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Disocialtive Identity Disorder

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Joycelyn Johnson

Dissociative Identity Disorder

"I was sexually abused from the age of 3 until I was 11. This caused my personality to split into at least 6 different other people. Most people do not believe I have multiple personalities, and sometimes I don't believe it myself. My other personalities are all female except for one that is named Greg. We call ourselves "The Camp" and have learned how to exist together peacefully. Therapy has been a lifesaver teaching us new skills on how to function and schedule our time. I can't speak to two of the others, but they speak in therapy and to the others in The Camp. I spent most of my life thinking I was crazy and wanting to die. Now I understand, and I most of the time I even feel blessed. There are times when sharing a body with 6 other people is almost painful and at those times I feel lucky to have such a great therapist.
-- G.L. (25 yrs old)
(2010, Kecham ) Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative disorder ( formerly known as multiple personality disorder or split personality disorder) is a mental illness involving a disturbance of identity, in which two or more separate and distinct personalities or identities control an individuals behavior at different times. When a person is under control of one identity, that person may not remember some of the events that may have occurred while other personalities were in control. Some symptoms could be memory lapse, having an unreal feeling, hearing voices in their heads that are not their own, not recognizing themselves in a mirror, and even finding things in one’s possession not being able to recall where they got it from.
The different identities could experience differences in speech, mannerism, gender orientation, thoughts and even attitudes. Persons with DID may have as few as two personalities, or as many as 100. It is said that the

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