The Minds of Billy Milligan

“The intelligence tests showed Milligan’s IQ to be 68, but Driscoll stated that Milligan’s depression had lowered his score. His report diagnosed acute schizophrenia.”

Noticing Milligan’s strange behavior, Schweikart and Stevenson obtained a psychological evaluation; the results indicated a low IQ, depression, and potential schizophrenia. Milligan’s misdiagnoses were consistent with the fact that the people around him were, at this point, unaware that the alters existed. The results of the IQ test potentially pertain to one of the younger alters. Depression is common in people experiencing DID; and interpreting detachment from reality as psychosis can lead to a misdiagnosis of schizophrenia in those experiencing DID.

“That’s what Arthur calls it. He explained to us how it works when one of the people has to come out. It’s a big white spotlight. Everybody stands around it, watching or sleeping in their beds. And whoever steps on the spot is out in the world. Arthur says, ‘Whoever is on the spot holds the consciousness.’”

When Turner first met Milligan, she spoke to David, who accidentally let out the secret: the existence of the alters. David then explained the phenomenon of the different alters “holding consciousness,” i.e., interacting with the external world. This was experienced as one of the alters stepping into the spotlight, while the others watched or were “asleep.” Thus, Milligan and his alters referred to one of them speaking to the external world as “holding the spot.”

“‘Can I talk to Billy?’ Judy asked. ‘Oh, no. They keep him asleep. If they let him on the spot, he’d kill himself. […] He’s still scared of being hurt. And he doesn’t know about the rest of us. All he knows is that he loses time.’”

When Stevenson spoke to Allen and asked to speak to Billy, Allen explained that Billy was “asleep.” This concurred with David’s earlier explanation of “the spot” and what the other alters did when one of them held consciousness. Billy’s alters kept him asleep for the sake of self-preservation, but he was unaware that they existed. This is consistent with DID, wherein individuals may or may not be aware of their alters. However, a common symptom is dissociative amnesia, wherein individuals cannot remember events that transpired when one of their alters held consciousness. The text references this symptom here through Allen’s assertion that Billy “loses time.”

“George Harding […] [had] been impressed that Prosecutor Yavitch had been at that interview—a most unusual thing for a prosecutor to do, Harding thought. Schweickart and Yavitch had assured him that he would not be placed in an adversarial role ‘for the defense’ or ‘for the prosecution,’ but that both sides would agree in advance that his report would go into the trial record ‘by stipulation.’”

Dr. Harding considered accepting Milligan at his hospital for treatment, and something that swayed him in favor of it was the unusual nature of Milligan’s case: Yavitch was present at Dr. Wilbur’s session with Milligan and was willing to accept Dr. Harding’s report of Milligan’s insanity. This kind of agreement between prosecution and defense highlights the unprecedented nature of Milligan’s case and explains why he was the first to successfully plead not guilty by reason of insanity because of DID.

“Dr. Harding knew he was being overcautious in his approach. Dr. Wilbur had told him to find out as soon as possible how many personalities there were, to establish their identities. The alternates needed to be encouraged to tell why they existed and to be permitted to relive the specific situations that had caused their creation.”

Dr. Harding initially used a different treatment method for Milligan than the one Dr. Wilbur suggested to him, though he eventually changed tack and adopted Dr. Wilbur’s suggestions. Dr. Wilbur’s influence on Milligan’s treatment plan exemplifies the weight that her inputs had at the time: She was considered an expert on the illness after she treated Sybil. However, Dr. Wilbur was later discredited when an exposé on her and Sybil revealed that Sybil’s illness was fabricated, and other revelations in the 1990s held that the alters in numerous cases of DID were created through suggestion by therapists. This casts a different light on Dr. Wilbur’s therapeutic advice in Milligan’s case.

“Dr. George […] wondered if it was morally right to use the diagnosis of multiple personality as a defense against these major crimes. He was deeply concerned with the issue of criminal responsibility. It troubled him that his words might be misused, bringing discredit to the multiple personality diagnosis, to other patients who had this syndrome, to the profession and to psychiatric testimony.”

Tasked with penning a report on Milligan for Judge Flowers, Dr. Harding pondered his social responsibility in examining and treating Milligan. Dr. Harding’s reflections underscore the theme of Understanding Self, Identity, and Social Responsibility in the context of the physician and the client. Although Dr. Harding needed to do right by Milligan by offering an objective assessment of Milligan’s illness and condition, he had to weigh the impact of his testimony on the legal system as well as his profession: A not guilty verdict for Milligan would set a precedent that could be misused in future cases.

“He would continue to answer to the name Billy, though he knew he was neither the core Billy nor a completely fused Billy. He was somewhere in between. He wondered, as they walked to the police van, what it would feel like if he was ever completely fused.”

Through treatment at Harding Hospital, Billy was partially and temporarily fused and was deemed competent to stand trial. However, his reflection following the trial shed light on this partial fusion: He was neither the core Billy, i.e., the person born William Stanley Milligan, nor entirely fused, i.e., a complete amalgamation of all the alters. The former did not exist in unified form, at this moment, because of the fragmentation and dissociation he experienced in childhood; the latter presented via the alter of the Teacher.

“I think people should know. It could help them understand what child abuse can lead to.”

When Dr. Caul suggested that Milligan use the media attention surrounding him to tell his story, Milligan was keen to do so. One of his motivations was the possibility that his story might create awareness about the effects of child abuse and thus help the cause. This indicates that Milligan felt a sense of justice and social responsibility; however, these motivations were sometimes overshadowed by the violent or destructive tendencies exhibited by some of Milligan’s alters, potentially born from a need for self-preservation.

“He tried to understand it. At first, there had been only the core Billy, the one who was born and who had the birth certificate. Then he had broken into many parts, but all the while behind these many parts there was a presence without a name—someone that Ragen had said was the Teacher. In a sense, the unseen, fragmented, spiritlike thing called the Teacher had created all the others, children as well as monsters—and therefore he alone bore the responsibility for their crimes.”

Once Billy was made aware of the existence of all 24 alters and how they were all essentially parts of him, he was understandably shaken. His contemplation of the meaning of this revelation speaks to the question at the heart of the theme of Understanding Self, Identity, and Social Responsibility: whether he bore responsibility for not just the achievements of all his alters but also their crimes, especially when he became aware of them.

“Well, he was getting used to being somewhere, then closing his eyes and opening them to find himself somewhere else at a different time. […] Up to now, he would find himself in a situation where he would be called a liar and punished for something he hadn’t done. This was the first time he had done something and waked to find nothing had happened to him.”

As Milligan began to dissociate in childhood and the alters of Christene and Shawn emerged, Billy discovered that he was losing time. However, at this point, it was not a negative experience; instead, it provided a means to escape unpleasant or painful situations. This is the defensive function of dissociation and why it emerges as a response to traumatic experience. Milligan’s conscious relief at the experience of escaping unpleasantness through dissociation reflects, in a sense, the unconscious reinforcement of the response as a helpful and protective mechanism.

“Arthur realized that because of his knowledge, he had become responsible for a large, diverse family. They were all involved with the same body, and something had to be done to create order out of what was proving to be a chaotic situation. Since he was the only one capable of handling the task unemotionally, he would put his mind to it and come up with something that would be fair, workable and—above all—logical.”

Arthur was the alter that confirmed the presence of the other alters and deduced their characteristics and purposes. Thus, he felt responsible for their management and established structures and processes to help them function. This logical, intelligent, and proactive approach is the reason that Dr. Caul identified Arthur as Milligan’s “inner self helper” and directed Billy to heed Arthur’s direction, as doing so could be therapeutically beneficial.

“‘He is a danger to all of us. In his depressed state, he might succeed in killing himself.’ ‘Vat is solution?’ ‘Keep him asleep […] From this moment forward, Billy is not to hold the consciousness again.’ ‘Who can control it?’ ‘You or I. We’ll share the responsibility.’”

This passage reflects a conversation between Ragen and Arthur shortly after Ragen prevented Billy from jumping off the school’s roof. It demonstrates how one of the top priorities of the alters was self-preservation; in fact, this was why they existed, as dissociation is a survival response to trauma. The conversation also confirms Billy’s assertion, once he woke up, that his last concrete memory was of being on the school’s roof, intending to jump. He had been kept asleep since then, while Arthur and Ragen shared responsibility for his consciousness.

“‘You can see Vito’s head, swelled up where Frank hit him without provocation,’ Allen said to the social worker. ‘He’s been taking advantage of a system that gives him authority over kids like Vito. Like we said the other day, it’s wrong and potentially dangerous to put that kind of power into the hands of criminals.’”

While Milligan was in the youth correctional facility, Allen orchestrated a change to an unfair system of merits there. This passage displays a snippet of the conversation between Allen and the social worker, in which Allen successfully convinced the latter. The scene illustrates how Allen was capable of speaking eloquently and pleasingly, which is why Arthur appointed him to largely manage communications with the external world.

“You will be the exception to the rule. Because of your great strength and power, you alone may have the right to hurt others, but only in self-defense or in defense of women and children. As the protector of the family, you alone may commit victimless crimes or crimes necessary for survival.”

Arthur allowed only Ragen to carry weapons, engage in violence, and commit crimes. The fact that Arthur, an alter who had a strict moral code, condoned violence in another underscores two things: that the alters were all fragments of the same personality, since Arthur could understand and allow for behavior in another that he himself would not carry out; and that, potentially because of Milligan’s past traumatic experiences, his alters prioritized self-preservation above all else, even if meant compromising morality or engaging in criminal behavior.

“‘What’s more important—expanding your mind or showing your feelings? Maybe that’s the wrong question, because you don’t have feelings. Oh, maybe it’s possible to become a very productive and outstanding person by suppressing your emotions and living only with logic, but you’ll be so lonely you’re not going to be worth anything to anybody.’”

Adalana became angry at Arthur when he decided that they must terminate the relationship with Marlene. Adalana expressed Milligan’s softer side, which desired love and companionship. Arthur, having taken charge of who controlled Milligan’s consciousness, made decisions based on logic, with no place for emotions. This led to an essential part of Milligan being disallowed fulfillment and potentially led to Adalana seeing the human closeness she desired in a problematic and criminal way: through the rapes.

“‘I am beginning to suspect you’ve been stealing time, taking advantage of mix-up periods to go about your antisocial business.’ ‘Who, me? Nah.’”

Arthur suspected that Phillip had been stealing time, and Phillip categorically lied about it. Despite Arthur’s rule that the alters were not to lie, and despite his banishing certain alters from occupying Milligan’s consciousness, terming them “undesirables,” this interaction with Phillip shows that Arthur didn’t possess the control he desired or needed to ensure smooth functioning. Phillip was, in fact, stealing time and committing crimes that eventually got Milligan sent to prison.

“Now Arthur no longer had dominance. Here, Ragen knew, he would finally rule. He and only he would decide who came on and off the spot for the next two to five years.”

While Milligan was in prison, a potentially dangerous place, Ragen took complete control of the consciousness spot. Ragen carried out his role of protector there, and the fact that he relished the power he held, as well as the constant tussle for control among the alters, indicates that a need for control was a strong part of Milligan’s core personality. This need for control was potentially shaped by the lack of control he felt growing up.

“Del knew he was much stronger than Billy; time and again they would arm-wrestle, and there was just no question in his mind that Billy was no match for him. But one evening when Del challenged him to an arm-wrestling match, he was astonished when Billy put him down.”

Del Moore became Milligan’s stepfather after Dorothy divorced Chalmer and married Del. He was constantly irritated by Milligan’s changeable behavior and temperament and what he perceived as Milligan’s tendency to lie. This instance, however, truly baffled him: The clearly weaker Milligan beat him at arm wrestling. Milligan’s sudden strength in this one instance is consistent with the experience of individuals with DID, as different alters present with different physical abilities. Thus, Ragen in the role of the protector was clearly stronger than Milligan’s other alters.

“Carrie watched the rapist’s concerned expression, the genuine worry on his face. She almost felt sorry for him as she wondered what was wrong.”

Carrie Dryer, Milligan’s first victim, noticed Milligan’s strange, changeable behavior even as she was assaulted. Shortly raping Carrie, Adalana began worrying that Ragen might find out what happened and thought of ways to cover up the incident. This was the worry that Carrie noticed, as it was an uncharacteristic response from a “rapist.” It underscores the dissociation that Milligan experienced, indicating that his core identity was unaware of his alternate identities’ actions in the moment.

“Out on the street, several students, recognizing him, waved and smiled. He went back to the hospital feeling terrific. None of the terrible things Dr. Caul had prepared him for had happened. Everything was going to be all right.”

Milligan stepped out for his first unsupervised visit into town and experienced no adverse reactions from the public who saw and recognized him. He believed that things would remain this way despite Dr. Caul’s warnings about the backlash that Milligan’s presence in town might bring. The change in local sentiment that followed indicates one of two things: that Milligan’s memory and interpretation of the local population’s response to him was naive and inaccurate, or that the negative backlash was largely precipitated by biased media reposting surrounding Milligan.

“Suddenly, for the first time, without switching, he felt like them. This, then, was the real fusion. He was becoming the common denominator of all twenty-four personalities, and that made him not a Robin Hood or a Superman, but a very ordinary, antisocial, impatient, manipulative, bright, talented young man.”

The Teacher began to experience “real fusion,” in which he not only had access to the other alters’ feelings and memories but also exhibited the same feelings, emotions, motivations, and abilities. To his disappointment, however, he discovered that this did not result in a personality wherein all the negative was shaved off, leaving only the good; on the contrary, Milligan’s general abilities and talents were somewhat diluted by the presence of his other, undesirable qualities, such as impatience, manipulativeness, and antisocial tendencies. This reinforced the understanding of the different alters as fragments of a single core personality.

“The same day, the writer was permitted to visit Ward 5. Milligan did not recognize him until the writer prompted him. ‘Oh, yeah,’ he said with a dazed expression, ‘you’re the guy who’s been talking to Billy.’ ‘Who are you?’ the writer asked. ‘I don’t know.’ ‘What’s your name?’ ‘I don’t think I have one.’”

After numerous incidents precipitated by stress and occurring as a result of de-fusion, Milligan was moved to a higher security ward at Athens, where Keyes visited him. The stress and anxiety Milligan felt, largely because of the negative publicity he faced, caused him to fragment and regress so much that not only did the Teacher disappear, but also no recognizable alter appeared. Confused, Milligan lacked even a coherent sense of alter identity when Keyes saw him.

“How are you? I hope splendid. I lost time. There is no cure for Billy in sleep. He is fine. Do not worry. I am going to rule. I will do everything I can for him. You can count on me. ‘Necessity knows no laws.’”

After Milligan was moved to the Lima facility, he and Keyes communicated mostly by letter, even though Milligan continued to deteriorate. Milligan eventually sent Keyes this letter, originally penned in Serbo-Croatian, indicating that Ragen had completely taken over to ensure Milligan’s self-preservation. Ragen’s final statement, that necessity knows no laws, summarizes the credo by which Milligan’s alters had lived their lives: The basic necessity was survival, and if laws were broken to ensure this, so be it. Considering that the alters had always lived by this credo, the furor surrounding Milligan’s treatment after the verdict is understandable.