Dissociative Identity Disorder Symptoms – What is it?
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), also known as multiple personality disorder (MPD), is a serious psychological condition that some individuals develop after suffering severe psychological trauma, including serious injuries, major accidents, murder, serious illnesses, or even terrorist attacks.
This condition does not have a cure, but there are many methods available for helping people cope with it.
Below, we’ll discuss some of the most common ways that people deal with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).
What It’s Like Living With Multiple Identities (DID)
People with dissociative identity disorder have different personalities, and they often start exhibiting symptoms before the trauma or stress that caused them to develop the condition.
Usually, they begin to have unusual and unexplainable thoughts, memories, beliefs, and emotions.
They may start to change their appearance to match the new personality that they now have. This process can take years, or in some cases, a lifetime.
There are many different types of Dissociative Disorders, and they all fall under a broad umbrella of mental disorders.
Some of these include: Multiple Personality Disorder, Major Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Social Anxiety.
If a person has one of these types of dissociative identity disorder symptoms, they should seek professional help from a qualified therapist or psychologist.
Because dissociative disorders are not limited to any specific gender, race, age, or class, there is no reason why everyone cannot suffer from this condition.
Examples of Multiple Personality Disorder
As mentioned above, some of the dissociative disorders begin in childhood or adolescence. For example, multiple personality disorder can begin in a child’s early childhood years.
Childhood personality changes can occur as a result of stress, bullying, traumatic events that occur in the child’s life, and/or other factors.
The cause of this disorder is still unknown, but it has been proven that children who experience trauma tend to grow up with dissociative identity disorders as adults.
However, there are many children who are perfectly healthy and grow up without having any dissociative disorders.
When Dissociative Identity Disorder and Depression Coincide
Major depression is another condition that affects people of all ages. People with this condition tend to have problems that involve mood swings, anxiety, and other types of emotional disturbances.
When these people become depressed, they may have different symptoms than those who do not experience a depressive episode.
They may exhibit unusual behavior patterns and even have a different personality when depressed.
Is Dissociative Identity Disorder Medication The Answer To Your Treatment Needs?
Due to its controversial nature, many people tend to turn away from discussing Dissociative Identity Disorder medication.
In my experience, the best way to treat this condition is through a combination of psychotherapy combined with medication.
I will explore three different treatment options in more detail below, but first I want to touch on what exactly Dissociative Identity Disorder is.
As its name suggests, it is a condition in which the patient has various false identities – one in each time zone.
This can be quite a burden to bear, not just emotionally and mentally, but also socially and in relationships.
Can PTSD cause DID?
According to Bridge Store Recovery, People with dissociative identity disorder almost always experience other mental and behavioral health conditions, which complicates their situation even further.
Someone who suffers from Depression will often exhibit dissociative behavior and even believe that he or she is someone else completely.
Many people who go through a traumatic event, such as the death of a loved one, can also experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after the event.
People who are exposed to violent material such as combat films or violent TV shows may develop PTSD after seeing things that may remind them of their traumatic experience.
In some cases, people who see things that remind them of their PTSD experiences can develop an affinity for that material and believe that they have inside themselves a secret personality that is separate from their real personality.
Other symptoms can be a result of drug abuse or alcohol abuse. People who are dealing with addiction issues can have personality changes that are very similar to dissociative identity disorder symptoms.
People who are into alcohol and drug abuse may start to develop a “drug eye” where they are becoming addicted to something that does not even exist within themselves.
Some people use this behavior as a means to justify why they are doing things that they normally would not do.
When you have a different personality and multiple personalities begin to develop, you are at risk for developing dissociative identity disorder.
This condition can be brought about by shock or trauma, abuse to people that are important to you or by severe emotional distress.
There is not just one form of this personality issue. People can develop multiple personalities.
However, when it happens, it is usually because of a trauma that the person experienced.
Dissociative Identity Disorder Symptoms and Treatments
There is a difference between dissociative identity disorder symptoms and the actual condition that people with this experience.
You can only be sure that you are suffering from this after getting a professional diagnosis from a mental health expert.
If you suspect that you have this, then you should seek treatment immediately so that you can get rid of this condition and lead a normal life again.
Dissociative identity disorder is a condition where you start feeling different identities and aspects of your personality start to emerge from behind your consciousness.
For instance, you may start feeling like a woman, or a man, or a whole collection of things all at once.
It is also a condition where the memory of events that have happened to you come flooding back into your mind, leading you to think that you are actually awake.
This means that you will have odd feelings in your head, and this can lead to a lot of problems, especially when trying to function in society.
The best way to treat this condition is through psychotherapy and medications.
If you feel that you may be going through some of the symptoms, then you should definitely see a doctor for a diagnosis.
Once you know that you are dealing with Dissociative Identity Disorder, you can start looking for a suitable treatment method that works for you.
Remember that everyone is different, so the treatment method that works for one person may not necessarily work for another.
You should take the time to find what works for you, but if you have tried everything else already, then it is time to get help and get back on track again.
Finding a Good Dissociative Identity Disorder Therapist
A Dissociative Identity Disorder is a condition where several personalities exist within one person.
This causes problems because people are not aware of who they really are. For some people, this can be a significant advantage, but for others, it can be a horrible condition that can be difficult to deal with.
When you are looking for a Dissociative Identity Disorder therapist, make sure that you choose one that is licensed to work with people with this condition.
You do not want someone inexperienced to treat your condition. Look for a professional who has many years of experience treating people with a dissociative identity disorder.