It Won’t Hurt None is a memoir by Rebecca Chandler, following her life from young adulthood into her fifties. Chandler shares her experience with Complex PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and DID (Disassociative Identity Disorder) after years of childhood, sexual abuse. A content/trigger warning is necessary for descriptions of sexualt assault, Chandler’s writing is graphic at times so do be mindful of this if you are a survivor of abuse. But Chandler’s story is triumphant, inspiring and healing, and most certainly worth the time. 

I approached reading this memoir from the perspective of someone also with a diagnosis of Complex PTSD but with very little familiarity with DID and the many ways it manifests. I knew there would be moments of revelation, reminders of my own trauma, and times I would be moved to the core; because while Chandler’s story is unique to her, as the statistics at the end of this memoir state, sexual assault and abuse, particularly in childhood, is staggeringly high. It Won’t Hurt None, as a result, is a tough yet important read. 

Chandler’s story reminded me of the lack of linearity to healing, and her experiences with multiple specialists and somatic healers was incredibly reaassuring. While the depiction of the fragments, Thirteen, Seven, Six and Five, was enlightening and continually moved me, helping me to understand the nature of Complex PTSD and DID. The final sections, in particular, titled Reconciliation and Freefall were very powerful in how they portrayed how exhausting ‘doing the work’ and recovering from trauma inflicted upon you, can be. If anything, living in denial is often easier, looking at your trauma and the way it embeds itself within everyday life, is difficult and requires sheer courage. 

It Won’t Hurt None was an impactful read that will remain an important read for me this year — I have learned so much from Chandler and I admire her truth and bravery. She has reminded me that while self-awarenes can feel like a curse, it is a tool with which to heal. 

Thus, I believe anyone can be changed and inspired by Chandler’s memoir. It is a brilliant insight into DID, especially when it is a condition often misconstrued and misinterpreted in media. Take your time with it, at times it is heavy, but it is worth staying alongside Chandler, much like how she chose to stay alongside herself.