Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), also known as multiple personality disorder, is an identity alteration in which the sufferer has at least two distinct personalities. It is often a problem that stems from severe childhood abuse. The disease causes discomfort and confusion both in the patient and in the people around him. If you are concerned about having this condition, you can find out by undergoing a specialist examination, identifying the symptoms and warning signs, informing you about the typical aspects of DID and dispelling the erroneous beliefs that surround it.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Recognizing the Symptoms
Step 1. Analyze your perception of yourself
Sufferers of this disorder have several distinct personalities, which correspond to characteristics of the individual that are always present, but which manifest themselves individually during "crises" of which the patient may have no memory. The various manifestations can throw havoc in the perception that the individual has of himself.
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Check for the "switch" in personality. With this term we mean the passage between the different states / personalities. A person with DID regularly or constantly suffers from these passages, which can last only a few seconds, but also up to several hours, and the time that the individual spends in his or her alternate personality state varies from person to person. Those who observe the patient can determine when the "switch" occurs by verifying the presence of:
- A change in the sound / timbre of the voice;
- A quick blink of the eyes, as if to get used to the light;
- A general change in physical behavior or attitude
- Changes in facial expressions or features
- Change in the way you think or converse, without apparent warning or reason.
- In children, the presence of an imaginary friend or the habit of pretend play are not necessarily indicators of DID.
Step 2. Notice extreme changes in emotions and behaviors
Individuals who suffer from DID often manifest drastic changes in emotions (observable ones), behavior, state of consciousness, memory, perception, cognition (thoughts) and sensory and motor functions.
Sometimes sick people may also suddenly change the topic of conversation or line of thought, or show a general inability to concentrate for a long time, "abandoning and resuming" the conversation several times
Step 3. Recognize memory problems
This is another characteristic of those with DID, who often cannot remember daily events, important personal information or even traumatic events.
The different types of memory problems have nothing to do with the normal distractions that can happen every day. Losing your keys or forgetting where you parked your car are not so dramatic. People with DID have noticeable gaps in their memory and may not even remember entire recent situations or events
Step 4. Monitor your distress levels
DID is diagnosed only when the symptoms cause serious problems in the social, occupational, or other activities that are performed on a daily basis.
- Are your symptoms (different personalities, memory problems) causing you a lot of pain and suffering?
- Are you having serious problems at school, work or in your free time due to your symptoms?
- Are your symptoms making it difficult for you to relate to friends or other people?
Part 2 of 5: Undergo a Medical Evaluation
Step 1. Talk to a psychologist
The only sure way to know if you have DID is to see a mental health professional. People affected by this disorder are not always able to remember when they experience a change in personality. Because they are not always aware of their multiple states, self-diagnosis may be particularly difficult and unreliable.
- Don't try to diagnose yourself. You must consult a specialist doctor to determine whether or not you have dissociative identity disorder. Only an experienced psychologist or psychiatrist is able to diagnose the disease.
- Find a psychologist or therapist who specializes in the management and treatment of this disease.
- If you have been diagnosed with DID, you can consider taking specific medications. Ask the psychologist to contact a psychiatrist.
Step 2. Rule out other possible diseases
Sometimes people with DID have memory and anxiety problems that can be caused by other conditions. It is therefore important to also contact your general practitioner to rule out any further health problems.
- Rule out any substance abuse issues. Know that DID is not caused by fainting or confusion from consuming alcohol or other intoxicants.
- If you suffer from seizures of any kind, see your doctor right away. This problem is not directly related to multiple personality disorder.
Step 3. Be patient when seeking medical help
Keep in mind that it takes time to be able to diagnose DID. Sometimes it also comes to a wrong diagnosis; often this is due to the fact that many patients with this disorder also have other mental illnesses, such as depression, post traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, sleep disorders or addiction to some substance. The presence of these diseases, which occur concomitantly, prevents the typical symptoms of DID from being clearly distinguished. As a result, the doctor needs time to get to know the patient before he can make a certain diagnosis.
- Don't expect to get an immediate response from the first day you go to a mental health professional; several sessions will be required.
- Tell your doctor that you are concerned that you have this disorder. In this way it will be easier to make a diagnosis, because the doctor (psychologist or psychiatrist) will ask you the right questions and will observe your behavior with a more critical eye.
- Be honest when you describe your experiences. The more detailed and accurate the information you provide, the more accurate the diagnosis will be.
Part 3 of 5: Identifying the Warning Signs
Step 1. Pay attention to other symptoms and warning signs of DID
There is a long list of symptoms associated with this disorder. Although not all of them are necessary to arrive at a diagnosis, they are very likely to occur and are closely related to dissociative identity disorder.
Make a list of all the symptoms you have. This list can help shed some light on your problem; take it to the doctor when you visit for an evaluation
Step 2. Consider your abusive past
DID is typically a disorder that arises after years of extreme abuse. Unlike the film Hidden in the Dark, which tells of a sudden onset of dissociative identity disorder as a result of a recent traumatic experience, the disease usually occurs due to chronic abuse for a long time. An individual typically experiences years of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse in childhood and develops DID as a defense mechanism for dealing with these traumas. These are usually very serious situations, such as being regularly raped by a parent or kidnapped and being abused for a long time.
- A single event (or a few and unrelated ones) does not cause DDI.
- Symptoms may begin as early as childhood, but a diagnosis cannot be made until the person reaches adulthood.
Step 3. Monitor for altered timing and amnesia
The term "alteration of the sense of time" means the situation in which the patient suddenly becomes aware of the surrounding environment and realizes that he has completely lost the memories of what has happened recently or for a long period (such as the previous day or the activity carried out during the morning). This aspect is closely related to amnesia, when the subject loses a specific memory or a set of related memories. Both of these aspects can be quite traumatic for the patient, who remains in a confused state and unaware of what has happened to him.
Keep a diary of memory problems. If you find yourself suddenly in a situation, not knowing what just happened, make a note of it. Check the time and date and write a report of where you were and what you were doing the last time you remember. This way you can better identify the patterns or factors that trigger an episode of dissociative disorder. Talk to your doctor about this if it doesn't make you uncomfortable
Step 4. Make a note of the dissociation
It is an experience where you feel detached from your body, circumstances, feelings or memories. Everyone experiences dissociation in some way (for example, when you attend a boring class for a long time, suddenly the bell rings and you don't remember what happened in the last hour). However, DID sufferers may experience this mood more frequently, somewhat as if they were in a "daydream". The patient in this case could report performing actions as if he were looking at his own body from the outside.
Part 4 of 5: Knowing the Basics of the Disorder
Step 1. Learn the specific criteria for making a diagnosis
Knowing the exact criteria on which the diagnosis of DID is based can help you understand whether or not you need a psychological evaluation to confirm your suspicion. According to the Statistical Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the primary diagnostic tool used in psychology, there are five criteria that must be met in order for a person to be diagnosed with DID. All five must be checked before a firm diagnosis can be made:
- There must be two or more distinct states or personalities within a single individual, which must have their own specific and alien social and cultural rules.
- The person must have recurring memory problems, such as memory lapses from daily activities, forgetting personal information, or even traumatic events.
- Symptoms must severely affect normal daily activities (school, work, home, and social relationships).
- The disorder does not have to be a part of a recognized cultural or religious practice.
- Symptoms should not be the result of psychotropic substance abuse or other medical conditions.
Step 2. Know that DID is a fairly common condition
Most often it is defined as a mental illness that affects only one or two people in an entire country and seems very rare. However, recent studies have found that 1 to 3% of the population actually suffers from it; this figure places the DID within the normal incidence rate of mental illness. Keep in mind, however, that the severity of the disease differs from person to person.
Step 3. DID is diagnosed more often in women than in men
Regardless of whether the cause may be social conditioning or that girls are more likely to experience severe traumatic abuse, women are 3 to 9 times more likely to suffer from this disorder than men. They also tend to display more alternative personalities than men, averaging 15 or more, while men average 8 or more.
Part 5 of 5: Debunking Common Misconceptions
Step 1. Dissociative identity disorder is a concrete pathology
In recent years there has been a great deal of debate about the authenticity of this disease. However, both psychologists and scientists have concluded that the disorder is real, albeit still poorly understood.
- Famous films, such as "Fight Club" or "Sybil", have actually created even more confusion in those trying to understand the disease, because they have fictionalized it, showing an extreme version of the disorder.
- DID does not come on suddenly or as severely as it is shown in movies or TV shows, and it does not cause violent or animalistic behavior.
Step 2. Know that psychologists do not induce false memories in patients with DID
Although there have been several cases of people experiencing false memories after answering questions posed by inexperienced psychologists, or being under hypnosis, sufferers of this disorder very rarely forget all the abuse they have experienced. Since these are traumas that have been inflicted for a long time, the patient is unable to repress or suppress all memories; he may forget some, but not all.
- An experienced psychologist must know how to ask the patient the questions without creating false memories or false testimonies on the part of the patient.
- Therapy is a safe way to treat DID and there have been significant improvements among patients.
Step 3. Keep in mind that DDI is not the same as the alter ego
Many people claim to have multiple personalities, while in reality they have an alter ego, which consists of an invented / created second personality that is used to act or behave differently than usual. Many people with DID are not fully aware that they have multiple personalities (due to the amnesias that occur), while those with an alter ego not only know they have a second personality, but have worked hard to create one so self conscious.
Famous people who have alter egos include Eminem / Slim Shady and Beyonce / Sasha Fierce
Advice
- The DDI mechanism helps a person a lot during childhood by protecting him in some way from abuse, but it becomes abnormal when it is no longer needed, usually in adulthood. At this point, most people are undergoing therapy to try to overcome the chaotic situation in which they find themselves.
- If you have some of the symptoms described in this article, it doesn't mean you have DID.
