Dissociative Identity Disorder Overview - Research Paper Example

Dissociative identity disorder In order to study Dissociative identity disorder we first must know as to what dissociation really means in the field of psychology. It is defined as “the disconnection or lack of integration between the normally integrated functions of memory, identity or consciousness (American Psychiatric Association 1994). Dissociative Identity Disorder was previously known as multiple identity disorder in which a person loses voluntary control over himself because of which he experiences loss of memory and ownership. It is a disorder in which the individual experiences more than one personality. It is believed that Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is caused as a post traumatic accident in an individual and may last until it is treated by specific therapies. The criteria of diagnosis for DID have been laid down in the DSM IV and it can be treated by behavioral therapies along with prescription of medicines (Haddock 2001; Pastorino & Doyle-Portillo 2006) Overview of Dissociative Identity Disorder It has been seen that every individual has a capacity to dissociate in his real life i.e. when an individual is engrossed in a television show so much so that he cannot hear anyone else speaking to him. But these dissociations are considered to be normal in an individual whereas pathological dissociations occur commonly when a person loses the control of voluntary executions. A person with a highly dissociative background may suffer from DID only because he is traumatized at an early age. This means that certain people have the tendency to grab DID genetically if they are traumatized. It is said that DID is directly related to the trauma that a person suffers from at an early age i.e. if the trauma is severe then the disorder would be even more complex. DID is a complex set of reaction which occurs when a person is unable to bear the trauma in his life and it is on this instance that he creates an alternative ego. This alter ego persists in the mind of the individual and saves him from the experiences of the trauma. In some events it is seen that an alternate ego develops to fulfill the increasing demands of the society. For example an individual may develop an alternate ego because of his occupational demands (Krakauer 2001). In DID, a person develops a host personality who takes over the patient and controls his actions. When an individual suffering from DID changes from one personality to the other it is known as a ‘switch’. The person who undergoes DID normally forgets most of the important information that relates to his life. The disorder is not caused by drugs or substances but is rather adopted through environmental stress (Haddock 2001; Krakauer 2001). Diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder The Dissociative Identity Disorder is diagnosed through the methods given in the DSM-IV. The criteria in DSM IV for DID is that the person suffers from control of two completely different personalities. The ‘switch’ between the personalities is a common recurrence rather than a incidental occurrence. Amnesia is also a sign for patients suffering from DID as the alter ego does not let the other personality about things which have previously happened. And lastly the condition of DID should not have been caused by drug abuse such as severe alcohol dosage. Amnesia in DSM IV refers to important episodes which have occurred in the past and cannot be remembered by the patient. These important episodes are pertaining to the personal information of the patient which he can never forget. All these characteristics are necessarily defined in a patient suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder. Some researchers put forward the view that DID is a fake phenomena which has been made up by the psychologists. They put forward researches in which a group of college students was asked to form an alter ego to save themselves from being convicted. The research proved successful as many of these college students were able to produce quality arguments in their defense. On the other hand the proponents of the view that DID exists put forward a research done by Condon, Ogston and Pacoe in which they analyzed a patient suffering from DID. They noticed that when a switch was experienced by the patient she continuously showed microstrabismus (incomplete fixation movements by the eye). Furthermore with the help of MRI it was found that patients after experiencing a switch had an increased hippocampal and medial temporal activity. This means that DID does exist in the world but in order to diagnose it specific measures have to be taken necessarily (Durand et al 2003; Haddock 2001; Krakauer 2001). Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder Patients suffering from DID usually get over their symptoms after some time. The basic cause of DID is the stress that the person faces in real life and in order to cure DID one has to develop the coping mechanisms. Family and friends can play a major role in these coping mechanisms as they can help in telling the patient as to what he was undergoing while he was in the state of ‘switch’. In other cases medications such tranquilizers have also been recommended in which the individuals are hypnotized so that they can face the reality. Psychotherapy however remains to be the most successful method in treating individuals with DID. The goal of psychotherapy is to identify the problems faced by the individuals and then neutralize these problems. Medications are also combined with psychotherapy so that the patient can be able to cope up with the growing stress. Antidepressants also serve to be useful in patients with DID (Krakauer 2001; Durand et al 2003). Conclusion Dissociative Identity Disorder is not commonly seen in people in this world but it is believed that it is a post traumatic disorder. It can be cured with relevant therapies and medications on the right time. Children at a very tender age should not undergo trauma as if they may have dissociative attributes they will develop Dissociative Personality Disorder. References Top of Form Haddock, D. B. (2001). The dissociative identity disorder sourcebook. Chicago: Contemporary Books. Top of Form American Psychiatric Association., & American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. Top of Form Pastorino, E., & Doyle-Portillo, S. (2006). What is psychology?. Australia: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Bottom of Form Top of Form Krakauer, S. Y. (2001). Treating dissociative identity disorder: The power of the collective heart. Philadelphia: Brunner-Routledge. Top of Form Durand, V. M., Barlow, D. H., & Durand, V. M. (2003).Essentials of abnormal psychology. Pacific Grove, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Read More