The treatment method of Laura

A Rorschach psychological test was administered to Laura in the 18th month of her hospitalization to help clarify subtle changes in her mood, attitude, and behavior. Four months later, and following therapeutic interviews where sub-personalities emerged, the influence of hypnotic power was observed behind the emergence of these two sub-personalities, Laura and Angel. The sub-personalities of Amy and Henry were not examined due to their brief existence at that time. A second Rorschach test was conducted just before Laura’s discharge from the hospital, in the 13th month. What was significantly noted in Laura’s first Rorschach protocol was that her personality was overwhelmed by obsessive and hysterical traits.

In the subsequent test, despite being presented with the same stimuli, it was observed that Laura responded differently at different times, in different entities, in different ways. Very soon, there was an exchange of different entities. This indicated the possibility of her multiple personality. Moreover, there was a severe lack of consistency in her various reactions, as if everything was foggy. Often, it seemed as if Laura, being different entities of the same person, was giving different answers, but the original person was still struggling to maintain her authenticity.

Those familiar with borderline personality disorder are currently considering this possibility in this patient’s case; however, it’s certain that the influence of fetal abnormalities or alcoholism cannot be confirmed. Additionally, the child’s behavior during hospitalization did not provide any significant indications. Interestingly, the rapid shifts in perception and the continually changing boundaries of content revealed by Plate V are commonly considered ‘self-concept’ or ‘reality’ cards by clinicians (Brown, 1960), and significantly contribute to the diagnosis of multiple personalities. Laura stated, ‘I see different animals in the same thing at different times.’ Laura’s responses to this card align with those found in Rorschach investigations of individuals with multiple personalities, where similar responses (e.g., perceptual instability, emergence of multiple alternative perceptions, and uncertainty about various objects) have been observed (Wagner & Hays, 1974). (Laura’s complete response was: ‘They look a bit like shoulders. I guess like birds have wings, they have wingspans. There are three animals in one. Four, actually. Because they have big crocodile-like mouths.’)

The responses obtained from Laura’s sub-personalities, Laurie and Angel, were structurally similar to Laura’s, being weak in terms of form-quality and with inadequate use of color. However, there were some notable differences, particularly in the content of perception. Specifically, Laurie’s record contained the most references to aggressive and phobic imagery, such as ‘piranhas, tarantulas, dangerous weapons, claws’, etc. Angel’s record, in contrast, used terms like ‘big, ugly, smashed’. While Laura’s protocol also showed aggressive and phobic content, these influences were tempered by milder experiences such as ‘birds kissing, soft feathers, low, soft brown’. Thus, while all three records showed overall similarities, there were clear differences in the dominant affective experiences that paralleled the clinical pictures of these personalities.

Overall, when the protagonist Laura was administered the Rorschach a second time, the change in her perception was less pronounced. In particular, Plate V responses reflect less impulsivity, less aggressive-phobic content, and stronger object boundaries than in the first Rorschach protocol.

treatment

Hospitalization provides Laura with a therapeutic and consistent, highly structured environment. The patient’s unacceptable behavior was handled in a firm but informal manner. Laura needed a certain amount of clinging, dependent relationships arranged for her. But anyway, he was encouraged to use proper, and properly self-assured. He was also occasionally given thioridazine or hydroxyzine hydrochloride to reduce anxiety.

TABLE 1

Percentage of Aggressive/Phobic References in Content

Laura I 26 Laurie 31

Angel2

Laura Il4

Throughout Laura’s hospitalization, her parents were actively involved in her casework. Naturally though they were very disheartened by Laura’s slow progress. The diagnosis of multiple personalities was frightening to them, especially because of their familiarity with the Sibyl book; The book mentioned that this disability carries over into the person’s adult life.

Initially psychotherapy focused on Laura’s distress over discovering her past background and her ambivalent feelings towards her stepmother. Talking to him about dissociative experiences had no effect on his amnesia. But, as these dissociative experiences gradually increase in intensity, in addition to the amount and intensity of damage upon oneself, occur more frequently; It becomes clear that the subpersonality Laurie is negatively controlling Laura’s behavior. It was then that the decision was made to use hypnosis on Laura.

Hypnosis was started on Laura on the 20th month of hospitalization and she was given a total of 30 sessions over 5 months.

Laura is said to be more active, assertive and independent during hypnotherapy sessions. He is told to resist Laurie’s attempts to take over. Amy and Angel, meanwhile, are encouraged to continue having meaningful conversations with Lori, and to convince her not to overwork Laura, to not be too angry with her.

Ultimately, the discussion with Laura emphasizes that she is actually one person and that the different entities or sub-personalities are actually just different perspectives or aspects of herself.