The Others

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">It''s not just the glam set. Experts highlight the existence of a ''private'' or ''hidden'' self in us all</span><br /><br />The late Nafisa Joseph''s public persona -- glamourous, controlled, ''together'' -- seems to be far removed from the stories emerging about her after her suicide.Stories alleging that not only was she a little too fond of her drink, she also had a wicked temper... in short, an allegedly ''hidden'' side. <br /><br />She cannot defend herself now, but given the pressures of life today, she wouldn''t be the only one prone to dualities of existence. ''Hidden'' selves, as they have revealed themselves in the past, tend to surprise. Consider the late Princess Diana, perceived as ''perfect'' before her secret battles with bulimia became known. Or American cult poet Sylvia Plath, who was publically perceived as an A grade student, confident and dynamic. Her private demons drove her to many suicide attempts before she finally took her life, age 30. Or Hollywood actress Winona Ryder, who enjoyed an America''s Sweetheart image status until she was caught shoplifting. <br /><br />In a world driven increasingly by image, the existence of a ''secret'' or ''hidden'' self is not uncommon -- it is, in fact, the norm. And, according to psychologists, this is not limited to the glamour industry alone. Dr Manisha Sen, HoD, at the Department of Applied Psychology, Mumbai University, says that every person in society today has a public self and a private or hidden self. "There is a ''hidden'' self we''re aware of, and a ''hidden'' self we''re unaware of," she explains. "This exists in all walks of society." <br /><br />Agrees psychiatrist Dr Y A Matcheswalla: "Various aspects of our personalities are manifested as per the requirements of the situations we are in. There are various levels of interaction -- professional, social etc. So we show different sides of our personalities in each." Could the private or ''hidden'' self have become more necessary in today''s times? "This may well be because, unfortunately, today''s society doesn''t encourage genuineness as a virtue. So the line between hypocrisy and diplomacy is very fine. However, the gap between the private or hidden self and the public self is less in children," explains Sen. "It widens as we grow older. In extreme cases, a split personality may result, much like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde."<br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">gauri.sinh@timesgroup.com</span></div> </div>