Multiple Personality Disorder - Case- Britney Spears

“After rumors of substance abuse gave way to claims of an undiagnosed bipolar condition, sources close to Britney Spears are now claiming that her mental problems are more likely to be a multiple personality disorder.” (Lucy, Britney Spears has multiple personality disorder?) Many journalists, critics and media reviewers made similar statements like Lucy above. Have all of them made legitimate statement of Britney Spares? We are going evaluate them later in this essay.

In popular culture, dissociation identity disorder previously known as multiple personality disorder is regarded as a rare psychological condition. In the world of media and entertainment, this condition is best manifested through a series of hysterical symptoms. Clinically, however, multiple personality disorder comprise only about 1% of the total population and 7% have experienced dissociation at some point in time (Sancar, “Exploring Multiple Personality”).

Before analyzing multiply personality disorder in celebrities, we should first understand, what this disorder is all about. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a condition characterized by the disruption of the normal integration of memory, consciousness, and identity. When we talk about its victims, DID usually and perhaps naturally starts to penetrate at early age or childhood. A full-blown or poly-fragmented DID is the consequence of a severe, and prolonged incidence of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse which transpired during prior to reaching 12 years old. DID happen as the individual tries to free his thoughts from the traumatic experience (Sancar, “Exploring Multiple Personality”).

Therefore one cannot associate this mental illness merely to celebrities. An individual suffers from DID when fighting or fleeing is not the best defense mechanism possible. In order to remain on top of the situation, the individual distances himself or herself from the incident. To cope with the situation, an individual usually detaches themselves from their environment, eliminating unwanted feelings from consciousness (Sancar, “Exploring Multiple Personality”).

Mental disorders are common among people who are hugging the limelight. But according to an article in Psychology Today, author highlights and associates specifics disorders to celebrities by saying, being a celebrity is always synonymous with mental disorders. Marilyn Monroe was a famed actress during her time. However, she was in consistent consultation with a psychiatrist and at the same time prone to drugs and alcohol (Druckman and Maday, “Celebrity Meltdown”).

Ted Turner, owner of Time Warner, was acclaimed as being the father of cable television. Despite owning more than $2 billion in assets, Turner was constantly battling manic depression (Druckman and Maday, “Celebrity Meltdown”).

Aside from both common and popular people who have traumatic experiences, recent studies have shown that DID affects 1% of the entire population to as much as 5-20% of people confined in psychiatric hospitals. The likelihood of DID is even greater among victims of sexual abuse and persons with chemical dependencies (Angelfire, “Dissociative Identity Disorder”). One can now guess that the ratio of the victims of such disorder are because of these mishaps in their individual lives and has nothing to do with what their professions are and how much they are socially known such as celebrities. In addition, recent literature has likewise revealed that females are more prone to DID than males. The likelihood of the disorder in men is when they are being treated for other mental conditions, drugs or alcohol, or when they are in jail (Angelfire, “Dissociative Identity Disorder”).

If we further look for the symptoms and causes of DID, we could easily find heavy research clarifying that “multiple personality” is misleading, which is the main reason why the name of the illness was changed to dissociative identity disorder. An individual who suffers from DID have more than two personality states within them. Each of the states manifests their own method of relating, thinking, perceiving, and remembering about their past experiences. Usually these states are always in conflict with each other (Angelfire, “Dissociative Identity Disorder”). Thus DID in high profile celebrities like Britney Spares can no way come across as it results from a life-threatening trauma at a critical developmental period of childhood. However, in such modern cultural lifestyle, DID can be a consequence of extreme physical, emotional, or sexual harassment. They may have personality shadows becoming strong enough that it thwarts the dominant personality from coping up with the painful experience (Angelfire, “Dissociative Identity Disorder”).

Schizophrenia literally means, “split mind.” Unfortunately, popular culture equates this mental condition with having a “split personality” although this has no relation whatsoever to schizophrenia (Marshall, “What is Schizophrenia?”). Beside “split personality,” schizophrenia is most often associated with insanity and societal madness. The majority of people often consider individuals who have a queer manner of dressing, with rigid or contorted bodies, saying bizarre statements, among others, as schizophrenic (Marshall, “What is Schizophrenia?”). As mentioned above, having “split personality” is not totally related to being schizophrenic. This statement means that an individual has more than two independent states in his mind, which are trying to control the other. While it has become popular in media, schizophrenia is actually a rare illness (Marshall, “What is Schizophrenia?”).

“Split mind,” on the other hand, means that the brain of one personality is not functioning properly. The mind is malfunctioning because the actual function of the mind is disorganized. Aside from that, the brain’s processes are fragmented or distorted. As a result, the individual experiencing this phenomenon acts, speaks, and thinks bizarrely (Marshall, “What is Schizophrenia?”).

The symptoms of schizophrenia may vary from one person to another. In general, the bizarre attributes of the illness are not manifested all the time, even if it remains untreated. The symptoms vary depending on the kind of schizophrenia. For example, in paranoid schizophrenia, the bizarre disorganization is not manifested directly but hidden symptoms include disturbing delusions (Marshall, “What is Schizophrenia?”).

In modern times, schizophrenia is considered a biological disorder. However, genetics may have an influence in the likelihood of schizophrenia. Genetics is not the only factor that can make an individual schizophrenic. According to psychiatrists, the environment can likewise influence the likelihood of schizophrenia (Marshall, “What is Schizophrenia?”).

According to most researches, while both male and female are prone to schizophrenia, it was revealed that the condition is more severe and common in the former. Schizophrenia is common in all races and social groups. In the United States, the impact of the disorder is equal in most cultural groups (Marshall, “What is Schizophrenia?”).

Treatment of schizophrenia has undergone a drastic change since the 1950s with the development of anti-psychotic drugs. These substances can lower the occurrence of bizarre symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thoughts. However, these drugs do not totally cure schizophrenia. Even with the drugs, periodic relapses or residual problems are still possible. Likewise, it has dangerous side effects that can bring discomfort to the schizophrenic (Marshall, “What is Schizophrenia?”).

In the entertainment scene, even stars are not spared from schizophrenia. Britney Spears has been in the headlines recently because of multiple personality disorder and schizophrenia. Other notable schizophrenics include Olympic diving champion Greg Lougainis, who admitted that he has a mental illness in 1999; singer Alanis Morrissette, Abraham Lincoln, Isaac Newton, and others (Druckman and Maday, “Celebrity Meltdown”).

Madness can be a frightening experience. This fact can be seen in the shocking events of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the numerous atrocities that the terrorists have waged on the United States (BBC, “Madness”).

In general, a mad person is seen as someone who is ‘no longer sensible’ or has ‘lost their sanity.’ It is full of idiosyncrasies because what may be regarded as odd or bizarre to another person may be seen as normal by the mad individual (BBC, “Madness”).

A mad person would go to the extent of destroying the balance of the world. They would resort to such acts as destruction of the ozone layer, pollution, deforestation, and others. The Oxford English Dictionary defines madness as “a state of insanity or of having a disordered and dysfunctional mind.” (BBC, “Madness”)

There is a clinical basis for determining or judging madness. It is based on the following criteria: statistical and social norms, behavior, and feeling of distress. Among the historical figures who are regarded as mad include Attila the Hun, Oliver Cromwell, Don Quixote, Rasputin, Adolf Hitler, and countless others (BBC, “Madness”).

Madness can both be a positive or negative experience. It can likewise provide enrichment and renewal. Depending on the level, extent, and duration of symptoms, madness can result to a loss of social role and identity, withdrawal from society, exclusion, and personal grief. On the other hand, it can also be a source of refuge, a venue for retreat to when there is a lack of reason (BBC, “Madness”).

Madness is closely related to mental illness, with the two concepts being used interchangeably and indiscriminately. Likewise, it is often synonymous to badness since society has already excluded people with mental disorders, often not allowing them to exercise their rights as citizens (BBC, “Madness”).

However, such practice can be erroneous because while there are some people with mental disorders who are clearly endangering themselves, most of them still live an ordinary life with minimal or lacking professional services. Many people suffering from a psychotic condition have been successfully contained in the community by anti-psychotic drugs and ‘outreach’ assistance (BBC, “Madness”).

The DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) of the American Psychiatric Association and the ICD-10 (International Classification of Disease) of the World Health Organization have defined madness as a “severe impairment of mental functioning.” (BBC, “Madness”)

During the time of Native Americans,. Madness was treated through the performance of rituals and healing ceremonies. In modern-day African countries such as Zimbabwe, madness is regarded as a form of witchcraft and punishment for wrongdoings (BBC, “Madness”).

With the introduction of drug-based interventions, morphine and later on insulin was used to appease the violence of the patient. Chlorpromazine and Lithium were later introduced as treatment methods (BBC, “Madness”).

During the 19th century, it was a practice to plunge the patient in cold water as a method of bringing them back to their senses. In modern times, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was introduced by Ugo Cerletti, an Italian psychiatrist. Today, it is one of the most common forms of treating severe depression (BBC, “Madness”).

Conclusion

With the help of above finding, one can easily judge the case of multiple personality disorder or any kind of mental disorder that Britney Spears might have, was just the fascination of media-curiosity to be popular and noticed in public. If media argues that Britney was a victim of those disorders then they should accept the same for whole society because almost every second person might react in similar fashion as Britney did, if he/she had gone through with the circumstances Britney had. Britney Spares is a promising icon for the entertainment, we should be well aware of so call media-curiosities or behind the camera things created to be at top using personality/image/lifestyle of such stars.


References


“Dissociative Identity Disorder/Multiple Personality Disorder”. Angelfire.com. 29 October 2008.

Druckman, Amanda & Maday, Cheryl. “Celebrity Meltdown”. 7 September 2007.

Psychology Today Magazine. 29 October 2008.

Lucy, “Britney Spears has multiple personality disorder?” 18 January, 2008. Fametastic.

01 November 2008

Marshall, Judy. “What is Schizophrenia?” Psychmaster. 29 October 2008.

“Madness”. 10 April 2002. BBC Home. 29 October 2008.

Sancar, Feyza. “Exploring Multiple Personality Disorder”. Serendip’s Exchange. 29 October 2008.