Sybil is a fictional character based on a real woman named Shirley Ardell Mason. She first appeared in 1973, in a novel entitled Sybil, by Flora Rheta Schreiberthe. The first TV movie entitled Sybil was released in 1976, starring Sally Field in the title role; another TV movie entitled Sybil was released in 2007, with Tammy Blanchard in the title role.Shirley Ardell Mason died a recluse in 1998. As a result of her belongings being auctioned off after her death, it was discovered that she was the real woman known to the rest of the world, thanks to the novel and the first movie, as Sybil.Sybil received psychiatric treatment from Dr. Cornelia Wilbur, while attending art classes at a college in New York City, in 1957. At that time, Multiple Personality Disorder was not regarded by psychologists as a viable psychiatric evaluation. However, Dr. Wilbur, while persecuted and treated with prejudice for being one of very few women in the field of psychology, believed that Sybil suffered from this malady, and made a case study of her, and, as a result, this disorder was eventually accepted as a legitimate diagnosis, although some psychologists believe that Sybil's disorder was something else, and that her multiple personalities were a hoax.Sybil's mother abused her when Sybil was a child. She raped her with a buttonhook, gave her icy enemas, tied her and gagged her, and even broke her arm on one occasion. She also had sex in front of her on numerous occasions. When she miscarried, Sybil's father buried the fetus by the back door of their house. Sybil's mother also subjected Sybil to verbal abuse, and Sybil's father neglected her and pretended his wife was not abusing her.Sybil's grandmother was always kind to her, until she passed away.Sybil's first boy friend, Tommy, accidentally impaled himself on a pitchfork and died in front of Sybil.As a result of all these traumatic events, Sybil apparently coped with them by creating alternate personalities. She eventually had sixteen personalities, including two boys, and girls of various ages. These personalities were based on certain people or events in Sybil's life. For example, Peggy Lou Baldwin was based on Sybil's mother and another woman named Mrs. Baldwin, who was Sybil's math teacher. Sybil's mother called her Peggy Louisiana for some strange reason. Peggy Lou learned math, and was angry and hateful, because Sybil couldn't be angry. Sid or Sybil Isabelle Dorset, was based on Sybil's father. Mike was based on her grandfather. Victoria Vicky Antoinette came as a result of Sybil witnessing Tommy's death. Mary Lucinda Dorset appeared to grieve for Sybil's grandmother. Vanessa learned to play piano very well, although Sybil could not play, nor do math like Peggy Lou. Ruthy was the six-year-old version of Sybil that her mother raped; the sound of piano music traumatized her so much that she apparently pissed herself as she recalled the icy enemas.Dr. Wilbur eventually cured Sybil by recording Sybil's various personalities, and playing them back to her. Sybil would black out and remain unaware of her alternate egos, then wonder why she was in Philadelphia when she was supposed to be in New York, or where she had obtained new clothes, or why her paintings were finished in styles unlike her own. Peggy Lou drew in black on white. Vanessa and Marsha painted in different styles. Vicky was an excellent sketch artist, and loved to go shopping, even though Sybil would try to return the clothes she bought. Peggy often broke glass or crystal items. Sybil could hardly believe it when Dr. Wilbur informed her that the piano music she was playing a recording of was Vanessa's, because Sybil did not know how to play piano.Dr. Wilbur later used hypnosis to summon all of Sybil's alter egos and help them grow until they were all Sybil's age, and shared all of her memories. When Sybil came out of hypnosis, she remembered what all of her alter egos remembered, and allowed herself to admit to Dr. Wilbur that she remembered what her mother had done to her, and how she hated her and wanted to kill her for doing those things to her. Show less «