Dissociative Identity Disorder Essay - 1535 Words

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) is considered by the American Psychiatric Association to be one of 4 main kinds of dissociative disorders (DSM-IV): The essential feature of dissociative disorders is a disturbance or alteration in the normally integrative functions of identity, memory, or consciousness (8). If identity is the main function affected, the person is said to have DID. Most non-DID people have one identity comprised of many parts that work harmoniously together. They have only one I-function which consists of a conglomeration of thoughts and feelings formed from connections between many different brain areas. People with MPD, however, have a decentralized, internal†¦show more content†¦These substances induce glucose release and activate the immune system, enabling the organism to effectively deal with the stress. Chronic stress, however, such as repeated sexual abuse, decreases the effectiveness of this system. It has been hypothesized that when the system is bombarded with chronic stress, there is a malfunction in the negative feedback loop which goes from the neurohormones back to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. As a result, the system begins operating in positive feedback mode; increased cortisol release, for example, leads to increased cortisol production. The desensitization of the system causes the person to have an intense st ress reaction in the presence of even the smallest trigger. Abnormalities in the limbic system have also been implicated in this condition. This desensitized state exacerbates the dissociative process. In order to survive extreme stress, many children psychologically separate thoughts, feelings, memories, and perceptions of traumatic experiences (2). This coping method becomes increasingly ingrained the more frequent the abuse. The resulting highly conditioned, hypersensitive survival technique leads to impaired functioning. A person with a young child as one of his alters might bring out that child whenever there is even the slightest threat of an anxiety-provoking situation. In this way, if a traumatic event occurs,Show MoreRelatedDissociative Identity Disorder ( Dissociative Disorder )1040 Words   |  5 PagesDissociative Identity Disorder Dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, is a mental illness that is greatly misunderstood, much like many other mental illnesses. Nicholas Spanos, Professor of Psychology, hypothesized Multiple Personality Disorder as a defense against childhood trauma that creates â€Å"dissociation† or a split mental state. The trauma sustained during childhood is so substantial, that the individual creates different identities to cope with itRead MoreDissociative Identity Disorder ( Dissociative Disorder )1194 Words   |  5 PagesDissociative Identity Disorder is a disorder distinguished by the existence of two or more distinct personality states. It is also known as DID or Multiple Personality Disorder. It is very rare, with only 20,000 to 200,000 known US cases per year. Currently, there is no known cure, but treatment can sometimes help. Many believe that DID can be caused by a significant trauma and is used as a coping mechanism to help avoid bad memories. The disorders most often form in kids victim to long-term physicalRead MoreDissociative Identity Disorder970 Words   |  4 Pages Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) is a severe condition in which two or more dissimilar identities, or character states, are present and alternately take control of an individual. The person experiences memory loss that is vaguely extensive to be explained as common forgetfulness. These symptoms are not taken in consideration for by seizures, substance abuse or any other medical conditions. Description of DID: Symptoms: Read MoreDissociative Identity Disorder2780 Words   |  12 PagesDissociative Identity Disorder Imagine waking up in a new house, town, city, even state and not knowing how you got there. Now add onto that thought of forgetting almost a year of your life because someone else, or something, has taken over your body. That is just a look into dissociative disorders in general. Dissociative Disorders are ‘extreme distortions in perception and memory† (Terwilliger 2013). Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), or previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder, isRead MoreDissociative Identity Disorder2296 Words   |  9 Pagesdefines dissociative identity disorder (DID) as the occurrence of a minimum of two different personalities and maybe more than two. It also clarifies that the switching between the distinct personalities can be observed by the individual who is suffering from dissociative identity disorder or witnessed by others. (Barlow, 2014, P. 1). This disorder used to be known as multiple personality disorder, which is more recognized and understood to peop le without a psychology background. This disorder can beRead MoreDissociative Identity Disorder1221 Words   |  5 PagesThis research paper is about Dissociative identity disorder (DID) as known as multiple personality disorder. DID in which a person could have many different parts to their personality due to severe stress and an experience of a trauma. A person with DID when the have control over their one identity they cannot remember what they did when their other identities were in control. Most of the time people with DID have two personalities but they could have more than two which is referred as alters. ThenRead MoreDissociative Identity Disorder : Dissociative Identification Disorder1485 Words   |  6 PagesDissociative Identity Disorder Dissociative Identity Disorder is a mental disorder where an individual experiences two or more distinct personalities. When an individual is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, one personality has dominant control of an individual. This personality controls how a person may act and how they live everyday life. A person diagnosed with this disease may or may not be aware of their alternate personalities. Each personality is contrasting of each other withRead MoreDissociative Identity Disorder2158 Words   |  9 Pagesâ€Å"Dissociative Identity Disorder† Through out the years there has been many disorders that continue to be diagnosed on people, many can be difficult to deal with. Some of these disorders can be uncontrollable and can make it harder on the patients who are trying to get better. Disorders are not sicknesses that can be cured and gone with a couple of doses of medicine, disorders are serious problems a person has to deal with usually if not for a large amount of time, it can be every day for the restRead MoreDissociative Identity Disorder1030 Words   |  5 PagesDissociative Identity Disorder Defining what is abnormal is not necessarily easy. There are many different criteria to determine what exactly is normal and what is abnormal. According to Ciccarelli and White (2012) as early as 3000 B.C.E. there have been human skulls found with holes in them. Archaeologists suspect this was caused because of the treatments they had years ago such as â€Å"trepanning†. Trepanning is done nowadays as well to remove extra fluids from the brain, as for years ago doctors didRead MoreDissociative Identity Disorder ( Dissociative Personality )1254 Words   |  6 PagesDissociative identity disorder (previously known as multiple personality disorder) is thought to be a complex mental condition that is likely brought on by numerous variables, including serious injury amid early adolescence generally compelling, repetitive physical, sexual, or psychological mistreatment. The greater part of us have encountered mild dissociation, which resemble wandering off in fantasy land or losing all sense of direction at the time while taking a shot at an undertaking. In any