Some women purchase these lifelike therapy dolls, known as “reborn babies” or “reborn dolls”, as a fun hobby. For others, like Patrizia, these dolls are a means of therapy or comfort, whether related to mental health, child loss, miscarriage or loneliness.
It’s been 22 years since Patrizia has seen or heard from her sons. She still grieves the estrangement every day. But the day Patrizia first held a reborn doll in her arms, which weighs the same as a newborn, a nurturing feeling took over her. It was a once-familiar feeling she had missed.
Originally from Western Australia, Patrizia moved to Europe, fell in love and married a local man. Very soon into the relationship he became seriously abusive towards her – physically, sexually and psychologically.
“We had three sons together. By the time I had to leave, their father had brainwashed them. They respected him, not as much me.”
When Patrizia told her sons why she was leaving, they assured her they would stay in contact. She then never heard from them again.
Upon returning to Western Australia, Patrizia was finally free from the abuse. But there was an immeasurable sacrifice that came with escaping – a loss that took a toll on Patrizia’s mental and physical health.
For the past few years, Patrizia has been running a support group called My Therapy Reborn Group, which has just under 1000 members.
[Ed: society is actively encouraging individuals to resort to a fantasy world to escape intolerable reality. Soon we will all be taking soma – ‘a gramme is better than a damn.”]
Source: Reborn dolls and ‘doll mums’. Why women collect them.
Volunteering with mums and real babies and some cognitive behavioural therapy would probably be less retraumatising for this poor mum, victim/survivor.