Dissociative Identity Disorder, By Paula Stewart - 1274 Words

Following the life of Paula Stewart, who had been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), is absolutely intriguing. Reading and studying the breakdown of this dissociative disorder has been eye-opening. Paula’s road to recovery is unlike anything most people have ever heard of. Although there was great struggle in learning to cope with this disorder, Paula received the best treatment she could under her circumstances. At the time of this case, Paula Stewart was a 38 year old female. She was a divorced woman and had two children, whom of which one is an 18 year old son and a 15 year old daughter. Paula’s social history is critical to understand before delving into the issue at hand. This history helps connect the dots as to why Paula had DID. Paula was raise in a small, rural town. Her family unit consisted of four people; herself, her older brother, her mother, and her father. Her parents were strict and authoritarian. Paula’s mother could be describ ed was a dominant, outspoken woman who managed tight control on her family. Mrs. Stewart punished Paula harshly as a child by putting Paula’s hands in scalding hot water or locking her in a closet for hours. All the while, Paula’s father was shy, withdrawn, and unaffectionate towards Paula within the first five years of her life. Those first five years are the most critical to development in a person’s life. Mr. Stewart showed no interest in his daughter until she turned 5 years old. Inappropriate physical