...Running Head: DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER: ITS CAUSES AND TREATMENTS Dissociative Identity Disorder: its causes and treatments: What are the roots causes and treatments of Dissociative Identity Disorder Abstract Research shows that Dissociative Identity Disorder, the most extreme form of dissociative disorders, is usually developed in childhood as a means to cope with emotionally difficult situations, whether it is sexual abuse or other childhood trauma. In the past, it has been assumed that Dissociative Identity Disorder has no treatment because of the complexity of the condition. However, recent studies have shown that structured clinical psychiatry sessions can alleviate the symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder and actually reduce the number of memory relapses. These conclusions stand as testimonies to the fact that Dissociative Identity Disorder can be treated despite the claims of past studies. “What if pretending she was somebody else was the only way a little girl knew how to defend herself. But she had to pretend so intensely that the pretending became real” (Sargent, 2007). In the 2007 docudrama film Sybil, directed by Joseph Sargent, the main character Sybil Dorsett suffers from 16 personalities because of her Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which she developed as a child. Dissociative Identity Disorder is defined as “a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities (known as alters or parts), each with its own pattern of...
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...The Many Faces of Dissociative Identity Disorder Abstract 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 Dissociative Identity Disorder. The Many Faces of Dissociative Identity Disorder Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder, is a mental condition where a person possesses two or more different personalities which may alternate within the individual’s conscious awareness. A person living with DID many have as little as two personalities, referred to as alters, or as many as 100, though the average is about ten. Alters may exhibit differences in speech, behaviors, attitudes, thoughts, and gender orientation. They may even have physical differences, such as allergies, right-or-left handedness, or the need for eyeglass prescriptions. At least two of these personalities assert themselves repeatedly to...
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...Abstract Dissociative Disorders is the disruption in the integrated functions of consciences, memory, identity, or perception of the environment. They are marked by a dissociation from or interruption of a person’s fundamental aspect of waking consciousness such as personal identity and one’s personal history. In this paper I will be discussing the main dissociative disorders, which are: Dissociative Amnesia, Dissociative Fugue, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and Depersonalization Disorder. All of the dissociative disorders are thought to stem from trauma experienced by the individual with the disorder. (Maser, 2000) Seen in a number of other mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder, symptoms of dissociative or even one or more of the disorders are shown. A cross-cultural perspective is particularly important in the evaluation of Dissociative Disorders because dissociative states are a common and accepted expression of cultural activities or religious experience in many societies. (Frances, 1994) Dissociative Amnesia The first disorder is Dissociative Amnesia which is characterized by an inability to recall important personal information, usually of a traumatic or stressful nature, that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness. This disorder is formerly known as Psychogenic Amnesia. Dissociative Amnesia involves a reversible memory impairment in which memories of personal...
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...self-mutilation) and treatments (such as hypnosis, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, somatic treatment and integration treatment) of dissociative identity disorder (DID) will be further discussed. II. Symptoms that may experienced by patients with DID. A. Loss of memory. 1. Memory deviation. 2. Various personality states have various memory fragments. B. Hallucinations. 1. Auditory hallucinations. 2. Visual hallucinations. C. Suicidal tendencies. 1. Terminate uncomfortable feeling. 2. High tolerance to endure pain. III. Treatments that may used for patients with DID. A. Hypnosis 1. Increase information about each identity state. 2. Control...
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...Dissociation Disorder Rebecca Lynn England General Psychology; Valley College Abstract An exploration of Dissociative Disorder including an overview of debates, disorder description, causes, and treatment. Hundreds of studies have been performed concerning this subject. There are countless theories and allegations concerning multiple personalities, even dating back to the days of the witch hunts. Initial symptoms generally begin in childhood. By adulthood, a person has usually forgotten the actual abuse or trauma that caused the psychological disorder, but are left with a myriad of manifestations of abnormal behaviors throughout life. Memories that begin to reemerge later in life are caused by what is called triggers. In depth testing must be undergone to determine if a person actually has this condition. Once diagnosed, treatment is extensive, lasting over many years. Realistically, the person may never completely function normally. Keywords: Dissociative Disorder, multiple personalities, alter personalities, psychological conditions, treatment, abuse, trauma, switching, post-traumatic stress disorder Living Beyond Oneself: The Reality of Dissociation Disorder The Creation of an Alter Person Dissociative Disorder is part of a series of conditions called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, “a condition of reoccurring persistent mental and emotional stress as a result of injury or severe psychological shock.” (NLM) Originally known as “multiple personality disorder,” it is...
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...Dissociative Identity Disorder Porsha Castillo Belhaven University ABSTRACT This paper will focus on the mental disorder Dissociative Identity Disorder. It will follow the case study of JANE. The paper will include the hisroty of the disorder as well as treatment, and current research of the disorder. Dissociative Identity Disorder Rebecca, a 14 year old girl, presented to a hospital by her mother with a complaint of ‘behaving like a male’ for past 2 weeks. She was identifying herself as Mr. S. and dressed herself like a male. She was not recognizing her neighbors, relatives, or teachers anymore and her belongings as well. She was not able to recount her personal information either. Her mother also reported a significant and contrasting change in her behavior, like she had become stubborn, confident, outgoing and demanding during this period in contrast to her normal behavior. She developed interest in drawing and painting, would demand different types of fast food items, dresses, and certain objects in the altered state. Her mother fearing worsening of her illness readily fulfilled these demands. Rebecca stopped going to school and would stay at home all day long. Upon exploration, it was found that about 2 years back, her father and older sister had left the house to live separately from Rebecca and her mother. There was a strained relationship among the parents on the issue of not having a son. Since separation, there was no communication with them. Rebecca was...
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... There are many different types of dissociative disorders, but the one that caught my eye most was Dissociative Identity Disorder. This disorder was previously known as multiple personality disorder. This disorder has become better known because of the media and has become more diagnosed among patients. As I began to put myself in the shoes of someone with this disorder, I realized what barriers it would cause, how it would affect my daily life, what strengths I might gain, and what treatment is available. Often people are misled about what Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) really is. Kong, Allen, and Glisky in their journal state, “Dissociative Identity Disorder is defined as the presence of two or more identities or personality states that recurrently take control of a person’s behavior” (Kong, Allen & Glisky, 2008). It falls into the category of dissociative disorders. There are multiple criteria to be met in order to be diagnosed with DID. As stated in the DSM-IV, two or more distinct identities or personalities have to be present in the individual. Also, these distinct identities have to take control over the behavior recurrently. Thirdly, the individual is unable to recall important information and this inability is too severe to be attributed to mere ordinary forgetfulness, and the disturbance is not an outcome of substance abuse or general medical condition ("Dissociative identity disorder, 2013"). The number of identities a person has can range from 2-100,...
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...Dissociative Identity Disorder Multiple Personality Disorder Nathan Coy Thompson Dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously referred to as multiple personality disorder, is a dissociative disorder involving a disturbance of identity in which two or more separate and distinct personality states (or identities) control an individual's behavior at different times. When under the control of one identity, a person is usually unable to remember some of the events that occurred while other personalities were in control. The different identities, referred to as alters, may exhibit differences in speech, mannerisms, attitudes, thoughts and gender orientation. The alters may even present physical differences, such as allergies, right-or-left handedness or the need for eyeglass prescriptions. These differences between alters are often quite striking. In clinical populations, the estimated prevalence of DID ranges from 0.5 to 1.0% (CA Ross 2006). In the general population, estimates of prevalence are somewhat higher, ranging from 1-5% . Females are more likely to receive a diagnosis of DID, at a ratio of 9:1. This author also contends that the disproportionately high number of females diagnosed with DID dispels the notion that incestual abuse is largely responsible for the development of DID. High percentages of individuals with DID have comorbid diagnoses of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or Borderline Personality Disorder. In addition, individuals diagnosed with DID...
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...Learning Objectives for: Somatic and Dissociative Disorders Readings for this topic include pages 152-160 (Somatic Symptoms Disorders) and pages 160-166, 169-171 (Dissociative Disorders) of chapter 6. Remember, information in addition to what is on the pages listed will be discussed in class for some of the objectives. 1) What types of thoughts and behaviors fall under the category of Somatic Symptom Disorders? (Note that you should be familiar with the behaviors associated with specific disorders, such as Conversion Disorders & Factitious Disorders, but you will only be responsible for knowing that these behaviors fall under the umbrella of Somatic Symptom Disorders, not knowing the specific diagnosis associated with a given behavior) i) Real or imagined somatic (physical) symptoms ii) Related abnormal thoughts, feelings, or behaviors a) Biopsychosocial Model i) Biological Factors 1) Physical symptom may be present ii) Social Factors 1) Greater cultural acceptance of physical than psychological problems 2) “Sick role” reinforcers 3) Social support b) Treatment i) Cogntivie Behavioral Therapy 1) Identify reinforcers and elimate or replace them 2) Change catastrophic thoughts 3) Identify and challenge misinterpretations ii) Biological 1) Antidepressants 2) Can Somatic Symptom Disorders include real bodily symptoms or do they...
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...Dissociative and Mood Disorders Gretchen Harper Psy/203 March 30, 2015 Bonnie Johnson Dissociative and Mood Disorders Dissociative Disorders Dissociative disorders include several syndromes that contribute to a change in consciousness which affect an individual’s memory and their identity. In the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) there are five major subcategories of this disorder. They include the following: 1. Dissociative Amnesia: Patients suffer from loss of memory including information regarding themselves or their life experiences. 2. Dissociative Fugue: The amnesia is a large part of the patient’s life; they also experience a personal loss of identity and in most cases loss of physical location. 3. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID): The patient has very different identities (two or more). Also known as multiple personalities or alter egos. The patient alternates their states of personality which each has control over conscious thoughts, actions and experiences. These personalities are usually separated by a level of amnesia. 4. Depersonalization Disorder: Patients have an understanding that they change in some way or are no longer real. They also have belief that their surroundings are not real too. 5. Dissociative Disorders (not specified): Patients show one or some symptoms of dissociative disorders but might not be to the extent of being diagnosed in the previous categories. Cultural specific beliefs of “spirit-possession”...
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...Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), or Multiple Personality Disorder, is a mental illness that happens in 0.01 to 1 percent of the population. According to the article, “Dissociative Identity Disorder” DID is described as, “a severe condition in which two or more distinct identities, or personality states, are present in- and alternately take control of- an individual” (Dissociative Identity Disorder). The cause of DID is somewhat unknown, but there is evidence that the cause has to do with severe physical and sexual abuse in childhood. The repeated abuse causes the person to separate their feelings, thoughts, and memories linked to their disturbing experience from the usual level of conscious attentiveness in order to cope with the extreme...
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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...
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...Dissociative Identity Disorder: Abstract: The aim of this paper is to elucidate an in depth understanding of the phenomena of dissociative identity disorder. This piece was written while I was pursuing my certification in counseling and volunteering with social organizations dealing with specially abled individuals. The explanation delineated below seeks to bring out my understanding and perception of the subject. Meaning: Dissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis explaining a condition whereby a person subconsciously exhibits multiple identities i.e. alter egos each distinct from the other behaving in its own manner independently from the others. It is necessary for atleast two personalities to take over a person for this disorder to occur. A person also has memory loss while he/she exhibits some other personality. This clearly means that a person is subconsciously getting a person into different personalities. Dissociative Identity Disorder is less common when compared to other dissociative disorders and occurs in about 1% of the dissociative cases. There have been many instances where the existence of dissociative identity disorder has been questioned. It is pertinent to note that dissociative identity disorder is diagnosed more commonly in North America in comparison to other areas of the world. Signs and symptoms: Patients who have been diagnosed with this disorder exhibit a lot of fluctuation in behavior and at times also show strange mannerisms. The main...
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...Assignment: Dissociative Identity Disorder and its representation in the media This essay will look at Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and its portrayal in the media. DID was formally known as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD).This essay will cover the symptoms of DID, the criteria used for diagnosis, causes and triggers of disorder, how the disorder is portrayed in the media and the reality of the disorder for sufferers. According to the (American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders pg 519) Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states that recurrently take control of the individual’s behaviour accompanied by an inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness. It is a disorder characterized by identity fragmentation rather than a proliferation of separate personalities. Multiple Personality Disorder is more commonly known as a person with a split personality or a schizophrenic. This is most common in the form of alter egos. The personalities need to interact with the environment by taking control of the person’s behaviour. According to http://www.minddisorders.com/Del-Fi/Dissociative-identity-disorder.html the name of the disorder changed from ‘Multiple Personality disorder’ because ‘Dissociative Identity Disorder’ because DID is a much more accurate description of the disorder as it...
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