In partnership with Yahoo News
Is Multiple Personality Disorder Real? One Woman's Story
In 1976, millions of viewers tuned in to watch “Sybil,” a television movie based on the best-selling book of the same name, and were introduced to the agonies of a young woman said to have 16 different personalities.
The TV movie elevated a rarely diagnosed mental illness – multiple personality disorder – into a cultural phenomenon and a talk show staple. By 1980, The American Psychiatric Association officially recognized the disorder. And soon thousands of patients were being diagnosed with it.
But as the case numbers rose in the 1990s, so too did questions about the disorder, and the woman who had become the face of it.
Today, the controversy over Multiple Personality Disorder – now called Dissociative Identity Disorder – continues to shape mental health issues.
Additional Resources:
Sybil Exposed: The Extraordinary Story Behind the Famous Multiple Personality Case by Debbie Nathan
More Like This
How NASA Sold Us a Trip to the Moon
To launch its lunar landing project, NASA had to find ways to convince the American public that the costly, audacious pursuit was essential. One lasting result: Tang breakfast drink.
Trump, Measles, and a Study That Fueled Fear
President Donald Trump has long been a critic of childhood vaccines -- but recently he changed course, urging parents to vaccinate their children.
Suicide, Veterans and How a Simple Idea Is Trying to Combat a Crisis
As the nation continues to confront an epidemic of suicide, we explore the promising work of Dr. Jerry Motto, who in the 1960s, pioneered a simple, yet surprisingly successful method of treatment that is being implemented today.
Future of Gaming
As gaming becomes the dominant form of entertainment this century, game developers increasingly track player behavior to tailor experiences that will keep people playing longer and spending more money.