There never will be an actual clear claim. She will always adapt the details of any claim to whatever the situation requires. For example, her claim that she can diagnose from photographs changed to she can diagnose through photographs in real life, but not photos on the Internet. Or she will always invent a cop out, such as looking at cereal in Dixie Cups makes her ill. Is it a scam/fraud, as Longtabber believes? I think so, just not for money (at least, not at the moment), but for attention. I truly believe that Anita knows she is lying, and she. just. doesn't. care. The end justifies the means.
ETA: I wasn't sure Anita knows she is lying until something she posted on the JREF last week clinched it. At the FACT meeting when Dr. Carlson volunteered to be 'read', and Anita claimed to have detected his missing kidney but didn't write it down, etc, she said on her website that she didn't tell Dr. Carlson because she knew he would think she was lying. Last week, on the JREF, she contradicted that and said that she emailed that information to Dr. Carlson after she got home from the meeting. That revealed a lot, to me. From what I've seen, Dr. Carlson appears to be a straightforward and honest man who has been unfailingly courteous towards Anita and whom she obviously respects. I don't believe she didn't tell him that in person just because he would know she was lying, but also because she knew she was lying, she knew how absurd a lie it is, and it's a lot harder to face disbelief in person from someone you respect. There was no way she could pull that one off in person, and she knows it.
As you pointed out, Anita has displayed symptoms consistent with psychopathy, and, in my opinion, narcissistic personality disorder. I don't think the type of attention she receives matters to her. What fuels her is not that people think she is extraordinary, but that the JREF offers her a place to continually declare that she is extraordinary and make people look in her direction. It's the act of declaration that seems to fortify the falsely grandiose image she has of herself, not whether people agree. To be honest, and I don't think anyone here would disagree, Anita is in love with herself. Yeah, it's twisted, but she isn't normal. Which would explain, to me, the wall o' texts posts, the total disregard of advice and constructive opinion. Yes, she replies to people, but she displays no real interest in what they say. She talks (posts) to hear herself talk. Plus, we know that Anita has a marked lack of maturity, which is also consistent with NPD. That's why she repeats herself so much-that childish mindset of "If I say it enough times, that it will make it true." And when she senses that her repeated claims aren't drawing attention, she switches to other lies, like going without water for seven or eight days.
I also think that Anita has probably alienated any number of people in her real life-narcissists are extremely difficult to live with and be around, and, it seems, psychiatrists actually urge those close to them to detach themselves as much as possible, in the interest of self-preservation-most of us can tolerate "me, me, me" for only so long. Real life folks can hang up, walk away, send letters back unopened. Forums can't. There is always someone who will respond, and, even if no one does, she can still talk, talk, talk about herself. I'd be willing to bet that Anita often re-reads her posts and marvels at her own brilliance. I'd also be willing to bet that if she posted, and absolutely no one responded, she'd just keep posting away with different ridicuous claims. What's that saying: "Any attention is good as long as it is attention"? In her case, we should add "...even if it just me paying attention to myself."
I think it is a given that her behavior will have a negative effect on her Uni career (in fact, I think it is likely that it already has), and, definitely, her professional career. We've seen, on the JREF and her website, that she doesn't take responsibility for her own actions/statements at all, that she refuses to admit when she is wrong, even to herself, and that she takes credit where none is due or that belongs to others. The Science thread showed that she can be derogatory and belittling about what she believes is the inferiority of other people-and I know that she has always treated me as an inferior being, so I'm sure she has done it with others. Also, and so many people have commented on this especially, she has displayed so little real knowledge despite her years of study. All of which could definitely impact her professional career. Would you tolerate the type of behavior she has exhibited just on the Internet from a co-worker or employee? I wouldn't. If, of course, she can even pass the background search to get a job. I don't think she understands just how much employers use the Internet to check the background of prospective employees, and I also don't think she understands that she won't be able to 'explain it away'.
The other concern I have is if Anita becomes a parent. People with her apparent disorders can be extremely abusive-even to a fatal degree. Diane Downs, Susan Smith, Casey Anthony - all mothers who killed their children and all had symptoms consistent with NPD and other disorders. (Susan Smith and Casey Anthony weren't judged to be psychopaths, but Diane Downs was considered borderline.) And those are just three cases among many. Very scary to consider.
The world does not owe anyone the right to indulge their own delusions or obsessions to the expense of everything else.
True. Sad to say, though, Anita is a lost cause. We can't teach her that and she can't learn it. Not without professional help, and I doubt she will ever seek that voluntarily. The most we can do is try to protect other people from her.
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