Advice for Children of Parents With Multiple Personality Disorder?

Question by Megbee: Advice for children of parents with Multiple Personality Disorder?
My mother has been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID, (aka: multiple personality disorder). She has been out of the picture for a while. At first I thought her issues were due to her drinking and prescription drug abuse, but come to learn later from her sister (my aunt), that she is institutionalized and has had a proper diagnosis of DID.

The more I think of my childhood, the more her “weirdness” makes sense to me. I remember telling myself as a teenager that at times it felt as if I were talking to a different person, not my mother. But believe me, if anyone has watched the United States of Tara, the real thing is NOT like that! While some people may think it might be interesting to grow up with a mom that has “multiple personalities”, at times it was quite hurtful. She was never a consistent person when it came to important things in my life. She sometimes did extremely embarrassing and inappropriate things (such as trying to have sex with my 14-year-old brothers’ teenage friends while talking in a southern accent and referring to herself as a “southern belle”. We live in Massachusetts. Or have crying spells and slamming doors and her screaming at me that she hated me for making her go to bed at 3am after drinking all night). These might seem like minuscule things, but trust me, things GOT WEIRD to the point where my friends didn’t want to come around anymore.

Well, long story short I was 17 and wanted to go to college so I moved out and didn’t look back. My aunt had her institutionalized and now she is seen as unfit for living in normal society.

Has anyone else had a similar upbringing? Not necessarily DID, but maybe another diagnosis? What was it like growing up with a parent with a severe personality disorder? Do you know of any websites or books that might be helpful in my understanding of my mom and her diagnosis?

Best answer:

Answer by Heather
Books: The Quiet Room & Running With Scissors come to mind.

It can be hard being brought up in a strange environment by people who have severe mental illnesses. I’ve been there too. Best we can do is look forward and build our own lives the way we want them to be. 🙂

The books I listed are pretty good, highly recommended.

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