"44 Personalities, but the Artist Shines"

 "JUDY CASTELLI does the work of 44 people. That is because the artist, sculptor, singer, songwriter, author, musician, mental-health advocate, inventor, entrepreneur and teacher with a multiple-personality disorder diagnosis says she is 44 people.

There's Little Judy Girl, who childishly laughs, giggles and scrunches her face; Gravelly Voice, a raspy-voiced man; Squeaky, who can barely articulate her thoughts; the One Who Walks in Darkness, who blindly trips over furniture, and Big Judy, who's competent, funny and self-empowered."

The quote above is an excerpt from an article by Robbie Woliver, published in the New York Times in 2000. It tells the story of Judy Castelli, a woman who was diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder after a long period of depression and multiple suicide attempts. The text is written in a way that makes one understand how such a disorder can impact an individual's life as well as how the individual can turn it around and make the most of it. 

One very interesting and important aspect in this interview with Ms. Castelli is when she mentions that the first therapist she went to see at one point shut her out and stopped returning her calls because she did not know how to deal with her patient back then. Even though discouraged, she started a second attempt and this time found another therapist who then properly was able to diagnose her with D.I.D. and help her come to terms with her condition. 

This shows that many people were not informed enough, if at all, about this disorder. Even though a few decades have gone by since then, this is still found to be true in many cases. This article shows with the right amount of knowledge as well as the right mindset one can conquer any mental illness and does not need to be afraid of it as long as there is a network of professionals who can help.

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/26/nyregion/44-personalities-but-the-artist-shines.html