Martha Mitchell effect
Encyclopedia
The Martha Mitchell effect is the process by which a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health
clinician mistakes the patient's perception of real events as delusional and misdiagnoses accordingly.
Quoting psychotherapist Joseph Berke
, the authors note that "even paranoid
s have enemies." Any patient, they explain, can be misdiagnosed by clinicians, especially ones with a history of paranoid delusions.
. Mrs. Mitchell was the wife of John Mitchell
, Attorney-General
in the Nixon administration. When she alleged that White House
officials were engaged in illegal activities, her claims were attributed to mental illness. Ultimately, however, the relevant facts of the Watergate scandal
vindicated her and hence attracted to her the title of "Cassandra
of Watergate". Although many of her claims to this day have been proven to be fanciful and false i.e., at one point, she insisted she had been held against her will in a California hotel room and sedated to prevent her from making controversial phone calls to the news media.
After the Watergate break-in Martha Mitchell began contacting reporters when her husband's role in the scandal became known, which earned her the title, "the Mouth of the South". Nixon was later to tell interviewer David Frost (in September 1977 on Frost on America) that Martha was a distraction to John Mitchell such that no one was minding the store, and "If it hadn't been for Martha Mitchell, there'd have been no Watergate."
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
clinician mistakes the patient's perception of real events as delusional and misdiagnoses accordingly.
Description
According to Bell et al., "Sometimes, improbable reports are erroneously assumed to be symptoms of mental illness," due to a "failure or inability to verify whether the events have actually taken place, no matter how improbable intuitively they might appear to the busy clinician." They note that typical examples of such situations, may include:- Pursuit by practitioners of organized crime
- SurveillanceSurveillanceSurveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
by law enforcement officers - Infidelity by a spouse
- Physical issues
Quoting psychotherapist Joseph Berke
Joseph Berke
-Early years:He studied at Columbia College of Columbia University and graduated from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He moved to London in 1965 where Berke worked with R. D...
, the authors note that "even paranoid
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
s have enemies." Any patient, they explain, can be misdiagnosed by clinicians, especially ones with a history of paranoid delusions.
Origin
Psychologist Brendan Maher named the effect after Martha Beall MitchellMartha Beall Mitchell
Martha Beall Mitchell was the wife of John N. Mitchell, United States Attorney General under President Richard Nixon. Martha Mitchell gained notoriety in the press during the Nixon administration for her frequent phone calls to reporters and colorful comments on the state of the nation...
. Mrs. Mitchell was the wife of John Mitchell
John N. Mitchell
John Newton Mitchell was the Attorney General of the United States from 1969 to 1972 under President Richard Nixon...
, Attorney-General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
in the Nixon administration. When she alleged that White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
officials were engaged in illegal activities, her claims were attributed to mental illness. Ultimately, however, the relevant facts of the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
vindicated her and hence attracted to her the title of "Cassandra
Cassandra (metaphor)
The Cassandra metaphor , is a term applied in situations in which valid warnings or concerns are dismissed or disbelieved....
of Watergate". Although many of her claims to this day have been proven to be fanciful and false i.e., at one point, she insisted she had been held against her will in a California hotel room and sedated to prevent her from making controversial phone calls to the news media.
After the Watergate break-in Martha Mitchell began contacting reporters when her husband's role in the scandal became known, which earned her the title, "the Mouth of the South". Nixon was later to tell interviewer David Frost (in September 1977 on Frost on America) that Martha was a distraction to John Mitchell such that no one was minding the store, and "If it hadn't been for Martha Mitchell, there'd have been no Watergate."
See also
- GaslightingGaslightingGaslighting is a form of psychological abuse in which false information is presented with the intent of making a victim doubt his or her own memory and perception...
- Cassandra (metaphor)Cassandra (metaphor)The Cassandra metaphor , is a term applied in situations in which valid warnings or concerns are dismissed or disbelieved....
- Rosenhan experimentRosenhan experimentThe Rosenhan experiment was a famous experiment into the validity of psychiatric diagnosis conducted by psychologist David Rosenhan in 1973. It was published in the journal Science under the title "On being sane in insane places." The study is considered an important and influential criticism of...
- Rosemary's BabyRosemary's BabyRosemary's Baby is a 1967 best-selling horror novel by Ira Levin, his second published book. Major elements of the story were inspired by the publicity surrounding the Church of Satan of Anton LaVey which had been founded in 1966.-Plot summary:...