“Sybil” The Story of Shirley Ardell

Mason(1923-1998)

Dissociative Identity Disorder(Multiple Personality Disorder)

• Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a severe condition in which two or more distinct identities, or personality states, are present in—and alternately take control of—an individual.

• The person also experiences memory loss that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness.

• Individuals with this disorder experience frequent gaps in memory for personal history, both remote and recent.

• The more passive identities tend to have more constricted memories whereas the more hostile, controlling, or “protector” identities have more complete memories

(DSM-IV)

Sybil’s Personalities • Female Personalities• Vanessa: Holds Sybil's musical abilities, plays the piano and helps Sybil pursue a

romantic relationship with Richard. She's a young girl, possibly 12 years old (that's what Richard says and Vanessa does not dispute).

• Vicky: 13 year old who speaks French, a very strong, sophisticated and mature personality who knows about and has insight into all the other personalities, though Sybil does not. (states age when she is looking in the mirror at her doctor's home)

• Peggy: 9 year old who speaks like a little girl. Holds Sybil's artistic abilities, often appears while crying hysterically due to Sybil's fears. She has many misconceptions; for instance, she does not know that she is in New York City and, instead, thinks she is in the small town that Sybil grew up. Peggy feels the greatest trauma from her mom's abuse, often feeling sad/depressed and unable to find happiness. Her biggest fears include the green kitchen, purple, Christmas, and explosions.

• Marcia: dresses in funeral attire and constantly has suicidal thoughts and attempts suicide. Supposedly tried to kill Sybil in the Harlem hotel but was stopped from Vicky. She thinks the end of the world is coming, but what she really fears is the end of Sybil.

Sybil's Personalities cont.

• Mary: is Sybil's memory of her grandmother; she speaks, walks and acts like a grandmother, and is anxious to meet Sybil's grandmother.

• Nancy: who kept waiting for the end of the world and was afraid of Armageddon. She's a product of Sybil's dad's religious fanaticism.

• Ruthie: is one of Sybil's less developed selves, a baby in fact. When Sybil hears her mom's voice, she is so terrified that she regresses into Ruthie, an alter that parallels Sybil as a helpless, regressive, pre-verbal baby.

• Clara: Around 8–9 years old. No info given.

• Ellen: Around 13–14 years old. No info given.

• Margie: Around 10–11 years old. No info given.

• Sybil Ann: Around 5–6 years old. Very shy.

• Male Personalities

• Mike: built the shelf in the top of Sybil's closet to hide Vickie's paintings, which she does at night. He and Sid want to know if they can still give a baby to a girl like daddy did even though they are in Sybil's (a female's) body. He's around 9–10 years old.

• Sid: wants to be just like his father, loves football. He's around 7–8 years old

Patient’s Reasons for Seeing a Therapist

• Sybil started seeing Dr. Wilbur after she had an episode that involved her putting her arm through a window cutting her wrist. While being examined the doctor said she seemed confused.

• Sybil went to have a neurological exam with Dr. Wilbur, during the exam Sybil transitioned into her alter, Peggy who is a 9 year old girl.

• Dr. Wilbur was very intrigued with Sybil's behavior and wanted her to return in a few days.

• 11:45

History of Present Illness

• Current Symptoms Sybil and her other personalities experience: Memory Lapses (Amnesia) Time Loss, Seeing/having things they don't remember buying or doing, Depressive Tendencies, Anxiety Hallucinations, Suicidal thoughts.

• Sybil has exhibited these symptoms since she was young, her mother and father described it as “her moodiness” .

• 24.50

Medical History

• As a child Sybil saw the Dr. for what he calls childhood aches and pains these included:

Fractured ClavicleTonsillectomy

Torn Ligaments in her right shoulderPalm of right hand burned on stove

Fractured Larynx Beans stuck up her nose

Gas inhalation Went to Dr. for a bladder complaint, he found Vaginal Scaring

and tears • 154.40

Psychological History

• Sybil was physically abused by her mother as a child partially due to her mother's Paranoid Schizophrenia.

• Sybil was physically and emotionally abused by her mother.

• Sybil’s mother also sexually abused her with different objects, including knifes, button hooks, and an enema bottle.

• Sybil also exhibits signs of depression and anxiety

• 108.00 and 173.00

Drug and Alcohol History

• Sybil has no known drug or alcohol abuse

Behavioral Observations

• Sybil often looses track of time, She calls them her blackouts.

• She shows one personality at a time. • Sybil is unaware of her alternate personalities, but the

other alters know about each other.

• 17.30

Mental Status Examination

Functional Assessment

Diagnosis (5 axis)

• Axis I- Clinical Disorders: Dissociative disorders (Dissociative Identity Disorder, etc.)

• Axis II- Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation: Paranoid personality disorder, Borderline personality disorder, Dependent personality disorder. Sybil as well as her many personalities has exhibited traits of each of these disorders.

• Axis III- General Medical Condition: Due to abuse there was suspected damage to her reproductive organs, which leads to not being able to have children.

• Axis IV- Psychosocial and Environmental Problems: She showed signs of problems with primary support and occupational problems

• Axis V- Global Assessment of Functioning:

Treatment Plan

• Hypnosis was the chosen method of treatment• Dr. Wilbur uses hypnosis on Sybil to help her through

painful memories or stressors. • Dr. Wilbur wanted to understand what Sybil had gone

through as a young child, and how to help her work through that particular painful memory or stressor.

• In the end Dr. Wilbur has Sybil meet all of her other personalities, so they can help Sybil get herself back together.

• Art Therapy• 176.00

Prognosis

How Did the Movie Do?

This movie did a great job depicting Sybil’s personality disorder. The use of the mirror represents the person who

was living inside of Sybil at each time. This gives the viewers a better idea of who the characters were at that time. In

addition to this, the psychiatrist treated her accurately. The depiction of Sybil’s life experiences throughout the movie

were very realistic.