False memories: formation, assessment, and psychological effects

¶ … Price of Bad Memories by Elizabeth F. Loftus. Specifically, it will contain a brief summary of major findings and concepts in the article. False memories have been cropping up in news reports for years, and this article helps bring much of the evidence about false memories to light, by offering specific examples and outcomes for specific cases.

The author cites several specific and chilling examples of patients who have been duped or at least led by unscrupulous psychiatrists into "remembering" many items from their past that simply did not exist. In at least one case, the therapist knowingly duped his patient(s) in an attempt to draw out their treatment and dupe insurance companies into paying for additional treatments that in fact were not necessary. Often, these false memories included sexual abuse, violence, and even cannibalization in at least one case.

The author also notes that many cases have come to trial, and in most instances, juries have awarded large damages to the patients in these cases. The author feels there will be more civil cases in the future, and that it could change the face of mental health care in this country. While she does not condone the practices used by convicted therapists, she wonders what message large jury awards are sending to other patients, who may simply be disgruntled rather than preyed upon or misdiagnosed. She writes, "Will any patient who is unhappy with the outcome of any form of therapy be able to allege that purposeful criminal fraudulent therapy was performed and cause a therapist to be indicted?'" (Loftus). She continues, "Will a physician be subject to prison time for mistakenly diagnosing indigestion in a patient who is having a heart attack? If these things can occur, then what professionals in their right mind will want to remain as providers of health care?" Her questions were valid at the time, and she could not know how prophetic her words would become to legions of doctors who can no longer afford to provide health care in areas where rising malpractice insurance costs are driving them from business.

America has become "sue happy," and that is especially true in the healthcare profession. In fact, many of Loftus' predictions in this article have come true, especially her predictions that many professionals would no longer practice health care if they were in their "right mind." In fact, in the 8 years since she wrote her article, physicians and other professionals have been leaving the profession in droves, simply because of the rise in lawsuits, and the coinciding rise in malpractice insurance that doctors must carry to do business today. Indeed, patients are suing for everything from shoddy psychiatric treatment to misdiagnosis and error during medical treatment. It seems as if some patients are simply waiting for a problem with their treatment, so they can take advantage of it and sue, hoping to collect a big award, just as some of the patients did in Loftus' article. The prevailing attitude among many patients is that doctors are all "wealthy" and thus they can afford these lawsuits, whether they deserve them or not.