatrist of serious ethical and legal lapses, including sexual abuse, dosing an unwitting patient with a potent psychedelic drug, and using astrology to inform therapeutic decisions.

In their darkest emotional hours – coping with major trauma experienced both in and outside of the military – the veterans say they turned to VA psychiatrist Dr. Ferda Sakman for help. Instead, she left new scars, they say in the lawsuit.

“I was desperately seeking help,” said former Army medic Chris Park, who says he often drinks from the time he wakes up until blacking out at night and doesn’t like to stray far from his San Jose neighborhood.

“Biologica

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