[UA] Feedback on UA-ish convention scenario concept

[holycrow at mindspring.com]

ua at lists.uchicago.edu wrote:
> As this is in regards to a UA-style scenario that I may be writing for Necronomicon 2001, Doug Stalker (and anyone else likely to go to that con) 
may wish to avoid reading it.
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Now that we're spoiler spaced...

My experience with MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder) was tangential.  Specifically, I worked as a secretary for a group of social workers, one of whom had several patients with those symptoms.  The book she recommended (but which I never read) was "When Rabbit Howls."

A few random impressions I got were...

* There is usually one dominant personality -- I believe therapists call it "the Captain" -- who is in charge a good majority of the time.  The Captain is ALMOST NEVER the original personality.

* MPD is the result of terrible trauma at a very young age -- stresses so bad that the only two options a mind has are "go multiple" or "go catatonic."  Usually it's a repetitive trauma.

* Personalities may be more formed or less.  Captains are usually pretty well rounded, but other personae are task-oriented.  There might be one personality whose sole function is to feel pain -- so any time the body gets hurt, that personality gets switched in.

* Therapists may want to reunify the personalities into a coherent whole, but that's often considered an ideal outcome.  More often, it's just a matter of taking things as they are and helping the personae recognize, respect and adapt to one another.  

Caveat though: I'm NO EXPERT.  

-G.

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