By Sue Reece, Radio Adelaide

secrets

you know

you mustn’t

share them



so heavy

you don’t know

how to

carry them



hide them

hide them

deep inside



Welcome to the world of Multiple Personalities, or ‘multiples’ for short. You may have heard of this as Dissociative Identity Disorder. The world of I, the Many; We, the One is often a world of secrecy, rejection, and the burden of far too many thrillers where the serial killer turns out to be the hidden personality of someone who didn’t know they were multiple.

Even from mental health professionals, misdiagnosis, confusion, and assumptions that people are ‘making things up for attention’ are painfully common.

This is a world close to me, as one of the voices in this documentary belongs to my daughter, and the other participants are members of the DI, an international network she founded.

When I asked the network what they would like people to know about multiples, I was given many answers, all of them wanting to go beyond the fears, myths, and stigma. Here is a rare opportunity to hear from 5 different people about their personal experiences with multiplicity.

Please be advised that the content you're about to hear contains descriptions of mental illness, the effects of abuse, and references to suicide, which some listeners may find distressing.

I’d like to thank the five who contributed their stories, using their single public name for each person with multiple selves. Some share more through websites, while others requested anonymity. Ruth, Samira Claire, Jade, Tyrone, Sarah K Reece.

Thank you to those who lent their voices as voice-actors, Winston Kay, Jennifer Fane & Kirk Jones. Thank you to Keith Gratton for technical advice and assistance. Original music composed by Dave Reece.

To learn more about multiplicity visit The Dissociative Initiative.

If any content has caused distress to you, please call Lifeline, on 131114 or visit lifeline.org.au.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.