Have you ever heard of a mental illness such as Dissociative Identity Disorder or Identity Split Personality Disorder? Sounds intriguing, even make a movie about it, doesn't it? But in films, everything is often shown not quite the way it really is. But in fact, it turns out that:
It is a chronic condition that can last for many years or a lifetime.
There are specific terms associated with this disease. For example, "core" (personal qualities with which a person is born) and "alter personalities" (all other personalities in addition to the original); "Alternative states", "reincarnations", "other roles" - these terms are also used when it comes to additional personalities. The term "switching" refers to the transition from one personality to another.
The first to study this disorder was the Frenchman Pierre Janet in 1883. His patient was a 45-year-old French woman in whom three independent and dissimilar personalities coexisted. Her first persona was unaware of the other two, but her second and third persona both knew about the existence of the first.
The disease affects people of any race, nationality, or age, but it is most common among American children.
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Almost everyone experiences what is called a mild personality split, such as daydreaming, forgetting for a moment, or hovering in the clouds. But Dissociative Identity Disorder is a more severe form of the disorder that is not easy to shake off.
As for the sexes, there are significant differences between men and women suffering from this disease. In women, the symptoms are more pronounced, they are more likely to suffer from memory loss. Men are more prone to aggressive behavior, they deny the symptoms of the disease or the history of their reincarnations.
Severe emotional trauma in early childhood is often the cause of this disorder. 97% of patients report abuse - neglect and emotional abuse, as well as physical and sexual abuse.
Given the age at which the injury occurred, one can predict how serious the disorder will be. Generally, the younger the child who is injured, the greater the degree of split personality.
Many patients with dissociative disorder report that they constantly feel the urge to kill themselves. Their alternate personalities sometimes report varying numbers of attempted suicide.
Despite the fact that among patients there are those who experience a decrease in sex drive and an inability to enjoy adult relationships to the fullest, sexual promiscuity is also not uncommon among them. Which is even surprising, because if you think about it, how nice it is for all alternative personalities, living in one body and having their own preferences, to follow the line to satisfy their sexual needs.
There is no cure for this disease. Treatment consists of relieving symptoms such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse to keep the patient safe.
Treatments that may be helpful for people with this disorder include hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and art or exercise. It is recommended to treat all alters with equal respect, avoiding taking sides in internal conflict. An approach is applied in which the patient and all his personalities are treated as a single being.
Sometimes it is very difficult to make a correct diagnosis. It may take a long time to recognize this disease. There is evidence that people with dissociative disorder were held in a mental hospital for several years before they were given an accurate diagnosis.
People with a split personality find it difficult to trust others and are wary of others. Which is not surprising if you remember the causes of the disease. Sadly, this can be a barrier to seeking medical attention, and it is difficult for them to find a doctor they trust.
Personality switching usually occurs when the patient feels some kind of threat, usually emotional or psychological or social, and the switch gives him more confidence to better deal with a problem situation or threat.
There is a bias that people with split personalities are dangerous. In fact, such people are much more likely to harm themselves than others.
This condition is about as common as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia (between 1% and 3% of people).
Svetlana Bodrik