We Are Jackie

Book excerpt: Wilkinson B. Dunlace married his wife, Jackie, without realizing the extent of her early-childhood abuse. He would learn that she was victimized from an early age, and she recorded a vast quantity of material intending to share her story to help others struggling to cope with the after-effects of abuse. Jackie died before she could write her personal history, but relying on her journals and his insights, her husband reveals her journey toward healing and empowerment. While Jackie did not know it at the time, her healing received a boost in May 1990 when she was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. The diagnosis explained her feelings of low self-esteem, a sense of lost time and bouts of unexplained depression. Coping with the trauma of abuse, however, was not easy, as Jackie was frequently hospitalized and suffered from anxiety and severe depression. Many people have written books about multiple personality disorder in a clinical manner. This one brings readers into the family to highlight the highs and lows that those coping with the condition can expectand how they and their loved ones can persevere.