By Christiénne Miller

I remember, as a child, seeing The Three Faces of Eve, when they used to show old films on TV during Saturday afternoons. And, it wasn’t until I was in my early twenties that I ended up seeing Sybil — which, to this day, I can barely stand to think about. It also wasn’t until years later that I discovered a neighbor I grew up with had integrated and managed dissociative identity disorder: DID (formerly known as multiple personality disorder). I just thought she was eccentric.

Even before becoming a mother myself, the idea of a child being so traumatized that they split off into multiple personalities is something I’ve always found deeply tragic. The United States of Tara, however, has given me a different experience and understanding of the complexity of DID, as well as some comfort — all of which I am profoundly grateful for. The whole cast is amazing and Toni Collette (who I just love — did you know she’s a singer too?) won a much-deserved Emmy Award for her portrayal of Tara.

I love that this series, which is set to premiere on March 22 on Showtime, treats the disorder with compassion and humor. It’s one of those shows that I see being classified in a new genre of self-help entertainment, because it demystifies DID and — I think — encourages people who need help to get it. I’m also extremely impressed that they are tapping the knowledge of Leah Peterson Crawford, who consults for the show. Leah has personal experience with DID and is an incredible advocate for the achievement of mental health.

If you get a chance, I hope you’ll catch the show if you can. Maybe it will give you a much-needed or desired new perspective too!

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