Customer Reviews

The Dissociative Identity Disorder Sourcebook (Sourcebooks)

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As both a recently diagnosed multiple and a male, I must say that this book is not just for women as was indicated by a previous reviewer. I was mis-diagnosed by two different therapists who told me I either had clinical depression or borderline personality disorder. They both dismissed my description of personal experiences with dissociation out of hand, including an episode that very nearly ruined my life and sent me into threapy to begin with. One of them wanted to have his psychiatrist associate treat me with drugs, and both thought that "brief" therapy was all I needed (neither of which are effective with DID). Then I found this book and it changed my life. Seeming to confirming my suspicions, I devoured the book in a week. This gave me the courage to take three separate instruments, (SCID-D, DDIS, and DES) that this book acquainted me with. After they all indicated positive for DID I sought out a specialist using references in the book. He confirmed the diagnosis. I feel now that I am finally on a path that will lead to recovery. It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't of accidently run across this book while browsing the shelves at a local book store. If you have DID (formerly MPD), think you might have DID, or have been in the endless therapy loop that has been treating your symptoms and not your illness, then READ THIS BOOK. The book is filled with helpful information for dissociatives/multiples and their loved ones. Also highly recommended: The Stranger in the Mirror.

Forget all the hype and sensationalism. This disorder not only exists but it afflicts almost 1% of the population. This is THE book to read if you suspect that you or someone you care about may have an alter personality or alter personalities. I have read everything published on the subject but if you want one book on Dissociative Identity Disorder, I would recommend that this be the purchase. The author succeeds in making understandable a sensitive and complicated subject. You will never again confuse D.I.D. and Schizophrenia.

This book is an excellent book for people who are wondering about this disorder and who have family, friends, or relatives who may have this disorder. It has good a good overview of what DID is and what it is not, especially distinguishing between Schizophrenia and DID. Having personal experience with this disorder, I think it is an excellent sourcebook and Highly reccommend it.

What it is, why it is, and what you can do about it.
No individual personal stories. Just the facts.
I found this book very helpful.

Definitely a book for sufferers and their loved ones, it also has some of the comprehensiveness normally found only in technical works. Good overview of origins, treatments, and relationship to post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder. Written in an informal, accessible style. Avoids lurid, melodramatic, and typically misleading Sybil-like tales. Not that these tales are untrue, but they are extreme and unrepresentative cases.

The focus is mostly on female victims of dissociation, as they are much more likely than males to seek treatment. However, there is little in the book that doesn't apply to male victims as well.

Compare to Steinberg's Stranger in the Mirror, which is more intense and dramatic but not as good as an overview. For clinicians, a good introduction, before moving on to the clinical books by Colin Ross and James Chu.

POSTSCRIPT: Books on this subject often lack historical perspective. To get some, try Adam Crabtree's From Mesmer to Freud and learn especially about Pierre Janet.

The 1950s saw the height of two fashions that obscured the reality of DID, psychoanalysis and the schizophrenia fad. But 1957 saw two remarkable exceptions. The first is the Oscar-winning film, The Three Faces of Eve. The DID case here is extreme, which can mislead viewers into thinking that "real" DID has to be that blatant. And the underlying abuse is left largely implicit. It's still an eerie and powerful film and well worth watching.

The other is the classic Battle for the Mind, by the distinguished British psychiatrist William Sargant. He covers an amazing range of topics for a book of moderate length and ties together a wide range of pathologies - brainwashing, sudden political and religious conversion, combat and other psychological trauma, abreaction and catharsis, coerced confessions, "programming" (a la Manchurian Candidate), and Pavlov's little-known later work on traumatic stress in dogs. The book is dated in only a few respects. A post-1960s look at the same phenomena, emphasizing the rise of cults and drugs, is Conway and Siegelman's book, Snapping.

(BTW, these two works might help to dispel the strange idea that the 1950s were "repressive" or unsophisticated. People who think this are watching too much television. The period marked Hollywood's silver age, including not only Three Faces of Eve, but the original and much superior versions of such movies as Manchurian Candidate and Lolita. The 50s were the last decade when popular culture was controlled by adults, and that culture has to be absorbed through films, plays, and books, not television.)

As a person recently diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder this book has become an invaluable resource. It is clearly written, thorough and provides the reader with links to other helpful resources. A must have for individuals with DID or their family, friends and support systems.

This book has so much to offer the mpd community with it's research, ideas, information for multiples, friends and SO's and spouses of multiples and even for therapists worded in very easy to understand layman terms. It is very clear cut with great ideas, exercises, explainations and resources to follow through with.

I was extrememly impressed and didn't expect to be after being disappointed so often when it comes to multiple literature.
Tracy

Many of us that were broken during our childhoods dissociate and then during our adult lives we are confused and wonder why we are not like everyone else. We finally make it to therapy and find out that we have DD-NOS or DID. My only problem with the book is that the author says that 1 in every 100 people have DID. I would love to hear the authors input on that because that is a rather high number. Personally I don't think it's that common nor do I think its all that rare, but then I am far from an expert and many of them seem to have different ideas on that subject. The book covers everything from the history of DID to finding a therapist that can deal with it and treatment options. It does not get into how to actually deal with DDNOS/DID, but it's a wonderful introductory book. It's not easy reading, nor is it difficult. For those of you that enjoy knowing how things work and what causes it, you will enjoy this book. For those of you looking for stories of those with Multiple Personality Disorder/DID and easy reading, I suggest you look for another book. I read the book once when I was first diagnosed with PTSD, DD-NOS and possible DID. I now plan to read it again because I enjoyed it so much, but I have a few more on my agenda first on the same subject. The publish date is 2001 and something like DID has had so many changes in the last 10 years. I hope there will be an updated version soon.

it's been a little while but I recommend this book to anyone who has, knows, or are interested in Multiplicities or multiple personality disorders. I am a multiple and wished i had found it much sooner.

I have a friend who is DID with approximately 157 alters and this book has helped me COMPLETELY to not only understand what he is going through but how to be a friend with someone who has so many different sides to them. It speaks in yomans terms and deals with information for not only DID people, but therapists and friends or family members of a person with DID. I highly recommend this book. It has helped me to understand not only what he is going through on a daily basis but how to be a friend with so many different people living within 1.
Excellent book with great information!!! HIGHLY recommend it for anyone having a friend or family member with DID.
I most cetainly did NOT think this book was only helpful for female DIDs. Its a great resource for both MALE and FEMALES
I thought this book was SO good, Im getting him a copy!