Dissociative identity Disorder Steven Taylor Psychology Per.4

Definition Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a mental illness that involves the sufferer experiencing at least two clear identities or personality states, also called alters, each of which has fairly consistent way of viewing and relating to the world.

Associated Features Diagnostic criteria for 300.14 Dissociative Identity Disorder 
(cautionary statement)  A. The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states (each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self).  B. At least two of these identities or personality states recurrently take control of the person's behavior.  C. Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness.  D. The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., blackouts or chaotic behavior during Alcohol Intoxication) or a general medical condition (e.g., complex partial seizures). Note: In children, the symptoms are not attributable to imaginary playmates or other fantasy play.Reprinted with permission from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision.  Copyright 2000 American Psychiatric Association

Associated Features Most of them have experienced mild dissociation, which is like daydreaming or getting lost in the moment while working on a project. It’s a mental process, which produces a lack of connection in a persons thoughts, memories, feelings, actions or sense of identity. Other types of Dissociative disorder defined in the DMS- IV-TR, the man psychiatry manual used to classify mental illness. Include dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, and depersonalization disorder.

Associated Features Along with the dissociative and mutilple or split personalities, people with dissociative disorders may experience any of the following symptoms: Depression, Mood swings, Suicidal tendencies, Sleep disorder, Anxiety/panic attacks, Alcohol and drug abuse, Complusions and rituals, Eating disorder and other symptoms.

Etiology While there is no proven specific cause of (DID). The prevailing psychological theory about how the condition develops is as a reaction to childhood trauma. Specifically, it is thought that one way that some individual respond to being several traumatized as a young child is to wall off, in other words to dissociate, those memories. When the reaction becomes extreme, (DID) may be the result. As with other mental disorders, having family member with (DID) may indicate a potential vulnerability to develop the disorder but does not translate into the condition being literally hereditary.

Prevalence While the causes of Dissociative identity disorder are still vague, research indicates that a combination of environmental and biological factors work together to cause it. As many as 98% to 99% of individuals who develop dissociative disorders have recognized personal histories of recurring, over powering and often life- threatening disturbances at a sensitive developmental stage of childhood (usually before age 9). Dissociation may also happen when there has been insistent neglect or emotional abuse, even when there has been no over physical or sexual abuse. Families where the parents are fighting can affect the child and they may become dissociative.

Prevalence Statistics show the rate of the disorder being 01% to 1% of the general population, 7% may have undiagnosed dissociative disorder. A person with the disorder have spent 7 years in the mental health system prior to accurate diagnosis. Dissociative identity disorder is a very rare condition. It is so rare that it is difficult to study; little research has been conducted on people with DID. One study found that about 1% of women in the community have DID, but more studies are needed to confirm this finding. There has been a recent surge in the diagnosis of DID; however, it is not clear whether this is due to a greater awareness of the disorder by mental health professionals or to overdiagnosis

Treatment Psychotherapy is generally considered to be the main component of treatment for dissociative identity disorder. Therapists usually try to help clients Improve their relationships with others & To experience being in touch with or openly expressing in the past.

Treatment Hypnosis is sometimes used to help increase the information that the person with (DID) has about their symptoms/identity states, thereby increasing the control they have over those states when they change from one personality state to another. Medications are often used to address the many other mental-health conditions that individuals with (DID) tend to have, Like depression. . Ect

Prognosis The improvement observed in these patients cannot unequivocally be attributed to treatment. First, the study lacked a standard treatment protocol, or at least clearly identifiable treatment components, making it difficult to accept strong claims about treatment efficacy. Second, because there was no control condition, it is impossible to know how much of the improvement may have been due to nontreatment factors. For example, some spontaneous recovery may have occurred. Regression toward the mean is also a problem; since patients often enter therapy when they are particularly distressed, they are, on average, likely to show less distress in the future, independent of treatment (2). This problem is amplified by the fact that the baseline assessment occurred during inpatient treatment. Since hospital admissions for dissociative identity disorder tend to be for emergencies (3), many subjects were probably experiencing an exacerbation of symptoms at baselin

References Halgin, R.P., Whitbourne, S.K.(2005). Abnormal psychology clinical perspectives on psychological disorders www.webmd.com www.medicinenet.com www.allpsych.com/journal/did.html www.behavenet.com/capsules/disorders/did/htm Myers, D.G.(2011). Myers psychology for ap. New York, NY: worth publishers

Discussion Question 1. If a perosn with dissociative identity disorder commits a crime, should they be heald responsible?

Quiz Questions Another word for Dissociative disorder is ___________? How can a person get dissociative identity disorder? From a person through the air. Major issues dealing w/ family, and life problems. Heritage college ready academy high school. Going to the mall.

Quiz Question A person with Dissociative Identity Disorder should? -