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Dissociative Identity Disorder

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Dissociative Identity Disorder
Gina Gerdik
12/16/06
Psychology Paper
Period 9

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative Identity Disorder is a severe psychological disorder characterized by at least two or more distinct personalities or different identities. The different personality states are said to occur spontaneously and involuntarily and function more or less independently of each other. The person suffering from the disorder also experiences memory loss that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness. Many people who experience this type of behavior are unaware that they have more than one personality because they can not remember anything that is happening while one of the mind alters are occurring. Psychologists are studying the causes of this disease and doing further research to better the treatments. There are many different symptoms categorized for people that can be diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Psychologists are unsure about what exactly causes Dissociative Identity Disorder. Psychologists believe that the disorder can be traced all the way back to a person's childhood but doesn't develop until they reach adulthood. It is believed that the deleterious effects of abuse and violence may be a cause of the disorder. It is evident that many people with Dissociative Identity Disorder may also have post-traumatic symptoms, causing them to have nightmares and flashbacks. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is a psychological disorder, affecting individuals who have experienced or witnessed profoundly traumatic events. Psychologists have studied causes of the disorder and it is suggested that it is more common for most biological relatives to have Dissociative Identity Disorder than the general population. Dissociative Identity Disorder used to be very rare but is now becoming more common, as well as becoming more controversial as to how it is caused. Many believe that the symptoms are induced by a

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