TV, movies often misrepresent DID

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 very seldom dramatically different from each other in the way the media frequently portrays.

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 uncommon but not rare; 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 their memory. During this period of time, others may report a marked change in mood or behavior, including angry outbursts. DID is frequently misdiagnosed or never diagnosed.

Depression, sometimes with suicidal behavior, is common in DID. However, the 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 with this condition need compassion from friends and family, and skillful care from knowledgeable practitioners, who can be hard to find.

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