Comox Valley Record — BC, Canada, on the Coast Mental Health's mental health category Courage to Come Back 2018 award winner Suzanne& Venuta
Plural receives advocacy award in BC, Canada — December 2018
Comox Valley Record (BC, Canada) writer Jolene Rudisuela interviews awardee Suzanne& Venuta, mental health advocate with dissociative identity disorder (DID). Suzanne& is the winner of the 2018 Courage to Come Back Awards, Mental Health category, given by Coast Mental Health. Diagnosed at age 44 in 2003 after many mis- or under-diagnoses, they earned their award by activism: reducing mental health stigma and raising DID awareness.
According to quotes, Suzanne&’s framing of their DID is that it’s something they created, making it sound like they chose it on-purpose.
The writer describes switching as “subtle mood swings” rather than “drastically different personalities”.
Overall the article is positive and upbeat in spite of any potentially cringe-worthy misconceptions or wordings.
Content warnings: mention of suicidal ideation, alcoholism, bullying, abuse by father, mention of stigma in the media, mention of “hell”.