Theory Of Dissociative Identity Disorder

888 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Dissociative identity disorder psychology paper

Dissociation is a word that describes what happens when normal perceptions, sensations, memories, or identity become disintegrated. It is a separation between two things and becomes a disorder when the behavior is extreme and uncontrolled. Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly known as multiple personalities, can be defined by as a mental disorder in which individuals experience a shattering of a unified identity into at least two separate but coexisting personalities with different memories, behavior patterns, and emotions(1). Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) shows an onset of multiple “alters” in a patient. Alters are personalities that appear to have the control over a person’s functioning in certain situations. These alters can dress, …show more content…

However, there are two major theories that give an understanding in the cause of DID. The Post-Traumatic model of DID suggests that it originates from severe trauma during childhood or adolescence. This trauma can be disorganized attachment, chronic neglect, and abuse (Vissia 2016). These experiences cause the formation of alters within the person as a defense mechanism. The second theory is known as the sociocognitive model, also known as the fantasy model (1). This model suggests that people who are diagnosed with DID are the product of their environment. Meaning, they are influenced by social and cultural factors that create or maintain the disorder. In this model, the person does not know, or think, that they have alters until it is suggested by a professional or another person in the patient’s life. It is at that point, they begin to believe that the do have alters which leads to diagnosis of DID. Unfortunately, the long-term prognosis for DID is not great, regardless of treatment method. However, there are treatment methods that can improve the symptoms. Ultimately, it is possible for alters to fuse, in others words they merge into their host personality. Yet they very rarely become unified …show more content…

Abnormal Psychology, Burke
2. “NAMI.” NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2017, www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders.
3. Pais, S. (2009). A Systemic Approach to the Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder. Journal Of Family Psychotherapy, 20(1), 72-88. doi:10.1080/08975350802716566
4. Okugawa, G., Nobuhara, K., Kitashiro, M., & Kinoshita, T. (2005). Perospirone for treatment of dissociative identity disorder. Psychiatry And Clinical Neurosciences, 59(5), 624.
5. Brand B, & Loewenstein RJ. (2014). Does phasic trauma treatment make patients with dissociative identity disorder treatment more dissociative? Journal of Trauma & Dissociation : The Official Journal of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD), 15(1), 52-65.
6. Waiess EA. (2006). Treatment of dissociative identity disorder: "tortured child syndrome". Psychoanalytic Review, 93(3), 477-500.
7. Kluft RP. (1999). An overview of the psychotherapy of dissociative identity disorder. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 53(3),

Show More
Related

  • Quiet Storm's Article: I Have Dissociative Identity Disorder

    1416 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is often seen as a social norm for children to seek the comfort and protection of their favorite blanket or toy from the horrors occurring in front of them. In the article, I Have Dissociative Identity Disorder, written by Quiet Storm, Storm recalls both the physical and sexual abuse she had to endure which caused her to seek the help of multiple personalities to take her place during the pain while she hid deep beneath her consciousness. Her ability to become a successful nurse and social worker is an inspiring characteristic that I can empathize with, since her and I both share the intrinsic need to help others. Storm’s transformation from a person who allowed the pain to control her to one who initiated the calm to her storm was the main

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Dissociate Identity Disorder In The Movie Split, Kevin

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    This dissociative identity disorder therapy encourages communication of conflicts and insight into any problems. Problems helped by psychotherapy include difficulties in coping with daily life- Barry was the only personality able to cope with daily functions due to his sessions with Dr. Fletcher. The impact of trauma, and abuse was the reason Dennis's personality was created. Kevin’s (host body) created this personality to defend and protect him by assuring everything was tidy, and done properly. Psychotherapy can aid by controlling or eliminateting any troubling symptoms so the individual can improve and increase there health and properly heal. This was the form of therapy that Barry and Dr. Fletcher had. Another common form of therapy is called cognitive

    Read More

  • Norman Bates Case Study

    1075 Words  | 3 Pages

    Therefore, they are prescribes medications for other health conditions that are commonly associated with dissociative identity disorder. Typically the patient will be giving medications that treat: depression, anger, severe anxiety, and impulse-control problems. The main issue with prescribing a patient with dissociative identity disorder is that the individual may began to feel as if they are being controlled. Any effect the patient may experience regardless if it is good or bad can cause the patient to feel traumatized

    Read More

  • Dissociative Identity Disorder in the Secret Window

    1542 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to Barlow, Durand & Stewart (2012), Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is one of several dissociative disorders in which a person experiences involve detachment or depersonalization. They go on to explain that people with DID ha...

    Read More

  • Exploring Dissociative Identity Disorder: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    The following research was published in the Psychiatry (Edgemont) Journal Online in March of 2009 by Paulette Marie Gillig, MD, PhD. There are also contraindications involving the treatment of DID. Caution needs to be taken while treating people with DID with medications because any effects they may experience, good or bad, may cause the sufferer of DID to feel like they are being controlled, and therefore traumatized yet again.

    Read More

  • Identity Immigder: The Causes Of Dissociative Identity Disorder

    884 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dissociative identity disorder, a condition that has plagued and altered the minds of those who were diagnosed for many years, represents the condition in which an individual displays multiple personalities that overpower his or her behavior around others and even alone. Such personalities or identities can have staggering differences between them even being characterized by a disparate gender, race, or age. One of the sides of them can even be animal-like and display feral qualities. Also, the disorder severs the connection between the victim’s sense of identity, emotions, actions, and even memories from their own consciousness. The cause for this is known to be a very traumatic experience that the person had gone through previously and fails to cope with it, thus they dissociate themselves from the memory in order to keep their mental state in one piece. All these results from the disorder do not begin to tell of the rest of the horrors that gnaw away at the affected human.

    Read More

  • Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

    740 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dissociative disorders can affect someone’s memory and make someone forget some of the important things in his or her life suck as their own identity. “When a dissociative identity disorder comes in to a person life it normally can make that person seem very distant and never aware of the other people in their lives.” (Diseases; 1) Which means that this person has absolutely no socials life. This person, when having a traumatic childhood, he or she can establish two or more different sets of personality. As an adult, this person may see an object that triggers the other personalities to come out; meanwhile, attempt to take control over the body.1a. SV; conj. adv, SV.) This other personality can be a different gender and he or she will most likely go by a different name. When this personality is in play the person’s original personality will have no memory of what the other being inside of him or her may have done.

    Read More

  • Abnormal Psychology in The Minds Of Billy Milligan

    1931 Words  | 4 Pages

    Out of all the classes that I have taken here at Westfield State College, I can honestly say that Abnormal Psychology has been by far the most interesting. Since this course has had such a major influence on me this semester, I am strongly considering continuing my education in this field of psychology. Throughout the semester, we studied a number of intriguing disorders. The disorder that really seemed to catch my attention was the Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). I took it upon myself to use this opportunity to learn more about the disorder that seemed to be the most fascinating. This is the main reason why I chose to read The Minds of Billy Milligan, by Daniel Keyes. This true story shows us how a young man (Billy Milligan), who suffers from DID, is charged with crimes that one of his alternate personalities is responsible for. Daniel Keyes is the writer who offered to reveal Billy's story to the world. After Billy was fused, he was able to explore the depths of his mind and the minds of his other 24 personalities for Keyes. Keyes published The Minds of Billy Milligan in 1981, but most of the story takes place before then. The book starts out in 1977, where Billy is being sought out for rape crimes.

    Read More

  • Dissociative Identity Disorder

    4458 Words  | 9 Pages

    Dissociative Identity Disorder, or DID, is defined as: “The result of a marvelously creative defense mechanism that a young child uses to cope with extremely overwhelming trauma” (Hawkins, 2003, p. 3). Ross describes DID in this way: “In its childhood onset forms, the disorder is an effective strategy for coping with a traumatic environment: It becomes dysfunctional because environmental circumstances have changed by adulthood” (1997, p, 62). What types of traumatic environments are we talking about here? Often children who form DID are involved in some sort of abuse. These types of abuses can be physical, sexual and even ritual. Such abuses are not meant for children to have to endure, however, the mind is able to deal in effective ways to allow the child to bear such intolerable environments. As one examines this subject, one finds that there are varied opinions on DID, however, it is important to understand the nature of DID, types of DID as well as DID symptoms and healing in adults.

    Read More

  • Dissociative Identity Disorder

    1453 Words  | 3 Pages

    DID patients may have many different identities or alters. When under the control of one alter, a person is usually unable to remember some of the events that happened while other personalities were in control. Many DID patients refer to this as black outs and are unaware that another alter was in control. The different alters may show differences in speech, attitudes, thoughts and gender orientation (National Alliance of Mental Illness). Alters are usually different from the person, they may have differences, such as allergies or even the need for eyeglasses (National Alliance of Ment...

    Read More

  • Dissociative Identity Disorder

    1290 Words  | 3 Pages

    My topic of choice for this research paper is Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID. This appellation is rather new; therefore, most are more familiar with the disorder's older, less technical name: Multiple Personality Disorder or MPD. When first presented with the task of selecting a topic on which to center this paper, I immediately dismissed Dissociative Identity Disorder (which for the sake of brevity will be referred to as DID for the remainder of this paper) as a viable topic due to the sheer scope of the disorder. However after an exhaustive examination of other prospective topics, I found myself back at my original choice. There are several reasons why I chose DID. The foremost of which is the widespread fascination of this disorder by many different types of people; most of whom otherwise have no interest in psychology or its associated fields. One would be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t been captivated at one time or another by the extraordinary, all too well known symptoms of this disorder. This fascination… dare I say ‘allure’ to this disorder is exemplified by the myriad of motion pictures that have been produced based on cases, real or fictitious, of DID. Another reason for my choice is what I feel is the insufficiency of effective treatments for DID. Despite what is known about this disorder, (which is relatively a lot) there are only two chief treatments for DID; the first and most prevalent is psychotherapy; also known as ”talk therapy”, the second is medication. The third and final reason for my choice is my own enchantment with DID. I must admit that ever since I read about Sue Tinker, a woman who was diagnosed with over 200 different personalities. In writing this paper I hope to discover more about this disorder and perhaps be able to identify a few areas that I feel might require more research on the part of psychologists specializing in DID.

    Read More

  • Black Swan

    1089 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dissociative identity disorder is said to appear in times of high stress in an individual with this disorder, “Switching (transition to a sub-)” .... ... middle of paper ... ... Free association must be applied in these therapy sessions; free association is when the therapist has the patient describe any thought, feeling, or image that comes to mind (Comer, 2011). Nina will hopefully relive past repressed feelings from her childhood, this is called catharsis, and it is extremely important for the progression of treatment.

    Read More

  • Psychological Elements in “The Machinist”

    1803 Words  | 4 Pages

    Grohol, J. M. (n.d.). Psych Central: Dissociative Identity Disorder Treatment. Psych Central - Trusted mental health, depression, bipolar, ADHD and psychology information. Retrieved May 24, 2011, from http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx18t.htm

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Mort Rainey's The Secret Window

    1118 Words  | 3 Pages

    Each personality is well developed which is usually divided into the host and the alters. The switch usually happens when the alter needs to be there to handle reality. It happens instantly without the host realizing it. In most cases, when the switch happens, the alter knows everything about the host, including his internal conflicts while the host knows nothing about the alter. The alter is fully aware of the host’s thoughts and actions. DID is a psychological defense against trauma. The process of dissociation in DID sufferers is through repression. Because of a traumatic experience, someone could repress the unwanted memory because he or she could not bear to deal with it. There is a formation of personalities created by the sufferer to get something he or she wants to achieve or the form of anticipation for the things he or she does not expect to happen. Indeed, each personality that is formed has different functions and intention. After the formation of personalities, the switch among the personalities usually happens when an alter needs to be there to help the host in handling

    Read More

  • Informative Speech On Dissociative Identity Disorder

    441 Words  | 1 Pages

    Do you ever feel like you just can’t take reality anymore? You just want to escape it and in order to do so, your conscious awareness becomes separated from all the painful things you can’t stand, including your painful memories. Then suddenly you’re a totally different person. Another identity takes your place in suffering all the painful things you want to escape. Today, I’m going to talk to you about dissociative identity disorder (DID). I will be talking about what DID is, what causes DID and how it affects the individual (host/core). I will also mention a famous case in psychology.

    Read More

More about Theory Of Dissociative Identity Disorder

Open Document