The Three Faces of Eve

The Three Faces of Eve Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, is a dissociative disorder where two or more distinct identities or personality states are present. These different identities or personalities recurrently take control of a person’s memory and is so extensive that it cannot merely be explained by forgetfulness (DSM-IV-TR 519). In the movie The Three Faces of Eve, which is based on a true story about a woman now known as Chris Sizemore, is the story of how Dissociative Identity Disorder took over her life. Chris Sizemore, formerly known as Eve White, had three subpersonalities. Each of these subpersonalities had a unique set of memories, behaviors, thoughts and emotions. At any given time, one of them can come out and take turns controlling her behaviors (Comer 224). This case was a breakthrough in Psychology in the 1950’s and gave us our first glimpse of what people dealing with Dissociative Identity Disorder are going through. Eve White is facing several symptoms that conclude that she has Dissociative Identity Disorder. These symptoms are: Horrific headaches and blackouts that occur before the identity change happens, voices giving instructions, the multiple identities using separate names, clothes showing up in the house that the individual doesn’t remember having bought, unable to recall important information and trying to cause harm to oneself by aggressive and suicidal behavior (DSM-IV-TR 526-529). The movie begins on August 20, 1951 when Ralph White brings his wife, Eve, to see Dr. Luther, a psychiatrist, because she has been troubled with very bad headaches and spells of amnesia occurring twice a week. The narrator states that after consulting with Dr. Luther, Mrs. White is greatly helped by the psychiatric treatment. She has fewer and less-severe headaches and no more blackout spells. That is, until the spring of 1952, when she purchases $218.00 worth of flashy, seductive