Published: January 16, 2007

Business Owner Says Misdiagnosis of Medical Condition called Dissociative Identity Disorder affects Mental and Physical Health of African American Population

Smithsonian Inductee Uncovers Groundbreaking Medical Discovery

January 2007 - A popular African American Maryland-based business owner said that she has uncovered a medical misdiagnosis that could radically affect the physical and emotional health of millions of African Americans.

Shauna Anderson of Shauna’s Hand Cleaned Chitterlings, a sufferer of panic and anxiety attacks for 30 years, recently discovered that her attacks were the result of a malady called Dissociative Identity Disorder. Anderson discovered the misdiagnosis while researching medical information for her autobiographical book, Offal Great -“A Memoir from the Queen of Chitlins,” published in January 2007. Anderson, who was inducted into the Smithsonian Institution in 2003 for preserving the historical legacy of chitlins, pinpoints in her book the confusion among the medical community surrounding DID through tape recorded sessions. Anderson says DID affects memory and communication skills. This leads to the patient’s inability to properly communicate his symptoms to a doctor to reach a proper diagnosis.

“Between surfing the net, calling to obtain information from different medical institutions and visiting several web sites to find a cure for my disorder, I discovered some explosive information about DID and panic attacks,” said Anderson, who is the owner of the nation’s premier online hand cleaned Chitlin business. Anderson says if DID is diagnosed correctly it can be directly tied to the beatings African Americans endured in slavery. “African Americans experienced enormous abuse at the hands of the slave master Anderson discovered that the descriptions of the symptoms of DID are incorrectly listed as causes on the websites. “There is no way we can be cured of Dissociative Identity Disorder if it is not properly diagnosed and treated,” pointed out Anderson.

Anderson said that the medical discovery would have a significant impact on the lives of African Americans and revolutionize the medical community. Her book has already generated interest as far away as Malawi, Africa and Anderson is certain her discovery will reach international proportions. “I believe that physical and emotional trauma causes DID and the symptoms are panic and anxiety attacks, depression, attention deficit disorder and bipolar disorder, among other illnesses.” Many times a language translator is needed to communicate with a person suffering from DID as a result of the split personalities. One personality will have information to articulate but the other will be the one who is speaking at that time.

“I believe that DID can be directly traced to severe and repeated emotional and physical beatings that a child has experienced. For example, when a person strikes a child’s body, a child’s brain will split off and dissociate itself for protection. The child’s brain will not process information in a normal way and doesn’t come back together again without therapy or a combination of therapy and medication. However, in this society, if an individual does not receive the correct diagnosis they will live their life embodying several different personalities. “This makes them incapable of communicating properly to others in a way that a single personality can,” said Anderson who suffered abuse as a child.

“This misdiagnosis can also be directly attributed to a number of social ills in our community,” said Anderson. “The lack of the ability to communicate properly leads to imprisonment, contributes to teen pregnancies and high incidences of AIDS and ultimately affects our physical and emotional health in treating and managing such illnesses as diabetes, hypertension, and management of prescription drugs. It continues to this day to affect how we function in society,” observed Anderson. The author was especially concerned about incarcerated individuals who suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder but remain undiagnosed.

Through her book, Offal Great- A Memoir from the Queen of Chitlins and through scheduled public appearances, Anderson hopes to enlighten and educate the public, law enforcement, the criminal justice system, the health care industry and the psychiatric community about her discovery.

Anderson said her medical discovery will bring hope and relief to millions. “Now that I know what the problem is I am going to stay on this until we find some remedies,” said Anderson.