A Deeper Understanding Of Dissociative Identity Disorder

Diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder (DID) accounts for an estimated 1% of the general population and up to 20% of inpatient and outpatient psychiatric populations (Brand & Loewenstein, 2010). DID can also be triggered and manifested in individuals which is why trauma is especially prevalent in individuals diagnosed with DID; about 71% have experienced childhood physical abuse and 74% sexual abuse (Foote, Smolin, Kaplan, Legatt, & Lipschitz, 2006). Due to trauma being so prevalent in DID many individuals with dissociative disorders suffer from a multitude of psychiatric issues that may include

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is the “severe condition in which two or more distinct identities, or personality states, are present in—and alternately take control of—an individual” (psychologytoday,2018,1). Dissociative Identity Disorder was first diagnosed in the late 1800s by Doctor Jean-Martin Charcot. This disorder affects about 1 percent of the United States population. This disorder is more common in females than it is in males. For example, Britney Spears has suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder since 2008. Some of her alter egos include, “The British girl, other alter egos include the weepy girl, the diva, and the incoherent girl” (Ranker, 2018, 1). Therefore, many people have this disorder without anybody even knowing

Types of Dissociative Identity Sicknesses. Dissociation, this was the earliest to explain, example when the child is day dreaming, having an imaginary friend. The person will still need treatment to receive healing. The most extreme case of (DID) will happen during the treatment of child unfair treatment and is the moat treated. (Costello, 2015) The second form of (DID) Dissociative Identity problem, not otherwise specified, (Ross C. A., 1997) it come from the neglect pathway. (Ross C. A., 1997) In less violent and cruel cases the child may find that one parent cannot provide the attachments that's needed. (Iberra-Yruegas & Perales-Blum, 2016) All patients seemed to have the same beginning that mother was noted to be a person who can't stop

Dissociation is defined as “a mental process, which produces a lack of connection in a person 's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of identity” (Grohol, 2016). The Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a severe condition in which two or more separate, distinct identities or personality states are present in an individual. In other words, a person has, what seems like, actual distinct and contrasting people in their head and these “alters” are able to take control of an individual’s mind and body at any time and act as a completely different individual. Each alter is capable of having its own set of likes, dislikes, talents, memories, and personal experiences. The alters’ usually have a specific name, age, gender and possibly race. According to Psychology Today (2014), the alters’ characteristics are typically very different from the primary identity, including their history, self-image, vocabulary, knowledge and predominant mood. The primary identity tends to be passive, dependent, guilty and depressed. A person with DID experiences extensive memory loss which is typically more extensive than what would be experienced by ordinary forgetfulness. For instance, if an alter were to take over, once the individual is back in control of his or her own body, they typically report not remembering anything that was done or said. Some individuals report feeling “familiar” with the conversations or experiences that were had by the alter, but as if they had only overheard

Dissociative Identity Disorder, also known as DID, is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder PTSD. This disorder will onset in childhood and is treatable with several options, but in the last few years Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy, also known as EMDR has become an acceptable treatment option. Using EMDR therapy the therapist can reinsert the memories of the traumatic childhood experience, this will allow the patient to recognize and overcome the trauma (Fine & Berkowitz, 2001). This treatment will allow access to the trauma in each personality of the DID patient while allowing the patient to overcome the trauma (Fine & Berkowitz, 2001).

Before taking this psychology class, I had been skeptical of the Dissociative Identity Disorder. I had the same experiences as most people from the media. I had seen Sybil, the 1976 film starring Sally Field, and read “The Minds of Billy Milligan” while I was in high school. The subject piqued my curiosity, but I always saw it as a little too fantastical, especially the Milligan case, to possibly be legitimate. I merely discounted DID as a pseudo-disorder extremely clever individuals could use to avoid consequences or prosecution. A decade or so later, I found myself dating a woman who, after a couple months of the relationship, revealed that she was, in fact, diagnosed with DID. Needless to say, the relationship was tumultuous, unhealthy and very unfulfilling. Nonetheless, even with first hand experience, I was still left with tinge of doubt whether my ex’s case was “real”, or rather a well-crafted ruse to collect disability income. Worse, might the therapist be trying to his mark?

I would rather have dissociative identity disorder. Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness, which causes hallucinations and delusions. There is currently no cure for schizophrenia, but it is treated with medicine. Dissociative identity disorder is two or more distinctive personalities. Hallucinations and delusions are not part of this condition. The positive side about it, is that it is treated with psychotherapy and many get freed from the condition, but therapy reacts differently amongst everyone. So, that can lead to years of therapy. I am bilingual, so I see a connection to people with MPD. Having multiple personalities would cause a wide range of skills, abilities and knowledge to duplicate and be stored in separate parts of the brain.

As a sufferer of Dissociative Identity Disorder once said, "I keep so much pain inside myself. I grasp my anger and loneliness and hold it in my chest. It has changed me into something I never meant to be. It has transformed me into a person I do not recognize. But I don't know how to let it go" (Healthyplace). DID, commonly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, is a serious condition in which two or more identities have the potential to take control of a person. People with DID experience forms of abuse as a child, undergo dissociative states and other symptoms, and receive treatments to contend with the severe disorder.

Everyone has experienced dissociation, the feeling of being disconnected from something, at one point in their lives or another. Someone going for a walk in a relaxing and familiar setting while in deep thought may start to feel as if their body is floating or on autopilot. Or, they may become so deep in thought that they no longer realize that they are walking, and only realize it when something snaps them out of it. People with dissociative identity disorder experience the same type of disconnectedness, except on a larger scale.

There was a famous trial in 1990 where a woman was invited out to coffee with a man named Mark Peterson. He just wanted to get to know her but she was on to something else, which he later caught on to. He asked if they could go have sex in the car, which they did. After that day he felt everything was fine until he is arrested for sexual assault. The woman he made love with in his car had turned him in to authorities, but why? Comes to find out this woman has multiple personalities in which was noted that her sexual activeness and adventurous convincement came from a 20 year old perspective and a 6 year old perspective was activated that same time as “it watched” the activity. She was then evaluated and said to have DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder, also known as multiple personality disorder. Resources show an estimation of 2% of people experience this disorder and relatively women are commonly seen as that majority. Women are more prone to being diagnosed with Dissociative Disorders due to terrible childhood memories, unfortunate sexual assault, and have been downgraded for decades.

Controversy has long existed over the legitimacy of dissociative identity disorder, a disorder where a person develops two or more distinct personalities. A lot of research has given proof that it does exist though. Just by observing a person with this disorder, it is evident that each personality has a distinct age, gender, racial identity, family history, experiences, and traits even down to the way they walk or write. Even more than this, some personalities exhibit knowing and can speak foreign languages, which people around them can confirm that they have never been taught. People will also dress very differently depending on the personality present at the time. These are all things that would be really hard to make up, which is

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issues with Dissociate Identity Disorder (DID), previously known as Multiple Personality disorder in comparison to the movie Sybil. This movie is based on a true story of a girl name Sybil and the horrors she faces as a child while developing into a young woman with multiple personalities. DID is a very controversial diagnosis and often not believed by many professionals in the mental health/psychiatry field. According to Vedat Sar 's (2014) article “The Many Face’s of Dissociation”, “Dissociation is the ultimate form of human response to chronic developmental stress, because patients with dissociative disorders report the highest frequency of childhood abuse and/ or neglect among all psychiatric disorders” (pg 171). In the movie, Sybil was repeatedly abused by her mother, neglected by her father, and witnessed many tragic events.

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a rare dissociation of self in which an individual exhibits two or more distinct and alternating identities. In other words, two or more personalities− each with its own unique traits and individuality− seem to control an individual’s behavior at different times. Therefore, it is possible for an individual to be outgoing and enthusiastic one moment, apathetic and shy the next.

“Alter identities are sometimes incorrectly referred to as ego states, or even alter ego states, but these states exist in people without alters and do not involve amnesia, dissociative symptoms or clinical distress” Alters in Dissociative Identity Disorder (MPD) and DDNOS. Alters take control of the person’s body and behavior at various times. It can be an alter whose immediate adult crisis, such as a relationship failure, or problem at work, takes the body into therapy. Or it could be an alter suffering from the behavior of another. One alters doings can make another alter come to be.

This research paper aims to explore the mental disease known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder. I explore the meaning, symptoms, and effects of DID. My research describes those diagnosed with DID and the probable reasons of why they have the disorder. This study also explains the many different treatments and the effects those treatments might have on a person that has the disorder. I include a research study done on someone diagnosed with DID, the method used to help treat her, and the results of her treatment. Lastly, I state my opinion on DID and the methods I believe with help people prevent, treat, and cope with