Background
In July 1997, the editorial team of a newsletter called “Collective Consciousness” announced that it’s next issue would be the last if no-one came forward to take over the task of publishing it. “Collective Consciousness” was a newsletter for the exchange of information and ideas on Multiple Personality Disorder. I was a subscriber and very occasional contributor. In the two years since I had begun seeing a therapist who recognised, accepted and responded to my own multiplicity “Collective Consciousness” had become an infrequent but significant part of my support system. I was shaken by the announcement of the editorial team. What if no-one came forward? I couldn’t take that risk. Fortunately I was in a position where I didn’t have to. I had produced newsletters before. I knew what it involved. I worked within mental health for a charity so had a good understanding of the voluntary sector and opportunities for informal support from my work colleagues to get a new newsletter off the ground. The final issue of ‘Collective Consciousness’ consisted of just two sheets – the final editorial and quotes from readers expressing regret at the newsletter’s demise and a page headed “Interested in a new newsletter?”. I had put myself forward to take over the task. The first issue of First Person Plural’s newsletter was a preview issue launched at the ISSD(UK) conference in April 1998.
The First Years
I received sufficient response to that “Interested in a new newsletter?” article to encourage me to establish a small steering group for a new organisation. The new organisation which became First Person Plural was (and is still) led by survivors with first hand experience of dissociative distress. My original aim had been to continue where Collective Consciousness had left off, i.e. produce a newsletter for multiples and their supporters. However, with the support of a steering group the aims of First Person Plural quickly became more ambitious. For starters we extended our interest across the spectrum of dissociative distress, not only MPD/DID. Then the launch of the First Person Plural newsletter at the ISSD(UK) conference was opportunistic after we were approached by the organisers to put on a poster display of survivor’s poetry and artwork. This was our first big project and its success, together with the positive reception received for the preview issue of our newsletter was encouraging.
However, First Person Plural’s relationship with ISSD(UK) got off to a stormy start. We found in ISSD(UK) a professional body which was out of step with the general mental health environment. In general, mental health was making small but significant advances in actively including clients/service users in the training of professionals and other areas of mental health service planning, development, delivery and evaluation. Our challenges and offers of support to the ISSD(UK) on this issue bore some fruit in arrangements made to accommodate to the needs of service users attending the 1999 ISSD/ISSD(UK) conference. First Person Plural also ran “People Like Us – An Inside Out Exploration of Dissociative Experience” at the 1999 conference. This was our first major workshop and was facilitated by two people with first hand experience of DID/DDNOS. They used their own and other’s experiences to give participants a flavour of what living with a dissociative disorder was like for those who managed to present as functional to the outside world.
» Continue to page 2