Questions On 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 a psychological condition in which a person will create one or more alternate identities. DID (formerly known as multiple personality disorder) is just one of three dissociative disorders. This disorder is set apart by the way the identities “switch” from one to another. Patients who suffer from dissociative identity disorder can often lead normal lives when diagnosed properly and treated accordingly; sometimes, they cannot. People suffering from dissociative identity disorder often have similar causes, symptoms, and treatments.

In chapter 15 of Exploring Psychology, the author discuss the basics of psychological disorders. Within this assignment, the psychological disorder of my choosing is Dissociative Identity Disorder. The commonality of the disorder is rare. Although we’ve disassociated ourselves in some form or the other with our ability to daydream, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is more severe and is usually linked to trauma. Formerly the disorder was known as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). Individuals who suffer from this disorder usually have more than one aspect of themselves or personalities, whom he or she is completely unaware of. Sufferers of the disorder have to deal with a variety of symptoms such as memory loss, depression, anxiety, hallucinations, black-outs, impulsiveness, and perception of being detached from the self. The severity of the trauma is usually extreme, repetitive, and long-term. The individual may have an extensive history of physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse.

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a condition where there are two or more distinct identities that are and will become present in an individual. These personalities can and will eventually take control of the individual, many people consider having dissociative identity disorder an experience of being possessed. The individual can and most likely will experience memory loss that is more extensive than ordinary everyday forgetfulness (Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder). Around two percent of people will experience dissociative disorder, women are more likely than men are to be diagnosed with DID. "Almost half of adults in the United States experience at least one depersonalization/derealization episode in their lives, with only 2% meeting the full criteria for chronic episodes” (Dissociative Disorders).

Dissociative Identity Disorder is a mental disorder where an individual experiences two or more distinct personalities. When an individual is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, one personality has dominant control of an individual. This personality controls how a person may act and how they live everyday life. A person diagnosed with this disease may or may not be aware of their alternate personalities. Each personality is contrasting of each other with distinctive likes and dislikes. They can differ in eyesight, prescriptions, language, and education levels. Many people who suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder have experienced severe childhood trauma. Many Psychologist and others argue

Dissociative identity disorder was formerly known as multiple personality disorder (MPD). DID was and is a very controversial disorder. Researchers argue whether or not the disorder is really validated because there are not fact stating tests revolving around the disorder. There are several similarities between dissociative identity disorder and borderline personality disorder, which is why some researchers had denied the existence of DID. (Gillig, 2009). Researches now realize that DID is on the same spectrum as borderline line personality disorder, but the symptoms are more severe. Symptoms of DID that coincide with borderline personality disorder include insomnia, sexual dysfunction, anger, thoughts of suicide, self-harm, drug and alcohol abuse, anxiety, paranoia, somatization, dissociation, mood altercations and changes in relationships and the loss of ties. (Gillig, 2009).

I would like to further my knowledge on the controversial mental illness identified as Dissociative Identity Disorder, or DID. More commonly known as multiple personality disorder, it has been a mental illness which gained attention from being the main focus in a variety of Hollywood’s films, aside from what has been portrayed in films I have little insight to what this disorder is.

National Alliance on Mental Illness says that there are many dissociative disorders some are dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, depersonalization disorder and dissociative identity disorder that was called multiple personality disorder (NAMI, 2016). This paper will look at dissociative identity disorder and what brain abnormalities occur. According to Mayo Clinic, dissociative identity disorder (DID) is written off as the swapping of alternate identities in one person. The person may feel like there are one or more other people living inside them or talking to them. They may have their own names and different personality accompanied by different voices and even gender. People with DID usually have dissociative fugue and amnesia as

Approximately 43 million Americans suffer from some kind of mental illness. Although this statistic suggests it’s a normal and accepted fact, the reality of the situation is that mental health does not get enough awareness as it should. This is because a lot of people believe that these ailments such as depression and bipolar disorder are “all in their heads.” Technically speaking, these people are not wrong since these things do occur in the brain, hence the name “mental” illness. One disorder that has grabbed my inner psychologist’s attention is dissociative identity disorder also known as DID. Dissociative identity disorder is a controversial disorder because psychologists are split on its existence and validity.

The disorder I chose to research for my paper was Dissociative Identity Disorder. Dissociative Identity Disorder is formerly known as multiple personality disorder and is characterized as an individual presenting two or more alternate personalities. Those said personalities are said to essentially help an individual escape the stress and overwhelming struggles of everyday life (Traub, 2009). As for my topic I chose to explore was whether or not Dissociative Identity Disorder even existed.

Counselling is thought to be the best way to handle this disorder as well as something called supportive care which is mainly focused on making the patient feel more comfortable (Dissociative Identity Disorder, 2018). Additionally, The condition usually persists without treatment. (And) It is believed to affect about 2% of the general population and 3% of those admitted to hospitals with mental health problems in Europe and North America. DID is diagnosed about six times more often in females than males. The number of cases increased significantly in the latter half of the 20th century, along with the number of identities claimed by those affected ((Dissociative Identity Disorder, 2018). With the small amount of diagnosed DID patients, linkage of this disorder to people already suffering from mental illnesses, and inconsistent symptoms, it is easy to see why this is such a highly disputed disorder in the medical

Dissociative Identity Disorder formerly known as multiple personality disorder is a disorder that researchers and doctors have shown immense interest in over the past century. Even though DID has evident symptoms and causes, some professionals in the healthcare system doubt that this disorder is real or it even exist. Dissociation is something that happens to every one of us; most of the time this is like day dreaming or being lost in thought while doing something like a project. However, DID is a more complicated form of dissociation. In this state, there is a disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity or perception of the environment (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV). When this

This paper explores 3 references. A website about Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), a book about this disorder and a couple of people who suffer from it, and a magazine article about one person that has experienced DID. This research discusses what DID is, it symptoms, what cause it, and two people that had/have this disorder.

It sometimes may surround a particular event, “such as combat or abuse, or more rarely, information about identity and life history” (NAMI). In addition, depersonalization disorder is characterized by ongoing feelings of detachment from actions, feelings thoughts, and sensations (NAMI). The last type of dissociative disorder, dissociative identity disorder (DID), formerly known as multiple personality disorder (MPD), is a complex, chronic, posttraumatic dissociative psychopathology characterized by disturbances of memory and identity; emerging from severe, overwhelming childhood experiences (Kluft 337). Dissociative identity disorder is a complex disease that has multiple symptoms, causes, and diagnostic processes which can be treated correctly given

The opposing side of Dissociative Identity Disorder claims DID is not a real condition and should be taken out of DSM-V for reasons concerning patients faking their symptoms, patients misdiagnosed and the treatments used on them. The first evidence used to show DID is not a real condition says patients diagnosed are faking their symptoms. David H. Gleaves of Texas University, author of The Sociocognitive Model of Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Reexamination of the Evidence, claims, “Individuals who are diagnosed as having DID are generally attention seeking and it is obvious in the clinical presentation” (43). The opposition believes patients may want to fake their symptoms for a diagnosis to avoid being identified as insane by others around them. It has been said DID symptoms are easily recognized, but patients diagnosed may show symptoms that are difficult to follow. Inexperienced clinicians still diagnose these patients as having Dissociative Identity Disorder. Inexperienced clinicians may also not recognize that some of these symptoms are linked to other disorders that they may be less familiar with. “Dissociative symptoms have been found to discriminate patients with DID from those with a variety of other disorders, including schizophrenia, eating disorders, panic disorder, borderline personality disorder, partial complex seizures, and simple posttraumatic stress disorder” (Gleaves 44). Dissociative Identity Disorder is a disorder that doctors can diagnose patients with if they are unsure what else this could be. This can be unbeneficial to the patients who are misdiagnosed because they are not actually receiving the correct treatment they need for the condition. Gleaves also states the treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder can create or worsen the disorder by clinicians putting thoughts into the patient’s head.