Way back when we wrote our post #110 “Iatrogenesis: It’s all the therapist’s fault” (posted March 1), we found a paper on the internet written by two men who believe that multiple personality doesn’t really exist because it is often too vague in its symptoms to diagnose. But we have found psychiatrists, such as Dr Richard Kluft, and others who say that the fact it is not easy to diagnose does not mean it doesn’t exist. Dr Kluft went on to say that its hiddenness is the very essence of multiplexity and that many people can hide it so well that even an expert in the disorder may not spot it.
We came across another piece of writing we got from the internet years ago. In her paper “The Diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder: The Debate Among Professionals”, P. Michelle Campbell wrote about both sides of the coin. She detailed the arguments for both overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of the disorder. However, she pointed out that even though some professionals thought (or maybe still think) that the disorder has been overdiagnosed, many didn’t disbelieve that it existed. “It is not surprising to find that there are many professionals who have always supported the reality of MPD but are doubtful about accuracy of diagnosis because of the recent upsurge in its incidence.”
She said that “proponents of the overdiagnosis argument point to iatrogenesis (therapist induced) or malingering as part of the problem” while “proponents of underdiagnosis cite ignorance or misconceptions about the disorder as key elements involved.” On the side of underdiagnosing multiple personality, she wrote “if a clinician is expecting the classic presentation of MPD, like that of Sybil ... or Eve ..., he or she will most likely miss its presentation altogether the majority of the time. Contrary to popular belief, people with MPD do not always have clear-cut, dramatic, overtly expressed separate identities. Often their symptoms are more mild or subtle than is typically believed. Further, their symptoms may be inconsistent, sometimes varying from day to day, or may be suppressed or hidden. In contrast to what the public observes on talk shows, it is more common to encounter a patient who conceals his or her condition than one who openly expresses it. .. There is also the possibility that only the main or host personality, who often has no knowledge of the other personalities, will ever be assessed.”
One more point she makes is “Because its symptoms also meet the criteria for many other disorders and because any of the various altered states in multiplicity may closely resemble any known disorder, MPD is frequently mistaken for schizophrenia, psychogenic amnesia, psychogenic fugue, borderline personality disorder, temporal lobe epilepsy, somatisation disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, and several others.”
Of course, we Webers stand on the side of underdiagnosis because of how well hidden multiplexity can be, but we are glad to see information like this available. And the upsurge? Probably due to more information coming out about multiplexity. Our understanding is that the book and movie of Sybil really brought the condition into the public eye and that there were more cases reported after that. Malingering? Maybe some people but we have a feeling that “Sybil” gave many people the courage to speak out. Sybil was seen as someone not crazy, not insane, but someone who could heal from childhood trauma, someone who could be helped by a therapist who believed and was very compassionate and caring.
Unfortunately we can’t find this paper on the internet anymore.
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