I’ve read a couple dozen books relating to trauma and dissociation. Here, I list my favorites. This is a work in progress, and will be updated readily.
1
Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder
This book is my first recommendation for anyone seeking to understand DID, and it remains a go-to resource for me. It combines clear, accessible writing with comprehensive content grounded in extensive research and the author’s clinical expereince.
2
Rewriting the Soul: Multiple Personality and the Sciences of Memory
Ian Hacking explores the rise of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) in the late 20th century, focusing on how social, cultural, and psychological factors shaped its diagnosis and treatment. He argues that the phenomenon of multiple personality is not just a medical condition but also a product of narrative and institutional frameworks that influence identity and memory.
Neurobiology and Treatment of Traumatic Dissociation
This is a research-focused book with an emphasis on the neurological and biological link to dissociation. Of particular note is the discussion of the use of opioid antagonists to treat dissociation, which I have not found elsewhere.
3
Dissociative identity disorder is a contemporary label for a long-standing and well-documented phenomena. Despite not explicitly calling it by name, experiences with what could be labeled as DID today—detachment and compartmentalization—are readily documented in this book. Soul Murder captures dissociative experiences well without being influenced by the modern-day cultural lens.
5
