Dr Jeni Haynes, an Australian woman diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID), has spoken publicly about living with what she describes as 2,682 internal identities, or ‘alters’.

Her story is featured in the SBS documentary We Are Jeni, where she explains how these alters form part of a complex psychological structure developed as a survival response to severe childhood abuse.

Haynes previously gave evidence in a 2019 Sydney court case that resulted in her father being sentenced to 45 years in prison for abuse, including rape and torture.In a landmark moment, six of her alters were reportedly able to give detailed testimony about the experiences she endured.

She describes her system of identities as a coping mechanism that allowed her to mentally ‘switch’ during traumatic episodes in order to endure ongoing harm.

Throughout her life, Haynes has pursued academic study in psychology, criminology, and male victimology, partly in an effort to understand her condition and experiences.She works closely with clinicians and has co-authored a memoir detailing her journey.

In the documentary, she uses plural pronouns such as ‘we’ and ‘us’ to reflect the ongoing presence of her alters, which include distinct personalities with different roles and ages.

The programme also depicts how she lives day to day, including managing the long-term physical consequences of abuse and engaging in creative hobbies such as Dungeons & Dragons and jewellery making, which she uses as outlets for different identities.

Haynes emphasises that DID is often misunderstood and that her experience represents a survival strategy rather than a fictionalised or sensational condition.She now uses her platform to advocate for survivors of child abuse and to encourage greater understanding of dissociative disorders.