Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), or previously known as multiple personality disorder (MPD), involves the disturbance of an identity in which two or more separate personalities control an individual's behavior at different times.

Symptoms of DID• Multiple mannerisms, attitudes and beliefs

that are not similar to each other• Loss of subjective time• Severe memory loss• Depression• Flashbacks of abuse/trauma• Unexplainable phobias• Sudden anger without a justified cause• Lack of intimacy and personal connections• Panic attack• Suicidal tendency• Sleep disorder like insomnia, sleep

walking or shouting at night or feeling of night terror

• Frequent mood swing• Depression or frustration• Alcohol or drug addiction

The person with DID may have as few as two alters, or as many as 100. The average number is about 10. Alters tend to reappear through out an individual’s life at different times.

Common Alter Characteristics

Some alters may harbor aggressive tendencies directed toward individuals, or toward other alters within the person. While some alters may embody a child experiencing trauma.

Difference between DID and Schizophrenia

Many people confuse three mental disorders -schizophrenia, and DID. This confusion has largely resulted from the common use of some of these names in popular media, and by people referring to someone who is grappling with a mental health issue. The disorders, however, have little in common with each other.

Differences (Continue)

Schizophrenia is among the psychotic disorders. Hallucinations and delusions are prominently featured symptoms. Although it is treated with medication, there is no current cure.

D.I.D. is among the dissociative disorders. Two or more distinct personalities routinely take complete control of the individual. Hallucinations and delusions are not a part of this condition. DID is treated with psychotherapy, and for may patients takes years to overcome.

What causes Dissociative identity Disorder?

While there is no proven specific cause of DID, the current theory centers around a reaction to childhood trauma. DID is thought to be one way for some individuals responding to being severely traumatized as a young child, and to dissociate those memories. As with other mental disorders, having a family member with DID may indicate a potential vulnerability to developing the disorder, but that does not mean the disorder is hereditary.

DID in Pop Culture

United States of Tara is about a mother of two who actually is diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. She explores integration therapy in order to suppress her four alters. Some of the alters share memories with the others, and her family behaves as if these alters are guests

In X-Men: The Last Stand, mutant Jean Grey is described as having developed a split personality as a result of mental barriers placed in her mind by her mentor, Professor Xavier. This split personality represented all her primal urges, and called itself the Phoenix.

Even though I never had a choice in the matter, when it came to which alter appeared at what time. I felt I was role playing from a plethora of identities.

It felt at times normal to be another alter. While at other times it felt abnormal to be my true self.

There were many occasions where I felt scared, but I was not aware as to why.

Often I found myself go through frequent mood changes.

After an alter would take over, I would have trouble remembering what happened currently.

I constantly felt confused and frustrated over my disorder, and who I was as a single individual.

I have discovered the root of my disorders stems from coping with childhood trauma.