Customer Reviews

Got Parts? An Insider's Guide to Managing Life Successfully with Dissociative Identity Disorder (New Horizons in Therapy)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Don't let the size fool you. If you have been diagnosed with DID, then this little book of 109 pages is what you need. It doesn't go into the hows and whys of DID, the DID Source Book is great for that. What "Got Parts?" gives you is a day to day manual for getting through life with DID. I carry it in my backpack where ever I go. There are times that DID just gets me down, so I pick up the book, thumb easily to the section I want, take a minute to read about what I need to do, then I remember and do it. Another great thing about this book is that it is written by someone who has DID, who lives and fights in the trenches of DID. This brings authenticity to the book. It also has an index and is easy to locate the subject you are looking for. The writing style of the author is very easy going and she doesn't ever break into stories of her past. There is a page, however in the very back entitled, "About the Author" who remains unidentified. Even then she never talks about the details of her abuse. It's just plain good advice from someone who knows. I have several DID books, but this one is my favorite when I just need to get through the day. When I have moments of feeling crazy, I open the book. When I feel overwhelmed with emotion, I open this book. It helps me to clear my thinking and gives me immediate direction. In short, I really love this book.

My DID clients have found this little book to be helpful, informative, and encouraging. I think it's just the right length (about 100 pages) for the newly-diagnosed to digest early in treatment. It was most useful for them to finally see their experiences in black-and-white, and they relished the suggestions given in the book on how to deal with alters. For further reading I would suggest "Amongst Ourselves" by Tracy Alderman and Karen Marshall.

Incidentally, the suggestions on boundaries and life skills would be helpful to everyone, DID or not.

I rarely write reviews, but after discussing this book with others who have and haven't read it, I felt the need to write and warn those with DID about it.

The tone in which it is written is very authoratative which can be quite difficult to handle for anyone who has survived trauma at the hands of authority figures. The terms "have to" and "need to" are used repeatedly. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the author was able to heal in the way she explains in this book, but it comes across as if she's saying it's the "only" way to go through the healing journey.

There are many parts that are difficult to handle in this book. One section that really got to me is when she's discussing what she sees as a need for alters to be aware of and know who's fronting all the time. Then she says they also "need to know and be able to identify who they are" if your therapist asks. She reiterates this saying the part who is out has to "be willing to answer the question 'Who's here?' or 'Who am I talking with?' " The final straw for me on this subject was when she said that answering "I don't know" or "nobody" are not acceptable and "shyness, game-playing, or simply 'being confused' are not going to help you-all...." Face it, there are times when alters who are untrusting need to be able to come "out" during therapy in order to learn to trust and not be so shy. It may take months before they're able to say their names, if they ever do. Some experts in the field question the need names at all and don't push those alters who don't have names to choose names.

I think that this type of book, where people who have recovered from DID explain their process of healing, are needed, but this one isn't it. There are a few good suggestions in the book, but if you edited out all the negatives, it would be a very short article. Don't waste your time on this like I did. Please, if you have DID, reconsider the purchase of this book.

In contrast to many books on Multipal Personality, this charming book is directed almost exclusively at those who already know they have DID and who are now trying to learn ways to best deal with everyday challenging situations. In a sense, it is like a "Drivers Manual" for Multipal Personality itself.

It does make some assumptions though. It assumes that the reader has progressed to the point where they accept their DID, and have the ability to contact their alters. And that their alters generally are in contact with each other, and feel safe hearing from their "host". In fact, much of the book seems to be adressed as much to a persons' alters as it is addressed to the host.

One of the more valuable sections revolves around the frequent delemma of.....how to deal with doctors visits that may involve touching and other intrusive proceedures. The strategies are VERY usefull, and are sure to be a help to those who still find themselves uncomfortable and essentially playing it by ear in such situations.

All in all, a book with much practical value for those who are becoming more in touch with their condition, and looking for ways to manage difficult situations.

Newly diagnosed DID(Dissociative Identity Disorder) Survivors. This book is very concise, very clear and very compassionate towards DID survivors in general. Lots of information on how to help yourself manage DID issues related to day to day life, as part of your therapy and overall healing. I would highly recommend this book to any DID survivor, because there is a lot of information in there that I try to teach fellow DID survivors in order to manage their DID issues in terms of day to day life. As we struggle with the internal issues in between therapy sessions, this book gives you lots of ideas and suggestions so that you can do the things such as work, school and have a social life. Kudos to you, ATW .. and thank you .. you did a wonderful job writing this awesome and amazing book.

When I first got this book, I was a bit ticked that I paid thirteen dollars for a book that was only around a hundred pages. But once I read it, I knew it was well worth the money. Every sentance is informative. It confronts many daily aspects of life that are affected when one has DID and how to overcome that. Its not full of psycho-mumbo-jumbo but how to handle everyday thigns like taking medicine, raising the kids, sexual activity, work, and respect among the alters. It is truly an owners manual for those with DID.

"Got Parts? An Insider's GUide to Managing Life Successfully With Dissociative Identity Disorder" (whew!)is the best book I have yet read on D.I.D., a disorder that is still not really in the consciousness of the wider public. This is an authentic, useful, and ultimately hopeful book from the point of view of a middle-aged women with multiple personalities. ATW's (the author's initials) advice covers: the symptoms of D.I.D.; learning to know your alters, both old and young; making a safe space for the alters when they are not "on"; how to "lockdown" alters who are a threat to the core personality; how to get the treatment you need; self-care; and the work of re-integrating at least some of the inner personalities. As someone who has a family member recently diagnosed with D.I.D., I found this the most informative and helpful of all the books I've read. This would be a compassionate gift for a parent, spouse, sibling, or friend of someone with D.I.D. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Excellent information, step by step excersises, easy to read, non complex book. Must read for all patients and mental health providers of DID!

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is more commonly known as Multiple Personality Disorder. A psychiatric condition that can arise out of severe trauma in children below seven years of age and most typically brought on by extreme and repeated physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Got Parts?: An Insider's Guide To Managing Life Successfully With Dissociative Identity Disorder is a compilation of successful strategies, coping techniques, and helpful ways to increase the day-to-day functioning of adult survivors of DID in personal relationships, work environments, parenting, self-confidence, and self-care. Got Parts? is not intended for a do-it-yourself substitute for psychotherapy, but rather as an invaluable supplement to be used in conjunction with a therapist. Enhanced with appendices, a bibliography, resource lists, and an index, Got Parts? is appropriate for personal, professional, academic, and community library Psychological Studies therapy reference shelves and resource collections.

This is a very clearly written book for the person with DID and for those who need a refresher or are new to DID. It is specific, positive, and affirming of the process and the need for therapy and support. I highly recommend it for therapists new to DID, and their DID clients.