We Are Not Tara
Most people have been exposed to DID through mainstream media portrayals such as The Three faces of Eve, Sybil, and recently Showtime’s The United States of Tara. Although The Diva appreciates the inclusion of the distinguished Richard Kluft’s response, the Tara production, like most of its genre, sensationalizes the condition to a detrimental extreme.
We Live Among You, Most Commonly Undetected
DID is primarily an internal experience of fragmentation of memory and identity. In most cases it is not externally manifest in the ways portrayed in these programs. Given that its prevalence has been estimated at between 1 and 3 percent of the general population, there is a good chance that the average person knows someone with DID, and an even better chance of knowing someone with a dissociative disorder. However, it is unlikely that anyone could detect the condition in a friend, acquaintance, or colleague.
While there are always exceptions, and there may be periods of recovery “time out” in every mulitple’s life, the majority are as functional as most other people. People with DID hold down jobs, sometimes even extraordinarily prestigious positions, maintain marriages, and raise children. A few are celebrities who’ve managed great successes in spite of, or perhaps because of their unique abilities.
The following books collect personal stories from people living with DID. These personal stories celebrate their subject’s creativity, brilliance, resolve, and resilience.
I Am More Than One: How Women with Dissociative Identity Disorder Have Found Success in Life and Work
Author: Jane Hyman
People with dissociative identity disorder (formerly called multiple personality disorder) are widely thought to be highly dysfunctional. This fascinating book debunks this myth. I Am More Than One gives you an inside look at women who have achieved success while living with the condition.
Multiple Personality Disorder from the Inside Out
Authors: W. Giller; Barry M. Cohen; Esther Giller; Lynn W.
Contributions by 146 individuals diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder and the people with whom they share their lives have been gathered into an accessible and practical volume for therapists, clients, and lay readers interested in how to better be supportive of individuals who suffer with dissociative diagnoses. Many will find that the book validates their own experiences and feelings, as it explores the post-diagnosis journey.