A woman living with multiple personality disorder has spoken about the stigma around the condition.<\/p>\n
Rachel Phoenix, 33, from Preston, was diagnosed with depression at 12 but was later told that she actually had multiple personality disorder (MPD) also known as unstable emotional personality disorder.<\/p>\n
She says the stigma towards the mental illness is prevalent even amongst other mental health sufferers with many misnomers about what MPD is and how it manifests.<\/p>\n
Rachel now runs Rise and Shine, a mental health support group, with Adam Graham, as she tries to raise awareness of what it is really like to live with MPD. <\/p>\n
\"The hardest thing to deal with in terms of MPD is the lack of understanding,\" Rachel told LancsLive.<\/p>\n
\"There's so much stigma and misunderstanding, I remember seeing websites that were supposed to support people with MPD and they were basically making us out to be manipulative and cruel.<\/p>\n
\"Some website told the partners of MPD sufferers to run and 'never look back' saying we are just horrific and need to be left alone.<\/p>\n
\"It's just wrong and hurtful.\"<\/p>\n
Rachel was first diagnosed with depression and anxiety when she was just 12 years old.<\/p>\n
But her diagnosis continued to change as she got older and she knew that her mental health issues went a lot deeper.<\/p>\n
Rachel said: \"My emotions were always a lot more intense then you would expect with someone with depression.<\/p>\n
\"Things that would irritate most people might make me really sad and possibly angry, there was something a little bit different with me.<\/p>\n
\"When I was older I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder.\"<\/p>\n
Rachel kept experiencing terrible lows and extreme emotions which eventually led to doctor's diagnosing her with MPD.<\/p>\n
The stigma started almost immediately for Rachel. She says that people misunderstand the illness just from its name and the way it was portrayed in films and the media.<\/p>\n
\"People think the 'borderline' part of the name comes from the idea that people are literally between personalities,\" said Rachel.<\/p>\n
\"It actually comes from the idea that people are between psychosis and neurosis.<\/p>\n
\"In England it is more often called unstable emotional personality disorder but that is a bit of a mouthful.\"<\/p>\n
To be diagnosed with MPD you must meet five out of nine behavioural traits.<\/p>\n
These include black and white thinking, strong reactions to feeling abandoned, suicidal thoughts and extreme mood swings.<\/p>\n
Rachel said: \"I was shown to have all nine of those.<\/p>\n
\"I have black and white thinking, its one thing or the other, it can be quite difficult to see any of the inbetween.<\/p>\n
\"I have quite intense mood swings, I can go through many in the space of a day, my temper used to be quite bad and my husband would bear the brunt of that.<\/p>\n
\"The feeling of emptiness and suicidal thought are the hardest thing to cope with, the suicidal thoughts can last for years.\"<\/p>\n
In March 2019 Rachel and her friend Adam set up Rise and Shine which started as a healthy lifestyle club but rapidly changed into a mental health support group. <\/p>\n
Before lockdown Rachel led weekly meetings in Preston, offering help and support to others living with mental illnesses. <\/p>\n
She now runs four virtual meetings each week on Skype, taking place on Monday, Tuesday and twice on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"We know what it feels like to have mental health problems, so we can relate,\" said Rachel.<\/p>\n
\"We are here to help people overcome their problems but also to overcome stigma.\"<\/p>\n
If you are concerned about your mental health or someone else, please contact the Samaritans on 116 123.<\/p>\n
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\nPreston woman reveals what it is really like to live with multiple personality disorder - Accrington Observer<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"