Dissociative Identity Disorder

By: Iqra Waheed

WHAT? “Dissociate” means to separate or disconnect. People with dissociative identity disorder may experience several different personalities, usually referred to as alters. Dissociative Identity Disorder was formerly known as multiple personality disorder. 

● Each identity may have different behaviors, memories, thought patterns or expressions. 

● The identities might have different gender identities, ethnicities, and ways of interacting with their environments. 

● Memories may not transfer from one identity to another, which can cause amnesia (gaps in memory). 

(Cleveland Clinic. 2024) 

Types of amnesia associated with DID: 

1. Localized: This is the most common type of amnesia. You can’t remember an event or a period of time. 

2. Selective: This is where you can’t remember details of events within a certain time frame. 

3. Generalized: This is the least common type. You can’t remember anything about your identity and life history. 

(Begum, 2023). 

SYMPTOMS OF DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER: 

● A sense of being separated from yourself and your emotions 

● Thinking that people and things around you are distorted and not real ● A blurred sense of your own identity 

● Memory loss 

● Severe stress or problems in relationships, work or other important areas of life ● Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, delusions, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and behaviors. 

(Mayo Clinic Staff, 2023) 

CAUSES OF DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER: 

The cause of DID is likely a psychological response to interpersonal and environmental stresses, particularly during early childhood tears when emotional neglect or abuse may interfere with personality development. As many as 99% of the people who have developed dissociative disorders have recognized personal histories or recurring, overpowering, and often life-threatening disturbances and traumas at a sensitive developmental stage of childhood (usually before age 6). 

Traumas linked to DID include: 

● Repeated mental, physical or sexual abuse 

● An accident 

● A natural disaster 

● Military combat 

● Being a victim of a crime

● War and terrorism 

● Neglect 

(Begum, 2023). 

WHAT DOES A PERSON WITH DID FEEL LIKE? 

● Detached from reality, your emotions and your sense of self. 

● Confused by what others may tell you about your behavior 

● Frustrated about gaps in your memory 

● Stressed about not being in control 

● Like a bystander, watching yourself from the outside 

(Cleveland Clinic. 2024) 

COMPLICATIONS OF DID: Having a dissociative disorder increases the risk of having other mental health conditions. These may include: 

● Depression and anxiety 

● Post-traumatic stress disorder 

● Sleep disorders, including nightmares, insomnia and sleep walking ● Eating disorders 

● Problems with secual function 

● Physical symptoms such as lightheadedness or seizures that are not due to epilepsy ● Personality disorders 

● Suicidal thoughts and behaviors 

(Mayo Clinic Staff, 2023) 

DIAGNOSIS OF DID: Making the diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder takes time. The DSM-5 provides the following criteria to diagnose dissociative identity disorder: ● Two or more indistinct identities or personalities 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 traumatic events. 

● The person must be distressed by the disorder or have trouble functioning in one or major life areas because of the disorder. 

● The disturbance is not a part of normal cultural or religious practices. ● The symptomes cannot be due to direct physiological effects of a substance (such as blackouts or chaotic behavior during alcohol intoxication) or general medical condition (such as complex partial seizures). 

(Begum, 2023). 

In addition, different scales and questionnaires may be used to evaluate dissociative behavior. These include: 

1. Dissociative Experiences Scale: It features 28 questions about your day to day experience. 

2. Dissociation Questionnaire: This includes 63 questions to evaluate the severity of identity dissociation. 

3. Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale: These 36 questions focus on how you regulate your feelings and emotions. 

(Cleveland Clinic. 2024)

TREATMENT OF DID: Effective treatment includes: 

● Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 

● Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) 

● Hypnotherapy 

● Adjunctive Therapy 

● Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) 

(Begum, 2023). 

CAN DID BE CURED? 

There is no cure for DID and you have to manage it for the rest of your life. (Begum, 2023). 

REFERENCES 

● Mayo Clinic Staff. (2023, August 31). Dissociative Disorders. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dissociative-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc -20355215 

● Begum, J. (2023, September 1). Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder). Webmd. 

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-dis order 

● Cleveland Clinic. (2024, July 6). Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder). Cleveland Clinic. 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9792-dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-per sonality-disorder