Truddi Chase


Truddi Chase was an American author best known for the book When Rabbit Howls, an autobiography about her experiences after being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder.

Life

According to her personal account, Truddi Chase was born on a homestead near Honeoye Falls, New York, and grew up in an apartment in the same town. In her autobiography and in numerous interviews, Chase said that she was repeatedly and violently sexually and physically abused by her stepfather and beaten and neglected by her mother during her childhood and teenage years. By her report, she had always remembered that molestation and abuse occurred from the age of two onwards but that she could not focus on details before going into therapy. In 1979, Truddi Chase had her first experience with her perceived other identities. She described interactions between her many personality characters as well as interactions between her identities and physical body. It was during sessions with hypnotherapist, Dr. Robert Phillips, that she concluded that she had 92 identities.
Chase chose not to integrate her identities, instead thinking of them as a cooperating team. In her book, she describes giving talks to convicted child molesters to explain her abuse history and to warn them that child abuse, particularly incest, is psychologically devastating.
In a television interview with Oprah Winfrey, Chase stated that a Washington Post reporter had tracked down her family, including her stepfather, who denied abusing Chase. However, other members of Chase's family confirmed her story.

''When Rabbit Howls''

In 1990, the autobiography was made into a two-part ABC miniseries, retitled which cast Shelley Long in the title role. Chase worked closely with the screenwriter to ensure the adaptation was genuine.

Death

Truddi Chase died on March 10, 2010, at her home in Laurel, Maryland, at the age of 74.