Dissociative Identity Disorder
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a severe condition in which two or more distinct identities or personality states are present in, and alternately take control of an individual. People who suffer from DID often have no recollection of what they have done or said while under the influence of the alternate personalities. Friends, family, and the person with the disorder often have a hard time dealing with DID, because of the sporadic nature of the personalities. DID is a serious disorder that affects a person’s long-term and short-term memory, their own identity, and their self-control. There are many different symptoms of DID, such as multiple personalities, frequent gaps in memory, and even some symptoms of depression and anxiety just to name a few. From the first symptoms to diagnosis is six to seven years, because of the nature of the delicate disorder and the similarities between its symptoms and those of other disorders. Why some people develop DID is not entirely understood, but physical and sexual abuse, especially during early childhood, is frequently reported. The disturbance is not due to the direct psychological effects of a substance or of a general medical condition, it appears to be developed psychologically with in the individual’s psyche as a protective measure (Stephens, L. 2007). An individual suffering from DID can experience from two to more than over 100 different identities. Half of the cases, however, report 10 or fewer. The different personalities each exhibit their own names, history, gender, age, and behaviors. Transitions from one personality to another can be triggered by certain circumstances or stressors in which the person feels uncomfortable, afraid of, or even in times of anger. The various personalities at times will deny acknowledgement of one another, be critical of one another, or in open conflict with one another. There have been cases reported where two personalities have an
Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a severe condition in which two or more distinct identities or personality states are present in, and alternately take control of an individual. People who suffer from DID often have no recollection of what they have done or said while under the influence of the alternate personalities. Friends, family, and the person with the disorder often have a hard time dealing with DID, because of the sporadic nature of the personalities. DID is a serious disorder that affects a person’s long-term and short-term memory, their own identity, and their self-control. There are many different symptoms of DID, such as multiple personalities, frequent gaps in memory, and even some symptoms of depression and anxiety just to name a few. From the first symptoms to diagnosis is six to seven years, because of the nature of the delicate disorder and the similarities between its symptoms and those of other disorders. Why some people develop DID is not entirely understood, but physical and sexual abuse, especially during early childhood, is frequently reported. The disturbance is not due to the direct psychological effects of a substance or of a general medical condition, it appears to be developed psychologically with in the individual’s psyche as a protective measure (Stephens, L. 2007). An individual suffering from DID can experience from two to more than over 100 different identities. Half of the cases, however, report 10 or fewer. The different personalities each exhibit their own names, history, gender, age, and behaviors. Transitions from one personality to another can be triggered by certain circumstances or stressors in which the person feels uncomfortable, afraid of, or even in times of anger. The various personalities at times will deny acknowledgement of one another, be critical of one another, or in open conflict with one another. There have been cases reported where two personalities have an