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Child Sexual Abuse and Dissociative Identity Disorder

© Flora Thomas-Guillory

One Saturday, I ran into Lori at the neighborhood grocery store. When we met up at the dairy case, I greeted her with a cheerful "Hi Lori, how are you?" She didn't respond, but kept checking the dates on the milk cartons. Not one to accept being ignored, I repeated my greeting a little louder. She looked up in my direction, but showed no recognition at all. She responded, "My name isn't Lori," and returned to the job at hand. I was puzzled, but didn't push the issue. "Sorry for the mistake," I said, "but you sure look like someone I know." I moved on, reluctantly, wondering if I were crazy or if she just didn't want to acknowledge me outside of the convenience store I managed. To tell you the truth, I was quite offended, but I figured, it's her loss, not mine. I simply wanted to say hello.

When I got to the checkout counter, she was ahead of me, and as I began to unload my groceries, she pulled out a credit card to pay for hers. The cashier swiped the card and sat it on the ledge. I was close enough to read the name on it, and sure enough it was Lori J-------, the same name of the person I'd gotten to know over the years as a regular customer at my store. When she signed the receipt, she didn't sign it with her name though, she signed it Sara J-------. I was taken aback because I didn't know Lori had a sister, especially an identical twin. I decided to ask her about it the next time she was in my store.

My chance came that Monday morning, when she got her coffee refill the way to work. "I met your twin sister this weekend," I started, "she isn't as friendly as you though." Lori stood there frozen...her smile faded and I swear I could see the blood drain from her face. "I don't have a twin Flora, I don't have a sister at all." I told her every detail about the incident in the grocery store and even told her that the person had her credit card and signed it Sara J-------. "Oh," was her response, "Sara is one of my alters."

She went on to explain that she had multiple personality disorder and was in treatment to try to integrate the personalities. My only response was to smile and say, "I'll remember that the next time I run into you."

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