Dissociative identity disorder often misrepresented in media reports

DEAR DR. ROACH » What is dissociative identity disorder? There are a lot of movies and TV shows about it.

— Anon.

ANSWER » Most people will be more familiar with dissociative identity disorder’s former name: multiple personality disorder. DID is a complex psychiatric disorder that has been frequently mischaracterized in the media. The hallmarks of the disorder are memory problems (gaps in recall of personal events or information) and two or more distinct personality states, which are sometimes called “alters.” The different personalities are seldom dramatically different.

However, the different personality states are often perceived by the person or by others as having different abilities and behaviors, and sometimes include perceived age, gender and sexual orientation differences. Still, the different personalities in a person with DID are better thought of as different facets of the person than as different people living in the same body. It is estimated to occur in about 1% of the population.

The majority of people with DID have a history of abuse during childhood, especially sexual or physical abuse. But it can be some other type of severe trauma during childhood, usually before the age of 6.

A person with DID frequently experiences hourslong gaps in memory. During this time, others may report a marked change in mood or behavior, including angry outbursts. DID is frequently misdiagnosed or never diagnosed, and this is confusing because people with DID may also have other psychiatric illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or borderline personality disorder.

Depression, sometimes with suicidal behavior, is common in DID. However, media portrayals of a person with DID as being violent are incorrect and unfair. People with DID are not more likely to be violent than anyone else.

Dissociative identity disorder is a complex condition that is difficult to diagnose, resulting from severe trauma. People need compassion from friends and family, and skillful care from knowledgeable practitioners.

You can read more about dissociative disorders here: www.isst-d.org/public-resources-home.