Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative Identity Disorder is a condition in which a person displays multiple identities or personalities. This means that they literally dissociate from an extremely violent or traumatic situation, and have a different personality take over and cope with it.

This disorder is characterized by the presence of two or more identities that take power over the person’s behavior. The person is unable to remember important personal information which can be best described as “severe forgetfulness”. The different personalities take over the individual’s consciousness at random times of the day.

The person suffering from “multiple personality disorder” can have over 60 personalities which are referred to as “alters”. These alters have different personal histories, names, ages, and sexes.

Diagnostic criteria for Dissociative Identity Disorder A. The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states (each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self). A. The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states (each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self). B. At least two of these identities or personality states recurrently take control of the person's behavior. C. Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness. D. The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., blackouts or chaotic behavior during Alcohol Intoxication) or a general medical condition (e.g., complex partial seizures). Note: In children, the symptoms are not attributable to imaginary playmates or other fantasy play.Reprinted with permission from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Copyright 2000 American Psychiatric Association

The different personalities emerge when there is a severe trauma or a situation that is too violent for the person to endure. We learned about defense mechanisms during the beginning of the school year, and this is an example of a coping mechanism. When there is childhood abuse, dissociation is the most common defense mechanism. This is true because only they have the ability to break off from their initial identity, and escape the trauma. Adults do not experience onsets of different personalities.

This is an extremely rare disorder. It occurs to 1% of the general population, but recent statistics estimate an average of 7% that have not been diagnosed properly with the disorder.

The ultimate goal of treatment for DID is to ensure the individual’s safety, reconnect the different personalities, and allow the patient to express the painful traumas they have experienced. We have learned about different therapies in class, and some of those are applied to the treatment of this disorder. Some of these are psychotherapy and cognitive therapy. There is also medication that is used to treat anxiety or depression just to ensure that the person maintains a balance of positive thoughts and behaviors. This is needed because most of the time, with this disorder emerges a suicidal personality.

Patients generally respond well to treatment, but this can be a long process. Some never reconnect with their initial identity because they feel the need to use them as a coping mechanism in different situations. The best way to improve the person’s outcome of the disorder is to treat the depression and anxiety that comes with it.

Works Cited Halgin, R. P. & Whitbourne, S. K. (2005) Abnormal psychology: clinical perspectives on psychological disorders. New York, NY: Myers, D. G. (2011). Myers’ psychology for ap New York, NY: Worth Publishers Dissociative identity disorder: how many personalities do you have?. (2002, February 27) Serendip.

Discussion Question How might Dissociative Identity Disorder affect a child’s learning process?