Dissociative Identity Disorder (multiple Personality): What Is It, What Are Its Symptoms And How Is It Treated?

Do you know what dissociative identity disorder, better known as multiple personality disorder, consists of? Discover the main symptoms to identify it and how it is addressed.

What is dissociative identity disorder?

People with a Dissociative identity disorder They usually have two or more separate personalities. In people who experience this multiple personality, they have other identities that control a person’s behavior at different times in their daily lives. In this way, when someone suffers from this dissociative disorder, they usually experience gaps in memory among other problems.

According to research, there is evidence that dissociative identity disorder previously known as multiple personality disorder, may be closely related to the experience of severe trauma during the early childhood of the person who suffers from it.

What is dissociative identity disorder (DID)?

He dissociative identity disorder (DID) It is a mental health condition that affects personality. In this way, the person has a personality dissociated from himself, which means that he controls his behavior at different times. In people who have this multiple personality, each of these ‘entities’ has its own personal history, its own traits, likes and dislikes. DID (previously called multiple personality disorder) can cause gaps in memory and suffer from various hallucinations.

Causes behind dissociative identity disorder

Different research indicates that the cause behind DID or this identity disorder It is usually a psychological response to interpersonal and environmental stress, especially during the first years of childhood. In fact, many of the cases that lead to this multiple personality disorder usually occur due to emotional neglect or abuse during childhood.

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Research shows that up to 99% of people who develop a dissociative identity They often have a recognized personal history of recurrent, overwhelming disorders or trauma.

Symptoms of dissociative identity disorder

There are a number of obvious signs that indicate that a person is suffering from a dissociated personality In many cases, people close to those who suffer from dissociative identity disorder are the ones who realize it. Among the most common symptoms, psychologists highlight the following.

  1. Multiple personality: He dissociative identity disorder or multiple identity disorder It is mainly characterized by the presence of two or more identities that take power over the person’s behavior. So much so that we can identify in that person who has it different attitudes that differ greatly from his usual behavior.
  2. Amnesia: The person who suffers from these dissociative symptoms You tend not to remember personal information that is important. In addition, there may also be microamnesias in which the person may not remember a conversation right after it has happened. Symptoms of dissociative identity disorder
  3. Depersonalization: Often, people who tend to suffer from this multiple disorder They have the sensation of feeling separated from their own body, which is called an out-of-body experience.
  4. Derealization: When someone is in a dissociated personality You often have the feeling that the world does not seem real or that it seems far away.
  5. Identity confusion or identity alteration: He Dissociative identity disorder It usually causes some confusion about who the person really is. For example, this can happen when the person has trouble defining the things that really interest them in life, such as the person’s political views or sexual orientation.
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Most people who suffer from this multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder They usually have a ‘host’ personality within the individual, while the other personalities are usually not fully mature, but rather represent a more disjointed being.

On the other hand, due to the amnesia typically associated with this dissociative personality disorder different identities tend to remember different things depending on who was present at those moments.

Is dissociative identity disorder curable?

Experts still do not have a cure for dissociative identity disorder Despite this, the idea that DID or this dissociative personality is impossible to treat is a myth.

In fact, the treatment of this identity disorder It can be very helpful in improving symptoms and helping a person regain control of both their life and sense of self.

The treatment of Dissociative identity disorder It usually focuses on the following aspects.

  • Identify and explore sources of past trauma: Thanks to this step you can identify the problem that caused this problem. dissociative disorder In this way, together with the therapist, the trauma that led to the beginning of this dissociative state is discovered.
  • Recognize and reframe cognitive distortions: Cognitive distortions are a thought that determines a belief that does not have to be reality. Thus, by recognizing these types of thoughts, people can better cope with a dissociative episode.

Treatment of dissociative identity disorder

  • Treat mental health effects: He Dissociative identity disorder It can lead to a series of problems that affect the integrity, self-esteem and security of the individual who suffers from it. Therefore, through therapy the person can alleviate the effects of this dissociative disorder.
  • Integrate alternative identities: Another aspect that is worked on within a psychological consultation around this dissociative personality disorder It is usually trying to integrate the multiple personalities associated with the person.
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Sometimes dissociative identity disorder It is usually treated through medications that can help the person control the different aspects that can affect the life of the sufferer.

He Multiple personality disorder Now known as dissociative identity disorder, it is a pathology that must be treated by a specialist. With work, the person will be able to regain control of their life.