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Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder, is characterized by at least two distinct personality states accompanied by memory gaps beyond ordinary forgetfulness. These personality states alternate in a person's behavior in a variable manner. Causes are believed to be childhood trauma in about 90% of cases involving abuse, while other cases are linked to experiences of war or childhood health problems. Treatment generally involves supportive care and counseling, as the condition usually persists without treatment. DID affects about 2-3% of populations in Europe and North America and is diagnosed about six times more often in females than males.

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Sherleen Anne Agtina Damian
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80 views1 page

Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder, is characterized by at least two distinct personality states accompanied by memory gaps beyond ordinary forgetfulness. These personality states alternate in a person's behavior in a variable manner. Causes are believed to be childhood trauma in about 90% of cases involving abuse, while other cases are linked to experiences of war or childhood health problems. Treatment generally involves supportive care and counseling, as the condition usually persists without treatment. DID affects about 2-3% of populations in Europe and North America and is diagnosed about six times more often in females than males.

Uploaded by

Sherleen Anne Agtina Damian
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder,[7] is

a mental disorder characterized by at least two distinct and relatively enduring personality
states.[3] This is accompanied by memory gaps, beyond what would be explained by ordinary
forgetfulness.[3] These states alternately show in a person's behavior;[3] presentations, however, are
variable.[5] Other conditions which often occur in people with DID include borderline personality
disorder (BPD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance use disorders, self-
harm, or anxiety.[3][5]
Some professionals believe the cause to be childhood trauma.[4] In about 90% of cases, there is a
history of abuse in childhood, while other cases are linked to experiences of war or health problems
during childhood.[3] Genetic factors are also believed to play a role.[5] An alternative hypothesis is that
it is a by-product of techniques employed by some therapists, especially those
using hypnosis.[5][8] Before a diagnosis is made, it should be verified that the person's condition is not
better accounted for by substance abuse, seizures, imaginative play in children, or religious
practices.[3]
Treatment generally involves supportive care and counselling.[4] The condition usually persists
without treatment.[4][9] 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.[6][3] DID is diagnosed
about six times more often in females than males.[5] The number of cases increased significantly in
the latter half of the 20th century, along with the number of identities claimed by those affected.[5]
DID is controversial within both psychiatry and the legal system.[5][8] In court cases, it has been used
as a rarely successful form of the insanity defense.[10][11] It is unclear whether increased rates of the
disorder are due to better recognition or to sociocultural factors such as media portrayals.[5] A large
proportion of diagnoses are associated with a small number of clinicians, which is consistent with the
hypothesis that DID may be therapist-induced.[5] The typical presenting symptoms in different regions
of the world may also vary depending on how the disorder is depicted by the media.

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