Dissociative Identity Disorder

However, it was not until the twentieth century where a true case study was developed to understand the sixteen personalities of a woman who had been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (A History

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.

Robert Oxnam published an autobiography called A Fractured Mind in order to educate more people about his illness and to introduce a deeper understanding of Dissociative Identity Disorder. In an article written by Bruce Weber of the New York Times, Oxnam explained how writing the book was a timely challenge because each of his alter personalities wrote their chapter of the story in a first-person narrative (Weber, 2005). The reader learns about Dissociative Identity Disorder by being introduced to Oxnam’s alters, watching their interrelationships develop and recognizing the integration of his fragmented mind.

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.

“Dissociative identity disorder is a condition in which a person manifests at least two or more distinct identities or personality states that alternate in some way in taking control of behavior” (Butcher, 2013, p. 285). Dissociative identity disorder has taken the place of the term "multiple personality’s disorder" because they needed a more accurate name for the disorder due to the fact that "the alternate identities are now seen as fragments of a single personality like a mirror broken into shards sometime in childhood." (Lost in the mirror: Women with multiple

Dissociative identity disorder is a condition to where a person has had a split in themselves that has caused one or more personalities to come forth. Doctors have hypothesized that by experiencing traumatic events in early childhood whether it’s physical, sexual, or mental abuse; even witnessing a murder or experiencing a great loss in life can trigger multiple personalities. Dr. Cornelia Wilbur had a patient in the 60s, Shirley Mason, also known as Sybil Dorsett, who had sixteen split personalities. Sybil showed through countless therapy sessions her different personalities. Allen Frances, M.D., does not believe that DID exist in the mind or body of someone, he believes that this disorder is diagnosed too often to patients for it to be true. Although some doctors and experts

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).

In The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) dissociative identity disorder is diagnosed when a person displays at least two personalities of a differing, cohesive, and definitive nature. The disorder is marked by thoughts that repeatedly intrude on a person during their waking life, affecting their “sense of self” (APA, 2013, p.292). DID involves a marked change in one’s own body being one’s own, as well as changes in perception including “derealization and depersonalization” (APA, 2013, p.292). All of these criteria seem to be met as the narrator describes the shift in his life away from a single identity, to one where he comes to realization that he has been actually displaying two distinct and different personalities. But, what of

Psychiatrics describe “Multiple Personality Disorder [often referred to as MPD][as] a chronic and recurrent emotional illness. A person with MPD plays host to two or more personalities. Each identity has its own unique style of viewing and understanding the world and may have its own name” (“Multiple Personality Disorder”). Renamed as Dissociative Identity Disorder in 1994 by the American Psychiatric Association, this disorder has been believed to be a myth by many, especially with the idea of its rarity (Lilienfeld). However, as psychiatrics have described, the disorder includes multiple personalities which have proven to be genuine and real, not a myth. Furthermore, with the information collected, research shows that about 20,000 cases have been recorded between 1980-1990 in the United States alone. The individuals who

has developed dissociative identity disorder. Her symptoms of not being able to remember certain events, different identities displayed in her evaluation, peers complaining of her not being “herself” in her personal life and the workplace fit in with the criteria of this disorder. Also, she suffered severe abuse as a child, which is also a risk factor, thus making her more vulnerable to developing this disorder. Hopefully after undergoing treatment in therapy, M.K. will be able to live with this disorder by using coping strategies and by being able to come to terms with her bad

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

Defining what is abnormal is not necessarily easy. There are many different criteria to determine what exactly is normal and what is abnormal. According to Ciccarelli and White (2012) as early as 3000 B.C.E. there have been human skulls found with holes in them. Archaeologists suspect this was caused because of the treatments they had years ago such as “trepanning”. Trepanning is done nowadays as well to remove extra fluids from the brain, as for years ago doctors did it to release the supposed “demons” taking over a person’s body and mind (Ciccarelli & White, 2012, p.553). This was due to technology not being as updated as today, many disorders were seen as witchcraft, and/or demons possessions.

Among these factors, we see of course personality, health, social status, and even life or death. DID includes shared Posttraumatic Stress Disorder-like symptoms. These symptoms include, but are not limited to, multiple alters, jitteriness, nightmares, reliving the event, extreme changes in feelings, and hyperarousal. Commonly among patients with DID, we see these traumatic experiences, a majority of these symptoms, a loss of time, unfamiliar surroundings, and unfamiliar objects. In Janet’s patient, Leonie the Woman with three separate personalities; he found that her primary alter had no knowledge of the others, while the second had knowledge of herself and the primary personality. The final alter had knowledge of all three alters, given this, we can easily deduce that Leonie’s life was complicated. The power of all three alters was overwhelming, Leonie struggled in everyday life, often waking up and not knowing their whereabouts or even this loss of time. Often upon returning to her original self she would find notes written from one of her alters, to certain men she had been meeting. Again I would like to say this is an average case, we may see some patients which want to commit suicide from these harsh experiences, down to just remembering the traumatizing event. After Janet’s findings, several other European figures published on his findings, Jean-Martin Charcot, Frederick Myers, as well as Joseph Breuer and Sigmund Freud.

Dissociative Identity Disorder is a rare condition where two or more personalities present their self in one individual but never at the same time. While their alternative personality makes it appearance the primary personality experiences memory loss. Dissociative Identity Disorder was also called Multiple Personality Disorder until 1994 when the name was changed because of a better understanding of the medical condition. (2) Multiple Personality Disorder they believed had more than one identity controlling one mind. Now psychologist believe

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