Status: 10/14/2020 - Currently being revised and a sequel is in the future! Chapters 1-3 are almost completely revised. c:
It's Not All What It Seems...
Hi, My Name is ____________.
"Dissociative Identity Disorder.. -" I glanced up from my flashcard into the audience and saw many baffled faces. I took a breath and continued. "Or as it's commonly known as, Multiple Personality Disorder, can be an effect of severe trauma during early adolescence. Usually from constant physical, sexual, or emotional abuse." I looked up at my presentation on my projection screen. I need a different approach.
"Now, many of you are asking, what is this disorder?" I put down my flashcards and looked at my audience; no longer needing them to be my barrier. "To put it in laymen's terms, have any of you ever got caught daydreaming or getting lost in the moment while working?" I looked around and got a few nods. Well, at least I wasn't putting them to sleep anymore. "That is called mild dissociation. Dissociative Identity Disorder, or D.I.D, is a very severe form of this, a mental process if you will, that provokes a lack of connection in a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions and especially sense of identity." I grabbed my clicker off the podium to change the slide.
"As I stated before, D.I.D can be the effect, in many cases, of severe trauma. The dissociative aspect as I again mentioned beforehand is thought to be a coping mechanism. Why would the person want to be in a violent, traumatic or painful situation when they can just... dissociate themselves?" I look out into the audience and see a hand up. "Yes?"
"You use the word 'dissociate' and 'dissociative' a lot but fail to tell us what that means." A man from the back questioned as he stood up.
"My apologies. The word 'dissociative' means to separate from association or union with another." I answered. "Any other questions before I continue?" I look around and saw all eyes on me.
"As I was saying before, people with D.I.D use this as a coping mechanism... to basically assimilate with his or her conscious self." I looked back into the crowd and saw the same man raise his hand. "Yes?"
"What are the symptoms of this disorder? I'm sorry for being blunt with this question.. What to look out for?" He said as he stood up.
"I will talk about that next sir to answer your question. If it doesn't please let me know." I said with a smile. I walked to my board and turned to the audience to see he sat down.
"This disorder is known for it's presence of two or more distinct or split identities, or personality states, that continually battle over the person's behaviour. One symptom is of course, forgetfulness. Inability to recall key personal information and stuff like that or even highly distinct memory problems that parallel with the person's split personality." I clicked to the next slide and took off my suit jacket.
"Now, about these... personalities or 'alters'. They have their own age, sex, or race. They also have their own postures, and distinct way of talking. For example, one of my cases... This little girl-" I smiled "Hers was an animal." I sighed and walked to the other side.
"As each of these 'alters' reveals itself and controls the person's behaviour... that is called 'switching'. That process in this disorder can take minutes.. days.." I looked up at the audience. "Symptoms that mostly people with this disorder feel include depression, mood swings, suicidal tendencies...uhm..-" I turn back to the screen and look back. Hey, it is really hard to remember these! "Sleeping disorders including insomnia, anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, compulsions and rituals, psychotic like symptoms.. and I mean hallucinating, and last but not least, eating disorders." I stood back and looked all over the room at everyone's faces.
"Other symptoms may include headaches, amnesia, trances and 'out of body experiences'. Most people... with this disorder... have a tendency to lean towards self-persecution, or even violence." I sat on the desk and folded my hands. I felt like I was having a one on one with the audience. "To give you an example.. someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder may find themselves doing things they would not normally do. Things such as reckless driving or... or shoplifting... stealing. Yet, they're compelled to do it!" I said as I slammed my hand down. I sighed and took a deep breath. I need to calm the fuck down. "Some people describe this as... being a passenger in their body." I walked over to the window. Why am I getting so emotional.. again? "Any questions?"
"How many personalities can be present during a lifetime?" A woman asked. I turned around and looked at her. She had on a black suit and plum lipstick. I walked over to get a better look.
"It depends on how many problems the person is dealing with. When the patient is first diagnosed... maybe... 2 or 4 which is average. But over the course of the treatment 13 to 15 personalities can become known. However.. there has been a few cases where a few patients have had 100 and plus personalities."
"So only a bad childhood causes Multiple Personality Disorder?" the man asked as he stood up and stood next to his seat.
"No sir. It was on my powerpoint. It's mostly biological and environmental factors working together." I walked to my board and clicked to my final slide. He was still standing.
"Well to wrap things up, this disorder is not curable however, it is treatable if the patient is committed. Effective treatment includes regular therapy, psychotherapy and medications." I put my suit jacket on and dismissed everyone from my lecture. I felt good. I needed to let the world, well the few people in my room know about this disorder.
"Excuse me, Miss..?"
I turned around and saw the same man who badgered me with questions.
"Oh, hello" I said with a smile.
"I loved your lecture. Are you a student? An intern?"
I laughed. I get this all the time.
"No. I'm a doctor. I'm a psychiatrist."
"You look very.. young" He said with a bewildered look on his face.
"I got my doctorate not too long ago."
He smirked then continued."Wow.. Well, I'm Joseph McCracken, I own Greystone Park Asylum... Are you looking for work?"
"Actually, yes.. I am."
He smiled. "You know where it is?"
"Yes."
"Tomorrow. 8 AM sharp. The receptionist will tell you where to go."
I nodded.
"I didn't catch your name. I missed the beginning of the lecture." He said as he smiled again and held out his hand.
"Dr. Lindsey Cobain. Nice to meet you." I said as I smiled back and shook his hand.
"8 AM." he said as he walked out.
"Now, many of you are asking, what is this disorder?" I put down my flashcards and looked at my audience; no longer needing them to be my barrier. "To put it in laymen's terms, have any of you ever got caught daydreaming or getting lost in the moment while working?" I looked around and got a few nods. Well, at least I wasn't putting them to sleep anymore. "That is called mild dissociation. Dissociative Identity Disorder, or D.I.D, is a very severe form of this, a mental process if you will, that provokes a lack of connection in a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions and especially sense of identity." I grabbed my clicker off the podium to change the slide.
"As I stated before, D.I.D can be the effect, in many cases, of severe trauma. The dissociative aspect as I again mentioned beforehand is thought to be a coping mechanism. Why would the person want to be in a violent, traumatic or painful situation when they can just... dissociate themselves?" I look out into the audience and see a hand up. "Yes?"
"You use the word 'dissociate' and 'dissociative' a lot but fail to tell us what that means." A man from the back questioned as he stood up.
"My apologies. The word 'dissociative' means to separate from association or union with another." I answered. "Any other questions before I continue?" I look around and saw all eyes on me.
"As I was saying before, people with D.I.D use this as a coping mechanism... to basically assimilate with his or her conscious self." I looked back into the crowd and saw the same man raise his hand. "Yes?"
"What are the symptoms of this disorder? I'm sorry for being blunt with this question.. What to look out for?" He said as he stood up.
"I will talk about that next sir to answer your question. If it doesn't please let me know." I said with a smile. I walked to my board and turned to the audience to see he sat down.
"This disorder is known for it's presence of two or more distinct or split identities, or personality states, that continually battle over the person's behaviour. One symptom is of course, forgetfulness. Inability to recall key personal information and stuff like that or even highly distinct memory problems that parallel with the person's split personality." I clicked to the next slide and took off my suit jacket.
"Now, about these... personalities or 'alters'. They have their own age, sex, or race. They also have their own postures, and distinct way of talking. For example, one of my cases... This little girl-" I smiled "Hers was an animal." I sighed and walked to the other side.
"As each of these 'alters' reveals itself and controls the person's behaviour... that is called 'switching'. That process in this disorder can take minutes.. days.." I looked up at the audience. "Symptoms that mostly people with this disorder feel include depression, mood swings, suicidal tendencies...uhm..-" I turn back to the screen and look back. Hey, it is really hard to remember these! "Sleeping disorders including insomnia, anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, compulsions and rituals, psychotic like symptoms.. and I mean hallucinating, and last but not least, eating disorders." I stood back and looked all over the room at everyone's faces.
"Other symptoms may include headaches, amnesia, trances and 'out of body experiences'. Most people... with this disorder... have a tendency to lean towards self-persecution, or even violence." I sat on the desk and folded my hands. I felt like I was having a one on one with the audience. "To give you an example.. someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder may find themselves doing things they would not normally do. Things such as reckless driving or... or shoplifting... stealing. Yet, they're compelled to do it!" I said as I slammed my hand down. I sighed and took a deep breath. I need to calm the fuck down. "Some people describe this as... being a passenger in their body." I walked over to the window. Why am I getting so emotional.. again? "Any questions?"
"How many personalities can be present during a lifetime?" A woman asked. I turned around and looked at her. She had on a black suit and plum lipstick. I walked over to get a better look.
"It depends on how many problems the person is dealing with. When the patient is first diagnosed... maybe... 2 or 4 which is average. But over the course of the treatment 13 to 15 personalities can become known. However.. there has been a few cases where a few patients have had 100 and plus personalities."
"So only a bad childhood causes Multiple Personality Disorder?" the man asked as he stood up and stood next to his seat.
"No sir. It was on my powerpoint. It's mostly biological and environmental factors working together." I walked to my board and clicked to my final slide. He was still standing.
"Well to wrap things up, this disorder is not curable however, it is treatable if the patient is committed. Effective treatment includes regular therapy, psychotherapy and medications." I put my suit jacket on and dismissed everyone from my lecture. I felt good. I needed to let the world, well the few people in my room know about this disorder.
"Excuse me, Miss..?"
I turned around and saw the same man who badgered me with questions.
"Oh, hello" I said with a smile.
"I loved your lecture. Are you a student? An intern?"
I laughed. I get this all the time.
"No. I'm a doctor. I'm a psychiatrist."
"You look very.. young" He said with a bewildered look on his face.
"I got my doctorate not too long ago."
He smirked then continued."Wow.. Well, I'm Joseph McCracken, I own Greystone Park Asylum... Are you looking for work?"
"Actually, yes.. I am."
He smiled. "You know where it is?"
"Yes."
"Tomorrow. 8 AM sharp. The receptionist will tell you where to go."
I nodded.
"I didn't catch your name. I missed the beginning of the lecture." He said as he smiled again and held out his hand.
"Dr. Lindsey Cobain. Nice to meet you." I said as I smiled back and shook his hand.
"8 AM." he said as he walked out.