Multiple Personality Disorder

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Multiple Personality Disorder

Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) is a mental disease that exists in about one percent of the population. Much research supports the existence of this disease and its origins, causes and effects on the people in who suffer with it. This essay will clearly define Multiple Personality Disorder along with a detailed synopsis of the disease itself. The diagnosis, alter personalities, different treatments and views will indicate the disease is real. The American Psychiatric Association named Multiple Personality Disorder in 1994 Dissociative Disorder.

Multiple Personality Disorder is diagnosed when a person has two or more personalities. These personalities have the ability to control the person and make them do things that they do not remember or would normally not do. When someone has MPD, they do not realize when another personality is in control or what they are doing. MPD is most often caused by early sexual child abuse. This child abuse is often intolerable, so much so that the person forgets these events and develops another personality to remember the abuse. The alternate personality is a defense mechanism.

Multiple Personality Disorder can also stem from high levels of stress during childhood, again, usually from abuse. This stress manifests a personality within the person so the stress does not have to be dealt with.

When someone has MPD they feel confused. They do not know why or when they have done a certain thing nor with or to whom. There are some early signs of MPD, but they are often mistaken for other disorders such as post-traumatic stress syndrome, schizophrenia, and/or bi-polar disease (manic-depression). A child with MPD could possibly have imaginary friends of any ge...

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27 Jan 1997: 67.

Smith, William H. PhD. "Dissociative Disorders: Overview of multiple personality

Disorder". 20 Nov 2000.

Robinson, B.A. "Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) a.k.a. Dissociative Identity

Disorder (DID): All Sides to the Debate" 27 Aug 2000. 17 Oct 2000.

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