Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative Identity disorder

Dissociative Identity disorder is a common psychological disorder in which a person shows attributes of many people, that is there are multiple and distinct personalities that exist within one person. These personalities react and act with the surroundings. The whole phenomenon is like watching a movie, relating to the character of the movie and going through all the situations that he goes through but at no point of time do we forget our own identity but then there are some people who fail to do that. They assume the identity of the other character and thus release their suppressed feelings and emotions in this kind of a mitigated way.

One personality is absolutely oblivious of the other one’s presence but both the personalities take control of the individual at regular intervals but then there is no shared memory. The most interesting characteristic of this disorder is that the alternate personality is an individual in it and has its own history and array of experiences. Gender and voice also changes, at times the alternate personality shows features like weak eyesight. Isn’t it surprising that two personalities exist in the same body and manipulate the body as per their requirements and all this is facilitated by the power of human brain? Initially this disorder was also known as "Multiple Personality disorder".

Signs and Symptoms

Some of the signs and symptoms that show in case of Dissociative Identity Disorder are similar to that of any physical disorder like the following:

• Mood swings
• Abnormal fears
• Suicidal tendencies
• Depression
• Sleep Disorders
• Alcohol
• Partial loss of memory like forgetting certain incidents and occurrences

The other symptoms are a sense of being detached from oneself which is also called depersonalization and there is another phenomenon called derealization that these patients go through wherein the perception of things happening around us weakens and seems to blur.

Causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative Identity Disorder is not a very common and attainable way of coping with severe trauma. Not everyone can live a different life and cope with their trauma and overpowering stress. This kind of a psychological disorder is common to people who experience acute physical, mental, sexual and emotional abuse at home or outside. To bear mental pressure of great magnitude and channelise the resultant feeling in a tolerable fashion it becomes necessary for the mind to create another personality who would be in someway resistant to the pains. Individuals who have the same kind of childhood yet they live a healthy psychological life do have one or the other kind like lack of confidence or severe temper tantrums. It can be said that it is the defense mechanism of the mind that creates this different personality. Dissociative Identity disorder happens at childhood and very rarely at a matured age because adults know of other ways to vent their pent up feelings.

Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder

Since most of the patients try to separate the painful memories from their conscious mind, Psychotherapy can be a treatment for this order wherein the patients can be encouraged to speak out and face the pain. The other ways of treating Dissociative Identity Disorder are Creative Art therapy in which creative processes are used to help individuals express their suppresses so that they no longer take help of the alternate personality. The Cognitive Therapy also helps in which the patient is encouraged to talk out all the negative and pallid feelings and thoughts. Medications are also helpful only to keep the patient in a controllable condition and hassle free condition otherwise to destroy the roots of the disease Psychotherapy is the best method.