Shirley Ardell Mason "Sybil"
1993-1998
Until now the identity of Sybil has been called the most famous psychiatric patient in history, had never been made public (even her friends did not know Shirley was Sybil). Since this was the first multiple personality case, not much information has been leaked.
Shirely was abused by her schizophrenic mother as a young child, thus suffering from serious trauma.
Shirley graduated from Dodge Center High School in 1941, and attended Mankato StateTeachers College (now known as Minnesota State University, Mankato) in the 1940's, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in English and Art in 1949. Shirley received a Master’s degree in Art Education from Columbia University's Teachers College in 1956 and later taught art at Rio Grande College in Ohio, before moving to Lexington, Kentucky in 1974.
Shirely spent half of her time in psychotherapy prompted by emotional breakdowns and outbursts. Her sessions were primarily with Dr. Wilbur. One day Shirley came into Wilbur's office and said that "her name was not Shirley Masion, but Peggy, and that she was a small girl" (Dunning, 1). The appearances of her other personalities came along after that, eventually totaling sixteen personalities. Her personalities varied from girls to boys and even one being an infant.
Dr. Wlibur began to sought out help. Her colleague Dr. Herbert Spiegel specialized in hypnosis, which he often performed on Shirley. It was during these sessions that he began to realize that the various personalities might not be exactly what he'd been told the were, szchophrenic outbursts. Dr Spiegel explained that "Sybil told me that she had read the Three Faces of Eve, Thigpen and Cleckley's book on a case of multiple personalities…. I have the impression that she learned from reading this book that she could express her agonies and her stresses in life through the histrionic display of multiple personalities"
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1993-1998
Until now the identity of Sybil has been called the most famous psychiatric patient in history, had never been made public (even her friends did not know Shirley was Sybil). Since this was the first multiple personality case, not much information has been leaked.
Shirely was abused by her schizophrenic mother as a young child, thus suffering from serious trauma.
Shirley graduated from Dodge Center High School in 1941, and attended Mankato StateTeachers College (now known as Minnesota State University, Mankato) in the 1940's, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in English and Art in 1949. Shirley received a Master’s degree in Art Education from Columbia University's Teachers College in 1956 and later taught art at Rio Grande College in Ohio, before moving to Lexington, Kentucky in 1974.
Shirely spent half of her time in psychotherapy prompted by emotional breakdowns and outbursts. Her sessions were primarily with Dr. Wilbur. One day Shirley came into Wilbur's office and said that "her name was not Shirley Masion, but Peggy, and that she was a small girl" (Dunning, 1). The appearances of her other personalities came along after that, eventually totaling sixteen personalities. Her personalities varied from girls to boys and even one being an infant.
Dr. Wlibur began to sought out help. Her colleague Dr. Herbert Spiegel specialized in hypnosis, which he often performed on Shirley. It was during these sessions that he began to realize that the various personalities might not be exactly what he'd been told the were, szchophrenic outbursts. Dr Spiegel explained that "Sybil told me that she had read the Three Faces of Eve, Thigpen and Cleckley's book on a case of multiple personalities…. I have the impression that she learned from reading this book that she could express her agonies and her stresses in life through the histrionic display of multiple personalities"
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The following case is not clear on the patients complete identity
Kathy is a 29 year old white married female who after overdosing on sleeping pills in her home, was discovered by his husband and admitted to a hospital. The overdose was connected with her inability to cope with her responsibility as a wife and mother. One one occasion the patient was saved from a fire in the home but was unable to recall how it started, as well as denying ever having a sexual relationship with her husband although she is the mother of his three children.
Kathy's early childhood development was uneventful except for temper tantrums and nightmares. The nightmares began at age three when her parents would leave her to cry for hours in her room.
Traumatic experience #1
One night, at age four, Kathy found her father naked in bed with her five year old neighbor. Kathy ran away to her room when her father followed her and persuaded her to take off her clothes and join him and the other girl in their sexual play. Later, Kathy felt depresses and guilty and denied herself what had taken place. The only way she got relief was when she referred to herself as someone else, whom she called "Pat". The second day when approached by her father and the girl, she insisted on being called "Pat", she continued to engage in oral sex with her father for five years.
Traumatic experience #2
At age nine Kathy's mother caught her with her father. Her mother insisted Kathy sleep with her at night to keep her safe, After a short time, the mother became attached to her daughter sexually in what the mother described as a safer relationship. "Kathy" could not accept this, denied herself what was happened and attributed to a new person, "Vera", who continued the relationship with her mother for another five years.
Traumatic experience #3
At age 14 she was raped by an older man who was her father's best friend. Kathy became very depressed and referred to this person as "Debby". During this time her parents described her as miserable and mute, and was admitted to a hospital.
During Kathy's stay in the hospital she showed a mixture of depression, dissociation, and trance-like symptoms with irritability and extensive manipulation. Following her discharge she was seen by a therapist who she grew attached too. He suggested hypnosis as a treatment for her condition. His hypnotherapy sessions focused on the rape incident. He felt that "Debby" was the strongest personality so instead of concentrating on Kathy he encouraged "Debby" to dominate the therapy sessions and talk about "Pat" and "Vera".
Traumatic experience #4
At age 18 "Kathy" became very attached to a boyfriend her parents were opposed to and refused to allow her to see him. "Kathy" became scared, unable to trust either her parents so she ran away from home to another town. She could not find a job and her need of money drove her into prostitution. She began calling herself, "Nancy", who was rejected by "Debby". "Debby" forced "Nancy" into overdosing on sleeping pills where she was then admitted to a mental hospital where she met her husband. At the time multiple personality disorder diagnosis was officially confirmed.
http://jima.imana.org/article/viewFile/6502/37_2-3
Kathy is a 29 year old white married female who after overdosing on sleeping pills in her home, was discovered by his husband and admitted to a hospital. The overdose was connected with her inability to cope with her responsibility as a wife and mother. One one occasion the patient was saved from a fire in the home but was unable to recall how it started, as well as denying ever having a sexual relationship with her husband although she is the mother of his three children.
Kathy's early childhood development was uneventful except for temper tantrums and nightmares. The nightmares began at age three when her parents would leave her to cry for hours in her room.
Traumatic experience #1
One night, at age four, Kathy found her father naked in bed with her five year old neighbor. Kathy ran away to her room when her father followed her and persuaded her to take off her clothes and join him and the other girl in their sexual play. Later, Kathy felt depresses and guilty and denied herself what had taken place. The only way she got relief was when she referred to herself as someone else, whom she called "Pat". The second day when approached by her father and the girl, she insisted on being called "Pat", she continued to engage in oral sex with her father for five years.
Traumatic experience #2
At age nine Kathy's mother caught her with her father. Her mother insisted Kathy sleep with her at night to keep her safe, After a short time, the mother became attached to her daughter sexually in what the mother described as a safer relationship. "Kathy" could not accept this, denied herself what was happened and attributed to a new person, "Vera", who continued the relationship with her mother for another five years.
Traumatic experience #3
At age 14 she was raped by an older man who was her father's best friend. Kathy became very depressed and referred to this person as "Debby". During this time her parents described her as miserable and mute, and was admitted to a hospital.
During Kathy's stay in the hospital she showed a mixture of depression, dissociation, and trance-like symptoms with irritability and extensive manipulation. Following her discharge she was seen by a therapist who she grew attached too. He suggested hypnosis as a treatment for her condition. His hypnotherapy sessions focused on the rape incident. He felt that "Debby" was the strongest personality so instead of concentrating on Kathy he encouraged "Debby" to dominate the therapy sessions and talk about "Pat" and "Vera".
Traumatic experience #4
At age 18 "Kathy" became very attached to a boyfriend her parents were opposed to and refused to allow her to see him. "Kathy" became scared, unable to trust either her parents so she ran away from home to another town. She could not find a job and her need of money drove her into prostitution. She began calling herself, "Nancy", who was rejected by "Debby". "Debby" forced "Nancy" into overdosing on sleeping pills where she was then admitted to a mental hospital where she met her husband. At the time multiple personality disorder diagnosis was officially confirmed.
http://jima.imana.org/article/viewFile/6502/37_2-3