Author Interview with Jacqueline Barry
Sunday, Nov 30/08
Live Author Interview with www.WomensSelfesteem.com
The Interview started as normal with some general chit-chat, settling of nerves and getting comfortable. Soon the interview was underway!
Here's how it went:
Dorothy .... So nice to have you here Jacqueline!
Jacqueline .... So nice to be here D..Thanks for asking me.
Dorothy .... It is my pleasure.
Dorothy .... Why don't you start by telling us where you are from?
Jacqueline .... Commerce Michigan now but been over a lot of the US and came back here!
Dorothy .... Where were you born?
Jacqueline .... Dearborn Heights Michigan.
Dorothy .... When exactly did you begin writing your book?
Jacqueline .... In September of last year and it took me about three months.
Dorothy .... That's not bad at all.
Jacqueline .... It went fast because I knew the subject really well...LOL
Dorothy ....I agree totally...the best strategies are ones that are actually tried & true!
Dorothy .... What or whom inspired you to write about your experiences with personality disorder?
Jacqueline .... Actually my husband hounded me until I wrote it.
Dorothy .... He sounds like a very insightful man!
Dorothy .... How much of your story is realistic?
Jacqueline .... All of it...every word
Dorothy .... What exactly does 'Chemical Imbalance' mean to you?
Jacqueline .... To me it means I am not crazy and that there is a medical reason for why I go through what I do.
Dorothy .... Well said.
Dorothy .... How controlling is this disorder as far as being able to carry out a normal daily life?
Dorothy ....How controlling is this disorder as far as being able to carry out a normal daily life?
Jacqueline .... It has most all control. Each day is dependent on what is going on with "Her"
Jacqueline .... I was not diagnosed until I was 34 years old
Dorothy .... You mentioned that you had Obsessive, Compulsive Disorder when you were in grade school....do you feel that this was the beginning of your other disorders?
Jacqueline .... At the time I had no idea about any of it...as I grew I learned I did things differently and it wasn't until my adult life I heard all the names for these conditions.
Dorothy .... You raised 3 children, lived your life dealing with the loss of your first born to SIDS...all the while battling an unknown and unidentified disorder...aside form the fact that it shows an amazing amount of inner strength and will to survive...do you feel that there was a higher power watching over you and guiding you through each step?
Jacqueline .... Yes, I believe in God with every inch of my being.
Jacqueline .... I have to believe in God watching over me because if this is random it would kill me...so God is my savior.
Dorothy .... Did you ever feel that doctors were willing to medicate rather than educate you on how to cope with your disorder?
Jacqueline .... Definitely.....That is what they tried to do for years..pills..I learned it made me feel worse.
Dorothy .... People can say what they want about faith....but I have seen faith heal and strengthen so many people and their will to keep fighting.
Dorothy .... So many people fall into that drug crutch..it makes the battle that much more difficult.
Dorothy .... I also feel that doctors tend to try and solve too many ailments with drugs as opposed to mind over matter in so many cases.
Jacqueline .... I agree D!
Jacqueline .... Teaching is the best way with this condition not masking it with pills and so forth.
Jacqueline .... I've found that suffering is a choice on some matter and "human drama" can go a long way.
Jacqueline .... I start everyday with setting my mind to who I am going to be and how I am going to be that day.
Dorothy ....That is what I call self-talk ...positive self-talk.
Dorothy .... That is a very good thing.
Jacqueline .... I did too...it did make it harder and yet almost put me on hold until I could get my act together ....drugs I mean.
Dorothy .... You mentioned Landings & Crashes in your book...could you explain exactly what you meant by those terms?
Jacqueline .... When I am "up" or chemically high then there is no where to go but down, so when I am up I have learned how to make myself come down.
Jacqueline .... Otherwise there is what is known as a crash or meltdown.
Jacqueline I tend to come down slowly now because of the system I call Brain Brakes.
Dorothy .... I found that a very interesting part of your book.
Jacqueline .... Thank You!
Dorothy .... Self healing and self-control are so important.
Jacqueline .... I agree
Jacqueline .... I run my life with mental visualization
Dorothy ....I do so much with trying to understand the power of ones control within their own thoughts.
Dorothy ....I really commend you on your ability to do that for yourself.
Jacqueline .... Thank You
Dorothy ... Have you ever had days where you just felt like you could not move forward anymore and that you were falling into a poor me rut?
Jacqueline .... I started slowly and first just cloned myself to others to learn how to act and then I started mentally visualizing what I wanted to do or be.
Jacqueline .... Yes, I do spend days in bed under a blanket ... I get overwhelmed.
Jacqueline .... If I am ill or tired I find it hard to deal
Jacqueline .... The part about my son and my mom, that still hurts....a lot!
Dorothy .... It is a hard reality to accept and place in our minds.
Jacqueline .... Especially a child
Dorothy .... Yes losing family is more inconceivable than anything.
Dorothy .... That is so understandable....life in general is overwhelming without any added negative elements.
Dorothy .... What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Jacqueline .... Oh the grammar...I hate grammar ...LOL
Dorothy .... Ha!
Dorothy .... If you had a chance to do it all over again...writing the story that is...is there anything that you would change?
Jacqueline .... I don't think I would change anything but I do think I would have wrote more.
Dorothy ....Do you plan on writing a second book?
Jacqueline .... I am already working on it.
Dorothy .... Oh that's fantastic...I look forward to reviewing it..of course.
Jacqueline Of Course!
Dorothy .... More so to hear the rest of your story:)
Jacqueline this is a fiction and not more on the other...should I write another?
Dorothy Yes definitely.
Jacqueline .... LOL
Dorothy ....How much traveling have you dome to promote this book?
Jacqueline .... None. I am afraid of all things so count on the Lord to sell it
Dorothy ....Your own design as your husband calls it..it vital to women that are suffering with similar or same disorders.
Jacqueline .... That is exactly what my hubby says!
Dorothy .... :)
Dorothy .... Do you feel that writing your story was cathartic for you in any way?
Jacqueline .... Oh, yes ....It helped me cry for that little girl and adult that has so much pain and heatache.
Jacqueline .... It released me from the shame.
Dorothy .... Writing is an amazing magical tool.
Jacqueline .... It really is.
Dorothy .... People do not realize just how effective writing can be for their health and well being.
Jacqueline .... It helped me.
Dorothy .... You are tried & True...as I said in my review.
Dorothy ... Who came up with the title and front cover for the book?
Jacqueline .... I kept saying, it was before it had a name, so my daughter suggested I call it that!
Dorothy .... Very good idea.
Jacqueline .... It seems to describe it.
Jacqueline .... The cover I designed.
Dorothy .... You did a spott on job with the cover idea. It has effective sales potential!
Dorothy .... :)
Dorothy .... At least that's what they say about book selling...its all in the title and the cover.
Jacqueline .... Thanks, I love doing graphics so thought why not?
Dorothy .... Last question...from me anyway....Is there anything specific that you would like to say to your readers?
Jacqueline .... I hope that one reads with an open mind and realizes that what I am trying to get across is that WE do not CHOOSE to be the way we are and hope that it can help someone they know or themselves
Dorothy .... I will totally stand behind you on that thought.
Jacqueline .... By making the condition into someone else, feelings thoughts and so forth, I felt not responsible for anything.
Jacqueline .... She, being the other personality, did it all and now we are like two people...twins, she being the evil one.
Jacqueline .... Thank You
I will now open this Interview to the members that have attended!
Val.... So it is really 2 different personalities?
Jacqueline .... yes, to a degree.
Dorothy .... Jacqueline lost her first born to SIDS...that was when her chemical imbalance began or rather surfaced.
Val .... I am sorry.
Jacqueline .... Thank you!
Val .... you have had a rough go of it.
Jacqueline .... It was the hardest thing in life I have faced.
Val .... I can not imagine.
Val .... How did you make it?
Val .... By becoming 2?
Jacqueline .... Yes, by becoming two.
Jacqueline .... It seemed easier to have another to share it with also but how we did it I don't know.
Val ....what was your child's name?
Jacqueline .... Paul John.
Val ....lovely!
Jacqueline .... It was 36 years ago...he was beautiful.
Val .... Does it hurt to talk about him now?
Jacqueline.... No it does not.
Val ....good.
Jacqueline .... Not since this past year.....for 35 years I relived his death and now I celebrate his life.
Val.... How many children do you have?
Jacqueline .... two sons and a granddaughter
Val.... That is good.
Lynn....when you get to the point of not being able to pull yourself out of it and ready to say I can't deal any more what do you do
Jacqueline .... I make myself get moving.
Dorothy....Val, Jacqueline also mentions in her story that she had faith on her side!
Val .... That is the saving grace!
Jacqueline .... I tell myself this is crap and life is to move forward.
Jacqueline .... If you move even one step forward... congratulate yourself..it is a victory!
Jacqueline .... This disorder could cripple if one lets it.
Dorothy.... Jacqueline, I want to take a minute to thank you so much for being here and sharing with us your knowledge and experiences involving Multiple Personality Disorder!
