Creating Hysteria: Women and Multiple Personality Disorder

From 1985 to 1995 an estimated 40,000 Americans, most of themwomen, were told they suffered from multiple personality disorder.Feminists, fundamentalists, and a substantial portion of the mentalhealth community Andorsed this "Sybil-ing" of America.Sensation-seeking television talk shows took up the MPD rallyingcry. In Creating Hysteria, Joan Acocella tells a riveting tale oftherapists betraying their patients, of a psychotherapy professionat war within its own ranks, and finally of expatients rising upand putting an And to the MPD scandal.

"Creating Hysteria exposes one of the most frightening mentalrollercoaster rides taken by thousands of people in modern times.Joan Acocella brilliantly illuminates how the mental healthprofession spearheaded, perhaps inadvertently, a fin-de-sieclehysteria, the fallout from which will take us into the nextmillennium. Anyone who has ever been interested in mental healthshould read this book."--Elizabeth Loftus, president, AmericanPsychological Society

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
Published: 09/02/1999
ISBN: 9780787947941
Pages: 228
Weight: 0.92lbs
Size: 9.34h x 6.28w x 0.82d

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 08/09/1999 pg. 331
Booklist 09/15/1999 pg. 207
Library Journal 10/01/1999 pg. 116
New York Times 11/21/1999 pg. 82
New Yorker (The) 12/20/1999 pg. 99
Publishers Weekly 08/16/1999