This is a collection of thoughts, feelings and short anecdotes by individuals diagnosed with MPD. It was put out by Sidran Press in 1991, edited by Barry Cohen, Esther Giller and Lynn W.
The book was written at a time when this diagnosis had finally been accepted as a "real" diagnosis, and there were many conferences going on to teach therapists more about it so they could diagnose and treat patients better. It was gradually being seen as something that came out of enormous childhood trauma, instead of a one in a million occurrence, like Sybil or Eve. It was also to assist people in understanding that the symptoms of MPD cover a wide spectrum and a lot of people really do have it. The book was compiled from questionnaires answered by MPD patients (the questionnaires were sent out in 1990 to subscribers of a couple of professional journals to reach this population) and the point is to support people that have it, their friends and family and therapists.
It was nice reading parts of it again, it's always nice when you feel like part of a group, and you're not the only one. I read the extremely short chapter on integration. Seems like back in 1991 people were not necessarily integrating but leaving it open, as a choice. I don't agree with that, unless the person doesn't have a choice, which could happen of course. But if you have a choice, you should try and integrate. This way of life is primitive and disruptive and alienating. It's also, of course, a very powerful survival tool that has allowed me to accomplish a lot in my time on earth.
A lot of things have changed in the mental health community, one of which is the disorder's name has been changed to
Dissociative Identity Disorder, I think to better reflect the reality of the wide spectrum of
dissociation that people experience.