The shocking case of Beth, the psychopathic girl
Many will already know the case of Beth Thomas , an intriguing story that is strongly impacting social networks and that has left no one indifferent. So much for those who have not heard about this girl yet for those who do, we recommend to continue reading this article.
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Beth Thomas: the story of the psychopathic girl
This story is about a girl who he lost his mother when he was only one year old . She and her brother were under the tutelage of their biological father, who sexually abused the two minors. Luckily, the abuses were detected by doctors and the children were taken in by a social worker six months later.
Luckily for Beth and her little brother Jonathan, both were adopted by a Christian couple full of hope for being parents but who could not conceive. Everything seemed fine until Beth began to manifest that she had very strange nightmares , and they realized that something was not going well.
Nightmares, a prelude to the antisocial behavior of little Beth
The nightmares of the little girl were about a man who "fell on him and hurt her with a part of him". In addition, Beth manifested violent behavior towards her brother, her parents and animals (which he came to kill). In addition to anger, they also found that Beth manifested inappropriate sexual behavior: the girl masturbated publicly and excessively, eventually bleeding.
These facts made parents consider the possibility of going to a psychologist . Precisely in the course of diagnosis and psychological therapy, Beth records the video that has traveled the world: an interview with Beth conducted by Dr. Ken Magid, a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of children victims of severe sexual abuse. What this psychologist discovered about the causes and effects of sexual abuse is the object of study in all psychology faculties.
The chilling dialogues between Beth and her psychologist
This is a small transcript of the beginning of the interview:
- "Dr. Ken: Are people afraid of you, Beth?
-Beth: Yes.
-Dr. Ken: Are your parents afraid of you?
-Beth: Yes.
-Dr. Ken: What would you do with them?
-Beth: Stab them.
-Dr. Ken: What would you do with your brother?
-Beth: Kill him.
-Dr. Ken: Who would you like to put pins in?
-Beth: In mom and dad.
-Dr. Ken: What would you like to happen to them?
-Beth: Let them die. "
The little girl admitted that she physically mistreated her brother
Beth He admitted, in his conversations with Dr Ken and with total coldness, that he had mistreated his brother always, hitting his head against the floor, nailing pins all over his body and in his intimate parts, stretching and kicking his genitals ... He even explained that he once tried to kill him, and only stopped because his parents discovered her . He admitted that he had also seriously thought about killing his parents several times and that he mistreated his pets habitually. Not content with just that, he came to kill several animals that roamed the yard of his house.
Before all these facts that she herself was telling, Beth He acknowledged not feeling any remorse or guilt His tone of voice before all his statements was cold and calm, as if he were explaining any trivial anecdote. Asked why she acted in this way, she replied that she wanted to make her feel everything she had felt in the past during her father's abuse. Also, before all the questions of the doctor referred to if she was aware that these acts would cause suffering in the other person, admitted serenely that yes, that was precisely what she wants.
Hospitalization in a special center and psychological treatment
After a long interview, the psychologist got enough information to take him to decide to intern the girl in a treatment center for children with different behavior disorders. Beth was diagnosed with a serious attachment disorder , which is characterized by the development of the inability to establish healthy and appropriate relationships, due in this case to the history of sexual abuse and abuse by his father.
Attachment disorder requires urgent psychological attention, otherwise it could become a danger for Beth herself and her family members, due to the complete lack of empathy she expressed, which could be comparable to disorders such as sociopathy or psychopathy.The reason why Beth was not diagnosed as a psychopath at that time is because at that time the existence of the personality disorder was not yet known (Antisocial personality disorder before age 18), about which there is still a long debate among mental health scholars.
Psychological treatment to control their antisocial impulses
The treatment that was imposed on Beth was very strict and orderly. Especially designed for children with the same disorder, which is very complicated to respect rules and habits. During the night, and to prevent her from hurting other children, Beth I was locked in a room . Also, he had to ask permission for everything, from going to the bathroom to even drinking water.
Over time, the restrictions were being less strict and Beth was progressively improving .
Beth was able to recover fully and today is a person with a common life
At the end of the video we can see the great progress of the treatment to Beth. Over the years, we can see Beth as a person with the ability to empathize and be aware of the consequences of their actions. Obviously, his apparent 'malice' had its genesis in the continued abuse of which he was a victim as a baby, and his case serves to illustrate the dire consequences of physical and psychological abuse at a young age.
At present, Beth leads a normal life and works as a nurse . His professional merits have earned him several awards.
This case leads us to the following conclusions: the importance of a good upbringing, especially in the critical periods of the child. But he also talks about the effectiveness (at least in this case) of psychological therapy, even in cases of extreme gravity and that may seem irreconducible.
What were the psychotherapeutic keys of your recovery?
This total psychological recovery of the little Beth could be achieved by making the girl aware of her actions, increasing her self-esteem, as well as cementing functional social habits and behaviors, for example by getting her to accept certain rules and be able to manage, channel and understand the reason for his anger.
We recommend you see the documentary of the whole Beth case, carried out by the HBO chain in 1992. It is really interesting and it is convenient to know this case thoroughly, for all that it can teach us as professionals and as human beings.
