The disturbing and bizarre case of "The Silent Twins"

Wow this story sounds fascinating, I'm going to read more about it now.

It sounds like a story that the movie Dead Ringer could have been based on.

Actually, I meant Deader Ringers with Jeremy Irons (not Dead Ringer), though Dead Ringer sounds kind of similar too.

[Quote]In fiction there are lots of scary twins. Just think of those creepy little girls in The Shining. In the real world, most twins consider themselves lucky to have a companion who shares their genes and their history. But for some twins, like Jennifer and June Gibbons, that unique bond becomes more of a curse.

[quote] Actually, I meant Deader Ringers

LOL

Abuse, shared Mental illness, and having to endure the horrors of an unsophisticated and cruel behavioral health system. Sheer Agony.

I think that they had Selective Mutism aggravated by constant bullying and racism in the school yard.

Selective Mutism is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a child's inability to speak and communicate effectively in select social settings, such as school. These children are able to speak and communicate in settings where they are comfortable, secure, and relaxed.

Selective mutism usually co-exists with shyness or social anxiety. People with selective mutism stay silent even when the consequences of their silence include shame, social ostracism, or punishment. Selective mutism affects about 0.8% of people at some point in their lives.

Some researchers speculate that selective mutism may be an avoidance strategy used by a subgroup of children with social anxiety disorder to reduce their distress in social situations.

On the positive side, many people with this condition have:

Above-average intelligence, perception, or inquisitiveness

Creativity and a love for art or music

Empathy and sensitivity to others' thoughts and feelings

A strong sense of right and wrong

The twins wrote novels and were poetic.

June's poem for Jennifer after Jennifer's death:

"We once were two

We two made one

We no more two

Thru life we one"

Contrary to popular belief, people with selective mutism do not necessarily improve with age. Effective treatment is necessary for a child to develop properly. Without treatment, selective mutism can contribute to chronic depression, further anxiety, and other social and emotional problems.

I read a book about them years ago: "The Silent Twins" by Marjorie Wallace. Interesting but very sad: they struggled from an early age in a hostile world, and at first retreated from it, then lashed out against it.

The surviving twin still lives in Wales. I guess she stays to be close to her family. Imagine growing up most of your life in an institution and then being suddenly set free.

Pepsi Coke Addict - June’s novel.

They've always fascinated me. Their real life story interspersed with June's novel would make a fascinating fever dream of a movie.

Bah. They boring!

Shared psychosis... Lucky for society females with mental illness usually self destruct, as opposed to their male counterparts who lash out with violence.

Twins don't even have to speak to communicate. I'm a fraternal twin and I just have to look at my brother or do a hand gesture and he knows what I'm saying. We are roommates and if I'm coming home from work and want something for dinner, I can just think about it and he wants the same thing. Two years ago, I needed peppers and out of the blue, he called me from the grocery store and said "red or green".... Silent twins. Back to the girls.....tragic story, it's a shame they couldn't receive the treatment they deserved

R2 Dead Ringers was based on the story of Stewart and Cyril Marcus.

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The Silent Twins is extraordinary. Does anyone remember a rare/frienge book catalog from the ‘80s/‘90s called Amok? That’s where I discovered it.

Manic Street Preachers wrote a song inspired by the twins

The twins were diagnosed with Schizophrenia when they became adults and were given tranquilizers and other drugs. The tranquilizers relaxed their minds, caused them to lose their shyness and they began to speak.

I was just thinking about this case the day before yesterday

Good documentary on the case, very fascinating.

I was severely bullied in high school and I stopped talking. It became a weird game with me, to see how long I could go without talking. I think I felt it gave me power over a powerless situation.

I had no friends, so it wasn't that difficult.

Can someone summarize this case? Not clicking links or watching documentaries.