Living With Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

According to statistics provided by WebMD, dissociative identity disorder affects around 1% of the world’s population while around 7% of the world’s population may be suffering from some form of unidentified dissociative disorder.

Mental disorders are never easy to live with. No matter how minor they may be, they cause disturbances in everyday life. Dissociative identity disorder may not be so common, but it is important to have a general awareness of the disease to understand what life is like for people who suffer from it. Here’s an overview of what DID really is:

What is dissociative identity disorder?

Formerly known as multiple personality disorder, now called dissociative identity disorder, falls under the group of dissociative disorders which are mental conditions characterised by memory gaps and disturbances in identity, perception and awareness. It is more common in women than men and can occur in anyone, irrespective of age.

Causes of DID

A history of trauma or physical and mental abuse has been reported in about 90% of people diagnosed with the disorder. According to experts, it may develop in an individual to serve as a coping mechanism to disconnect themselves from past traumatic experiences.

Individuals suffering from DID develop more than one personalities inhabiting a single body, known as ‘alters’. Each alter has a unique personality, interests, memories, accents, names, ages and may even possess different genders.  

LIVING WITH DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER

DID is a reality that is unfathomable to some. They cannot comprehend that an individual could have several distinct personalities living inside of him. Sadly, the disease is often disregarded by people as a hoax due to their lack of awareness and information.

It would be an understatement to say that patients of DID live a highly complex and chaotic life. Having to deal with multiple personalities, on top of work and house chores must be extremely distressing. National Alliance on Mental Illness has published Jane Hart’s story, who has described what it’s like having DID. According to her, making decisions for such people is like having a conference inside their minds among their different personalities. Nevertheless, for her, she says, her biggest challenge is also one of her biggest strengths as she gets to perceive things from various viewpoints.

Other patients have also reported having benefited from their different personalities, for example, a generally shy person may benefit from his alter who is bold and assertive. However, mostly, the disorder results in disarray and disorganisation in everyday life. DID patients have a hard time establishing and maintaining relationships, working and communicating.

Seemingly benign, DID can prove to be extremely dangerous. Some alternate personalities of DID patients have been reported to coerce patients to harm themselves. Around 70% of people who have been diagnosed with the disease have been reported to have attempted suicide at some point in their lives while some have been reported to be engaged in substance abuse. Anxiety and depression are also common among such individuals.

Episodes of personality dissociation add instability and unpredictability to their lives which wraps their future in a blanket of uncertainty. They are never aware of when an episode might hit them and leave them in a state of disorientation. This takes valuable time away from their lives while also disturbing the smooth flow of everyday events.

TREATMENTS

Although it is quite difficult to cope with and recover from such a disorder or to lead a normal life, it is not entirely impossible. Treatments like psychotherapy and clinical psychosis are available which have proven to be moderately effective in assisting DID patients in coping with the long term effects of the disease.

HOW TO HELP DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER PATIENTS

Due to the inability of DID patients to maintain relationships, they might give up and end up isolating themselves. It is necessary that their family and friends play their part by providing them with emotional support and stand with them at difficult times. Being patient when they have an episode and staying by their side to provide them with the support they need is a great way to let them know that you’re with them through thick and thin. It is also of great importance that people who are close to the patients remain informed and updated about the disease and their treatment processes.

References

Cleveland Clinic. ‘Dissociative identity disorder (Multiple personality disorder)’.

Jane Hart. National Alliance on mental illness. ‘Conquering each day with dissociative identity disorder’. January 22, 2019.

Laurel Nowak. Bright quest treatment centers. ‘How dissociative identity disorder affects daily life and how you can help’. February 8, 2019.

The recovery village. ‘Living with dissociative identity disorder’. September 21, 2019.

WebMD. ‘How common is dissociative identity disorder?’

Images

Shutterstock. By photographer.eu. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sad-girl-crying-because-anxiety-personality-791410492

Healthy Place. Natasha Tracy. Dissociative Identity Disorder. https://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/dissociative-identity-disorder/understanding-dissociative-identity-disorder-alters