Woman in Throes of Identity Crisis After Exclusively Being Referred to As “Mom”
New mother Christine had just arrived home from the pediatrician’s office, young baby in tow, when her husband Tom greeted her with his customary, “Hi Chris, how’s it going?” But to Tom’s surprise, his wife responded in a dull monotone: “My name is Mom. Just call me Mom.”
By the next day, Christine was still in the throes of her identity crisis. Tom reported, “She won’t respond to anything but ‘Mom’ since that last pediatrician visit. I thought maybe some rest would help, so I let her take a 20-minute nap. But when she woke up, she still insisted her name was Mom.”
According to Dr. John M., a leading psychiatrist specializing in parental disorders, “This type of identity crisis, known in my field as a Maternal Apperception Disaster (MAD), is common for mothers of children making frequent doctor’s visits.” Dr. M. went on to say, “When visiting doctor’s offices, nurses and doctors tend to refer to mothers as simply ‘Mom,’ as opposed to her actual given name. So when a mother makes frequent doctor's visits with her child, especially if she is sleep deprived, it’s likely she will completely forget her name and only respond to ‘Mom.’ In very severe cases, she will only respond if ‘Mom’ is uttered in a quick, dismissive way, under the breath, as if the speaker is trying to make her actually disappear.”
Christine’s five-month-old daughter Harper has frequent ear infections. Although thanks to modern medicine, Harper’s condition is treatable and will likely improve with age, it has necessitated frequent doctor and specialist visits. Christine, a stay-at-home mother, often finds herself at the doctor’s office with Harper as many as five to six times a week.
“The best treatment for MAD is intensive psychotherapy with a licensed specialist,” Dr. M. told Frazzled, “and it can take up to five or six appointments per week. The patient also needs rest and quiet time to reflect on her identity and personal achievements.”
When told what treatment Christine would require, her husband Tom responded, “That shouldn’t be a problem for Christine. She’s literally a superhero; she can get through anything.”
Because Christine is a stay-at-home parent, she brought Harper along for her first specialist appointment for her MAD. When the nurse checked Christine in, she was delighted to see the adorable Harper. The nurse asked Christine her daughter’s name, and then, turning to Christine, said, “Alright Mom, just follow me.”
