mplex adaptations to ones personalitywhen they are subjected to abuse at such a developmental age (Putnam 52). Trauma has long been recognized as an essential criterion for the productionof dissociative disorders including multiple personality (Appelbaum). Treatment for DID takes many years of painful, intensive therapy aschildhood memories of vicious abuse are slowly recovered. The condition ofthe patients mental state is severely effected during therapy. Therapistsbelieve that the patient can be restored to health after all of the abusivememories are uncovered and the many alters are reintegrated into a singlepersonality (Putnam 53).Through recent research we can now clearly depict the connectionbetween child abuse and dissociative identity disorder. What once was amysterious mental illness is now found to be fairly common throughout ourpopulation. In the past sufferers of DID were forced to be ashamed andremain anonymous of there disease. Today those patients can now seek helpand through treatment live relatively normal lives. Without the help of suchfamous cases as Sybil and Anna O. it may have taken several more years forresearchers to realize the reality of this disorder. Sufferers of DID are nowable to work, raise families, and function normally in everyday life....
