Lived Experience Forum

[Shimmer]

Hi @Faith-and-Hope,

@NikNik might have more to add, but I can tell you that SANE has produced 3 blogs about DID around the release of Split:

Busting the myths about Dissociative Identity Disorder

Nine things you need to know before watching Split (a lived experience perspective)

People with mental illness are not villains (message from SANE CEO)

Hope this helps!

[Faith-and-Hope]

Thanks @Shimmer .....

I'll take a look at those .... thank you ❣

[pip]

I recently viewed another of these type of movies called 'the Visit'. This movie told the story of two children visiting their maternal g'parents. The g'mother suffered a severe form of dementia also known as sundowners disease. While I can't say whether I enjoyed the movie, it was interesting as it explored the g'mother's reaction to the sun, as night fell. The g'father also suffered dementia. both g'parents were depicted as evil to the point of attempting to murdering the children. The 'punch line' if you like to refer to the ending as a punch line, came about when the children skyped their mother and discovered the people were not the g'parents. The film did try to lighten the stigma of mental illness, but it did reinforce the fear. Fearing mental illness is as bad as institutionalizing those who suffer instead of helping them to integrate among the community. They are still people with feelings and should be respected and helped instead of shunned and 'locked away'.

[Gilgamesh]

Yes the mentally ill took the place of lepers.

It just seems cheap to me. Like using amnesia in a novel.

[pip]

@Gilgamesh. I totally agree with your views on how the mentally ill are still treated as lepers. Many people I drive to different locations for w/shop training suffer autism/down's syndrome etc. They are still able to communicate so should still be treated respectfully. Pitying them is unacceptable as that still spells ignorance. They are basically happy and content, yes - they do have their 'spats', but don't we all? There was a movie released some years ago with Sally Field in the title roll as 'Sybil'. Sybil also suffered this D.I.D, she was helped through a great therapist who worked with her for years. D.I.D seems to be mainly caused through severe traumatic events which the brain simply can't cope with, similar to PTSD. Treating these people like outcasts almost shows a return to the 'dark ages' where anyone deemed to be 'different' was shunned. Instead of hiding behind 'pity', treat them as you would someone with dementia/alzheimers etc.

[Gilgamesh]

@pip Yes over-concern leads to resentment.

DID is truely brilliant. It is an amazing defence mechanism. Grey matter is truely amazing. That is of course not cheapening the distress caused by the suffers of DID and often embarrisment.

For horror I generally turn to Korean and Chinese films. Because they don't believe in mental illnesses generally so it ain't written in... most western films do the double take... is it all in their head (are they crazy) or is it real. Blah.

[pip]

Hi @Gilgamesh. Btw, I love your chosen name. May I inquire as to the origin? Is it your surname? My name derives from a neighbor I had who had a cat called pipsy or pip for short. She was a beautiful, loving, caring cat who always seemed to sense when I was down.
My horror preference is actually dramatic/true storylines rather than mental illness. I will watch 'Dracula' movies occasionally, I actually find them amusing. I found 'One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest' disturbing.

[pip]

Following on from previous post. Do you suffer insomnia? I have it but am slowly recovering. Mine is due to ceasing AD's suddenly about 3 years ago.

[Gilgamesh]

@pip I can't really call it insomnia because I never feel tired. As I understand it insomniacs feel tired but can't sleep. I just don't sleep.

[pip]

@Gilgamesh. With me it is insomnia. I go to bed ultra-tired and immediately wake up. I have found the later I go to bed, the better I seem to sleep. I was, as I said taking AD's for depression, I had a mixture of AD's/sleep aids. I had severe hallucinations because of the combo, however, I am getting the insomnia under control. The joys of depression left untreated. I was never monitored while I was taking the AD's, this was over a 20 year period. I suffer a mild form of depression which I can cope with. I also suffer PTSD which I recognize as part of a severe traumatic upbringing. Coping skills I've had to learn as part of my growth from where I was to where I am now. You have probably been following my struggles with another forum and the con-artist I became involved with on that forum. All this has been a learning experience and I'm not angry, just disappointed. However, I am a fighter and I am determined to bring this man to justice.