--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some people with DID present their…" description: "\"“Some people with DID present their narratives of sadistic abuse in a quite matter-of-fact way, without perceptible affect. This may sometimes be done ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/graeme-galton-78458_abuse_some-people-with-did-present-their-narra_2983014.jpg" --- # Some people with DID present their narratives of sadistic… ![“Some people with DID present their narratives of sadistic abuse in a quite matter-of-fact way, without perceptible affect. This may sometimes be done as a way of protecting themselves, and the listener, from the emotional impact of their experience. We have found that people describing trauma in a…” quote by Graeme Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/graeme-galton-78458_abuse_some-people-with-did-present-their-narra_2983014.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/graeme-galton-78458_abuse_some-people-with-did-present-their-narra_2983014.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/graeme-galton-78458_abuse_some-people-with-did-present-their-narra_2983014.jpg) > ““Some people with DID present their narratives of sadistic abuse in a quite matter-of-fact way, without perceptible affect. This may sometimes be done as a way of protecting themselves, and the listener, from the emotional impact of their experience. We have found that people describing trauma in a flat way, without feeling, are usually those who have been more chronically abused, while those with affect still have a sense of self that can observe the tragedy of betrayal and have feelings about it. In some cases, this deadpan presentation can also be the result of cult training and brainwashing. Unfortunately, when a patient describes a traumatic experience without showing any apparent emotion, it can make the listener doubt whether the patient is telling the truth. (page 119, Chapter 9, Some clinical implications of believing or not believing the patient)”” Graeme Galton ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trauma survivors may narrate abuse flatly to protect themselves and listeners, often linked to chronic abuse or cult conditioning, which can cause doubt about credibility. **In simple terms:** Flat trauma narratives can shield emotions but may seem unbelievable. Key Takeaway Recognize flat affect as possible coping, not deception. Themes trauma coping credibility listener response psychology Mood empathetic analytical Type clinical educational When to use this quote - Therapeutic assessment - clinical interview - support group - psychiatric evaluation Key Concepts Dissociative identity disorder emotional regulation cult influence trust dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can clinicians validate flat narratives without imposing judgment? - What strategies help listeners stay empathetic? A Different Perspective Flat affect may mask severity, leading to underestimation of distress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Betrayal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) [Brainwashing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brainwashing/) [Child abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-abuse/) [Cult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cult/) [Cult-abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cult-abuse/) [Disbelief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelief/) [Dissociative-identity-disorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissociative-identity-disorder/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Emotionless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotionless/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Multiple personality disorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiple-personality-disorder/) [Numb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numb/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Sense of self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-self/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [“In cases of organized and multi-perpetrator abuse when the abuse occurs in the context of rituals and ceremonies, some elements of the experience may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-galton/in-cases-of-organized-and-multi-perpetrator-abuse-when-the-abuse/) Graeme Galton > [“I have met survivors from different parts of the country who have reported being ritually abused, some on college campuses by administrators, some by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-rockwell/i-have-met-survivors-from-different-parts-of-the-country-who-have/) Robert B. 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Derbur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-van-m-derbur/) > [“She was a beautiful dreamer who had survived the ugliest nightmares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mishi-mccoy/she-was-a-beautiful-dreamer-who-had-survived-the-ugliest-nightmares/) [Mishi McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mishi-mccoy/) > [“The more power they have over your emotions, the less likely you’ll trust your own reality and the truth about the abuse you’re enduring.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahida-arabi/the-more-power-they-have-over-your-emotions-the-less-likely-you-ll/) [Shahida Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahida-arabi/) ## More by Graeme Galton > [“In cases of organized and multi-perpetrator abuse when the abuse occurs in the context of rituals and ceremonies, some elements of the experience may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-galton/in-cases-of-organized-and-multi-perpetrator-abuse-when-the-abuse/) Graeme Galton > [“One concrete way in which we all landscape our sanity is by having our experience of reality confirmed by others. When our experience of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-galton/one-concrete-way-in-which-we-all-landscape-our-sanity-is-by-having/) Graeme Galton Explore all 3 Graeme Galton quotes ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. 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