“Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a mental health condition. People with DID have two or more separate identities. These personalities control their behavior at different times. Each identity has its own personal history, traits, likes and dislikes. DID can lead to gaps in memory and hallucinations (believing something is real when it isn’t).
Dissociative identity disorder used to be called multiple personality disorder or split personality disorder.
DID is one of several dissociative disorders. These disorders affect a person’s ability to connect with reality. Other dissociative disorders include:
Depersonalized or Derealization disorder, which causes a feeling of detachment from your actions.
Dissociative amnesia , or problems remembering information about yourself
This disorder normally develops as a coping mechanism against any kind of trauma so that the person can detach/distance themselves from it. About 0.01-1% of the population suffers from it” [1].
“Although not everyone experiences DID the same way, for some the "alters" or different identities have their own age, sex, or race. Each has their own postures, gestures, and distinct way of talking. Sometimes the alters are imaginary people; sometimes they are animals. As each personality reveals itself and controls the individuals' behavior and thoughts, it's called "switching." Switching can take seconds to minutes to days. Some seek treatment with hypnosis where the person's different "alters" or identities may be very responsive to the therapist's requests” [2].
The DSM-5 provides the following criteria to diagnose dissociative identity disorder [3]:
Two or more distinct identities or personality states are present, each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self.
Amnesia must occur, defined as gaps in the recall of everyday events, important personal information, and/or traumatic events.
The person must be distressed by the disorder or have trouble functioning in one or more major life areas because of the disorder.
The disturbance is not part of normal cultural or religious practices.
The symptoms cannot be due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (such as blackouts or chaotic behavior during alcohol intoxication) or a general medical condition (such as complex partial seizures).
References
[2][3]https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder
[4] Image - https://www.psycom.net/mchugh.html (Psycom)
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