Watson

The story of Shirley A. Mason (aka Sybil) is fascinating. She was presumed to have Dissociative Identity Disorder, caused by an abusive childhood. A book about her case – Sybil (1973) – was a sensation in the 1970s, with it being adapted into a film in 1976. 1/5

Her story produced widespread interest, with a group of psychiatrists lobbying (successfully) to have “multiple personality disorder” added to the DSM. After that, the once incredibly rare disorder became far, far more common. 2/5

"In the entire history of Western civilization, there had been less than 200 cases over a period of centuries … But after the book and film, suddenly there were hundreds and thousands. And by the late 1980s there were 40,000 cases diagnosed in the United States alone.” 3/5

Her story appeared to impact women specifically. Young women, who felt torn between traditional female roles and newer prospects, deeply empathised with Sybils story. In fact, the vast majority of those diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder happen to be women. 4/5