# Woman self identifies as blind...so she blinded herself
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 1, 2015, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177 "2015-10-01T22:14:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/41 "2015-10-02T17:24:28Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#):
>
> And now I feel stupid too.
No worries! đ
> [@](#):
>
> :smack: Iâm gonna need a second pot of coffee today.
Maybe just get some more shut-eye.
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### Author:  [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/42 "2015-10-02T17:39:45Z")
I read of another girl who was determined to eat herself to 300lbs, as part of a fetish community called Feeders or something. Apparently for many people it was considered very bad and unsupportive to suggest that she was mentally ill and should be consigend to a mental hospital.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/43 "2015-10-02T17:42:34Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Her need to lose her sight increased as she got older, and by 2006, she claims she found a psychologist who was willing to help her.
>
> Shuping says the psychologist put numbing eye drops into her eyes, and then a couple of drops of drain cleaner.
âThis will be great. Iâll finally get to experience what blindness is like and then I can move on with my life after these drops wear off.â
âWaitâŚyou only wanted to be blind temporarily?â
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### Author:  [@Tread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tread)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/44 "2015-10-03T02:13:51Z")
> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> How about diluted toothache gel?
You wouldnât want to use toothache gel in your eyes, no matter how diluted. It could cause permanent damage.
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### Author:  [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/45 "2015-10-03T04:34:52Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> A psychologist is not a medical professional. Theyâre not allowed to write prescriptions.
Lots of medical professionals donât have prescription pads. Go tell a nurse that sheâs not a real medical professional. Wear a cup.
As for the OP - this makes no sense. If the patient wanted sex reassignment surgery, would the psychologist pull out an ice pack and a pair of scissors? Even if we grant the patient and the psychologist their decision to medically blind the woman - why would they choose the dumbest, and most painful, method possible?
It sounds like an urban legend. Oh hey - Snopes has an article about it:
> **[Jewel Shuping Claims Psychologist Blinded Her with Drain Cleaner](https://www.snopes.com/news/2015/10/02/jewel-shuping-blind/)**
>
> A woman named Jewel Shuping claims a psychologist poured drain cleaner in her eyes to help her achieve her dream of blindness.
They say itâs basically uncorroborated and the story itself is pretty dubious. They point out that the woman in question has been on Twitter since 2011, posting about being blind, but that this story about her blinding herself with drain cleaner only started making the rounds a few days ago.
The doctor is not named. Supposedly, the woman had only seen the doctor for two weeks.
Really, I think barring new evidence, we have to stamp this âimplausibleâ.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/46 "2015-10-03T04:50:41Z")
> [@Merneith](#):
>
> > [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
> >
> > A psychologist is not a medical professional. Theyâre not allowed to write prescriptions.
>
> Lots of medical professionals donât have prescription pads. Go tell a nurse that sheâs not a real medical professional. Wear a cup.
Sorry. What I meant to say is that a psychologist isnât a medical doctor (unlike a psychiatrist).
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### Author:  [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/47 "2015-10-03T10:02:37Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#):
>
> No worries! đ
> Maybe just get some more shut-eye.
OK, this one didnât go over my head.
đ
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### Author:  [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/48 "2015-10-03T10:52:48Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#):
>
> Someone who pours drain cleaner in your eyes is not a medical professional.
Words to live by.
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### Author:  [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/49 "2015-10-03T11:03:48Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#):
>
> Geez, I got a chuckle from a silly pun. I wasnât chuckling at the situation. I feel so scolded.
You know how it is. Itâs all fun and games \*\*until \*\*someone loses an eye.
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### Author:  [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/50 "2015-10-03T11:10:18Z")
> [@Merneith](#):
>
> Lots of medical professionals donât have prescription pads. Go tell a nurse that sheâs not a real medical professional. Wear a cup.
**Dewey Finn** was, I expect, alluding to the difference between a psychologist (i.e. anybody who claims they totally, like, understand how brains work and can help) and a psychiatrist (i.e. an \*actual \*medical professional, with a scientific background, a requisite degree and everything).
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/51 "2015-10-03T13:17:39Z")
> [@Kobal2](#):
>
> You know how it is. Itâs all fun and games \*\*until \*\*someone loses an eye.
No, no, no.
Itâs a tragedy when I get some dust in my eye but when you get drain cleaner in your eye, itâs _hilarious_.
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### Author:  [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/52 "2015-10-03T15:28:41Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#):
>
> I believe I was meant to be a chicken. Do you think I can get the government to pay for me to be surgically altered to look like a chicken?
[I might have found you a date.](https://youtu.be/HHOFmHMTN5k?t=2m2s)
More seriously, medical amputations for psychological or neurologic reasons do occasionally happen when it gets to the point that the patient would otherwise self-operate or commit suicide. The issue came up when I took a Canadian medical law course back in the 80s, and has surfaced occasionally since then, e.g. [Dr. Smith](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/625680.stm).
As far as the OP womanâs story goes, it sounds like she had a sympathetic friend or some sort of a nut assist her, as opposed to a proper surgeon doing a proper job of it after a very thorough consideration of all the relevant factors by not only the surgeon but also his or her peers/ethics committee.
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### Author:  [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/53 "2015-10-03T20:52:40Z")
> [@CCitizen](#):
>
> My life with Aspergers plus Depression is quite terrible. I have no chance to get a job or fit into society.
>
> Not funny.
Get a source of income where you are essentially self employed, just giving up on all hope of ever working where superiorâs and coworkerâs distaste of me would prevent me from remaining employed or having any chance of advancement was the best thing I ever did.
Iâm happier and donât have to deal with bullshit like office politics or being always stressed about being let go because despite the fact Iâm working harder then anyone and more productive and even coming up with money and time saving innovations no one likes me.
Ironically I love dealing with customers through email, and they for the most part are more than satisfied with me.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/54 "2015-10-03T23:32:05Z")
> [@Kobal2](#):
>
> **Dewey Finn** was, I expect, alluding to the difference between a psychologist (i.e. anybody who claims they totally, like, understand how brains work and can help) and a psychiatrist (i.e. an \*actual \*medical professional, with a scientific background, a requisite degree and everything).
And his point is that a psychologist is someone with a degree (usually doctorate) in psychology. Youâre describing therapists or counselors. or, in my experience, case workers. (I had one that was actually a Jungian!)
Whatâs worse, psychiatry often just means having a medical degree, without nearly the training in psychology that they should have. Which means a complete lack of understanding of very potent MEDICAL TREATMENTS that donât involve prescribing medicine.
The person in the OP was not almost certainly not a real psychologist. And, if they were, they would be losing their license to practiceâhad they not already done so.
(There is a type of psychologist who only works in the experimental side, being more of a scientistâso maybe thatâs what she meant. Iâd expect them to lose funding, however.)
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### Author:  [@Futurist110](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futurist110)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/55 "2015-10-03T23:39:11Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#):
>
> [http://kfor.com/2015/10/01/woman-says-she-is-happier-than-ever-after-fulfilling-lifelong-wish-of-becoming-blind/](http://kfor.com/2015/10/01/woman-says-she-is-happier-than-ever-after-fulfilling-lifelong-wish-of-becoming-blind/)
>
> WTF!!!
>
> What kind of psychologist would assist a person this way?
Frankly, medical professionals should have tried humanely curing or treating this woman. However, if no effective cure or treatment for this woman exists, then frankly, I myself donât necessarily have a problem with her voluntarily getting blinded. After all, it might unfortunately be the lesser of the two evils. âš
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### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/56 "2015-10-03T23:55:05Z")
All she needs is opaque contact lenses. Instant blind.
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### Author:  [@Futurist110](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futurist110)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/57 "2015-10-04T00:51:22Z")
> [@Leaper](#):
>
> I would not suggest getting into another argument over whether transgender people are âmentally ill,â mostly because I think we have another thread for that.
Let me end this specific debate once and for all, thoughâNo, transgender people are certainly **not** mentally ill. Rather, transgender people simply experience a mismatch between their brains and their bodies. Indeed, at least some people who suffer from body integrity identify disorder might likewise have some mismatch (albeit of a different kind) between their brains and their bodies.
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### Author:  [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/58 "2015-10-04T00:54:58Z")
In 2013, Barcroft TV released a story about [this woman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xujgH_C2q8) with BIID.
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### Author:  [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2015, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-self-identifies-as-blind-so-she-blinded-herself/733177/59 "2015-10-04T09:54:47Z")
According to some sources, âthis womanâ is a man. (See eighth paragraph down).
[http://https://roho.com/tag/chloe-jennings-white/](https://roho.com/tag/chloe-jennings-white/)
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