Multiple Personalities

More on DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) or what used to be known as 'multiple personalities'. There are usually two or more relative personalities dwelling in the patient/client one being the 'host' or the primary personality that is that retain a given timeframe and identity to the person. The host can/could be passive, guilty, depressed, or a combination of these, but the alters or others are or seem to be aggressive, out-going, attention seeking and some can or could be aggressive and angry and persecutory, and/or protective towards the host personality. There can be conflicts between the alters for some are more dominate and take charge in a sequential way. One can tell when a alter or even the host is coming back this is known as 'switching' that only takes a few seconds in the form of blinking or a change in demeanor or caused by the psychosocial problems or stressors.

The 'identities' not in control manifests themselves with visual and auditory hallucinations to get control of the host person. There can only be one present at a time. They will have periods of amnesia when a change occurs. The alters can store memories that are too painful for the host personality. The host personality usually does not know about the alters till later. There could be anywhere from two to 100 personalities possible, but 10 or fewer personalities is more possible. DID (multiple personality) is more prominent in women due to sexual abuse, but men also may have this form due to some problem in and/or with the legal system and not usually dealing with mental health. The onset is in childhood and adolesence and usually a misdiagnosis occurs. In a EEG and a CBF which is a skin response test there are conflicting differences for identities differ in eye problems, handedness, and other distinctions between the identities but why is this?

DID and Psychodynamic explanations

One explanation for DID is repression to block out painful and unpleasant memories or events and used as a defense mechanism. There is no consciousness and serves as a survival strategy. This disorder follows the PTSD model as a response to a childhood trauma. It is for protection purposes in an extreme way. Independent personalities are formed along with conflicts with the hosts ID, EGO and SUPEREGO along with the alters.

Four Factors that contribute to DID

1. The capacity to dissociate so that one is incapable to deal with the alters.

2. There is exposure to overwhelming stress, as in sexual abuse.

3. This is encapsulating against difficult experiences.

4. There are developing different memory systems.

In non-supportive environments and not a too resilient personality. In a behavioral manner DID is reinforced by operant conditioning and DID is rewarding through negative reinforcement and escapes the stimulus to avoid the event. In a socio-cognitive model DID people learn that this disorder has various means to play roles and reinforced by media and other ways. DID is created by social reinforcement and observed ways that are learned but displayed subconsciously. There are 'iaetropicgenic' effects when a doctor unintended with the effects of therapy with the symptoms created in some people more susceptible to this than others that are more open to suggestion.

There are higher levels of being able to be hypnotized and dissociate as in a way to self-hypnotize to remove from a painful event. Some facts about DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) are that most people with DID do not report childhood abuse unless there is some retrospective research. A diagnosis of DID has increased dramatically since 1980 with a clearer diagnosis from the DSM iaeotrophic effects. Another fact is that a DID diagnosis primarily in the US and Canada could be under-reported in other countries. Finally, over-reporting of this disorder in the media of portrayals can be faked by people.

Treatment for DID is for personality reconstruction or the integration of the other personalities into the host personality. There is no medications except to treat depression. There is counseling along with hypnosis and psychoeducation to teach healthy ways to respond to stress, as well as developing the cognitive social skills to challenge the irrational thoughts and become more assertive and learn behavioral techniques to use in long term treatment of this disorder.

Next lesson article will be on Eating Disorders

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