DID & Self-Disclosure
I never expected to come out of the closet.
Coming Out of the Closet
During the period of my life when I was split apart, the chaos resulting from DID was so acute I never knew if I would make it through another day. I barely believed my diagnosis and had difficulty reconciling my covert presentation with Sybil and the Three Faces of Eve, the only celebrated cases in my era. How would I ever keep my teaching position – my only means of support – if I let the world know I had DID? Consequently, I am only now coming out of the closet.
Filling the Media Void
Today, I’m told that TV, Hollywood, and YouTube have filled the void about DID. (I intentionally choose not to watch most of those shows.) Apparently, some of the depictions are accurate portrayals of DID but some are very inaccurate and foster serious misunderstandings and stigma.
Life-Saving Response
The truth is that DID is the young child’s natural and life-saving response to repeated, horrible trauma. Although we often feel and even act “disordered,” our splitting apart was a coping strategy, a strength, not a weakness. The diagnosis should not impact the way people view us but, sadly, it does.
Educating the Public
I never expected to become an educator who explains DID to the general public and clears up misunderstandings.
Yet here I am. By virtue of my memoir, Crazy? A Memoir, I am being interviewed by Safe Communities PA on April 20, 2021 at 6:30 pm ET (Registration required). By virtue of that engagement, I’ve also been asked to be interviewed on WITF Smart Talk – reaching thousands of listeners – the day before on April 19 at 9:00 am ET.
I am awed and humbled. DID manifests in each of us differently, but we have significant common threads. My job is to explain DID accurately, describe the wide variations and manifestations, and share my own experiences. I’m representing myself, but I am also representing you. I hope I am up to the task.
Self-Care
Self-disclosure is a big step for someone with DID. We have been betrayed many times, so a poor response from the person we disclose to can be experienced as another betrayal. Sometimes it’s our need – not the trustworthiness of the other person – that prompts us to self-disclose.
Each of us decides with whom and how we want to reveal our most inner experience. Before jumping off the cliff, talk with your therapist about it, journal with your alters, and get a read on their individual and collective opinions. Sometimes self-disclosure ends our isolation and helps us find the support we need. Sometimes it pushes us further back into the closet. Know yourself and take your time.
Invitation
Check out my website at www.lynbarrett.com where you can download my free ebook called DID Unpacked. You can also sign up for notification of the release of my memoir, Crazy? A Memoir (formerly titled Crazy: In Search of a Narrative) and learn more about writing opportunities.
What questions do you have about DID? Any topics you’d like me to cover? I’ll look forward to hearing from you!
“Self-disclosure is a light, so it is existence and knowledge."
Islamic Teaching