Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder

by Herschel Walker, Gary Brozek, Jerry Mungadze, et al.

Book Overview

The NFL legend and Heisman Trophy winner shares the inspiring story of his life and diagnosis with dissociative identity disorder.

Herschel Walker is widely regarded as one of football's greatest running backs. He led the University of Georgia to victory in the Sugar Bowl on the way to an NCAA Championship and he capped a sensational college career by earning the 1982 Heisman Trophy. Herschel spent twelve years in the NFL, where he rushed...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416537503
• ISBN13: 9781416537502
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Touchstone Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

great book

This book was very informative. DID is a mental health issue that is not often spoken of in such a positive light. Hershel tells his story in a very intelligent and gripping manner. Please try it for your self.

Herschel - Still Scoring Touchdowns!

People with DID or who have been educated about DID know the courage it took for Herschel to expose this mental disorder. I was diagnosed in 1993 and not only recieved very little support but was met with massive hostility from my family. I found the book to be inspiring and comforting, I can only pray that people will read this book with an open mind so that the public in general will show more compassion for people with mental health issues. Glad you aren't running anymore Herschel but still scoring touchdowns - so proud of you for allowing the love and compassion for your fellow human beings to inspire you to write your story. That is exactly the way I felt when I realized how much God loves me and provided me with everything it took to survive.

very well put together book

Herschel Walker was one of the Most gifted Talented Athletes that I have ever seen. this book deals with DID and how he is dealing with it. this has to be very emotional for him or anyone else to acknowledge and speak on and I applaud Herschel Walker for speaking out on it and not holding back. very detailed book and it speaks on so many things he was dealing with and this answers alot of his own issues he was dealing with. a must read.

God bless this man

I just watched the rather balanced piece on ABC that included collaborating interviews with people in Herschel's life over time. I am now ordering this book. I am a therapist and work with DID in my private practice. At the hospital where I also work (Psychiatric hospital) there are Doctors and Therapists who don't really believe in DID. Can you imagine the difficulty this places on both the professionals who work with patients and the patients with DID who are simply trying to provide and gain some relief from their symptoms? Don't even get me started on Insurance Company problems with this disorder. In my private practice experience, I have also encountered professionals who see it everywhere even if it is not likely there. In my experience, this is also a disorder where the professional working within in the shadows of disbelief (from the profession) have to tread very carefully lest they complicate the process more, and were there seems to be a higher percentage of boundary problems, cross transference, and fatigue, between patient and professional. I know more than one professional who has had their licensed revoked after spending many years working with DID and providing much needed healing and understanding to their patients. If this weren't such a shadow diagnosis, I think that the profession could better dialog about the specific risks brought on in working with DID. I think that it is time that both the good (and less good) experiences with DID come to light. I think that our world has just been blessed by Mr. Walker and I send a blessing back to him. Another good book to read is: I Am More Than One by Jane Hyman.

Great Courage in Revealing Truth

I am very moved by the great courage it took for Herschel Walker to write this book and disclose this deeply personal and difficult aspect of his life. I am also very grateful to him. I hope his brave choice to share this will help validate those of us that struggle with the stigma of DID. His ex-wife should also be commended for her willingness and courage to support him and speak out on the subject. I had a chronically traumatic first 16 years of my life. I've been in therapy for nearly 10 years now trying to heal and help this gift of DID that I was blessed with to survive my childhood; become more functional in adulthood. It's my hope that it will help to remove the stigma and shame attached to DID as well the intense social fear and denial. To be honest, there are moments I wish I still had the luxury and privilege of denying the reality of DID, the very difficult work of healing, and the severe long-term abuse that is usually associated with it causing the mind to fragment in this way. Most of the time though, I am grateful God created within the human mind the ability to cope and survive what the human mind was never intended to endure or suffer---the horrendous, often unthinkable, cruelties of other human beings. I've been encouraged by friends, family, and therapists for the last 10 years to write a book about my life and DID. An article on NFL's website quotes Walker, "I feel the greatest achievement of my life will be to tell the world my truth." I've been feeling exactly the same way for a very long time now. It's my hope that when I'm ready to write my book, the inspiration I feel from his choice will motivate me. Thank you Herschel Walker for your strong, and exceptionally brave spirit.