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Dissociative
Identity Disorder
Formerly
Multiple Personality Disorder
Category
Dissociative
Disorders
Etiology
DID
is associated with severe psychological stress in childhood, most often
ritualistic sexual or physical abuse.
Symptoms
The
primary characteristic of this disorder is the existence of more than one
distinct identity or personality within the same individual. The
identities will take control of the person at different times, with
important information about the other identities out of conscious
awareness.
Treatment
Treatment
is difficult for a variety of reasons, including secrecy on the clients
part (unlike the misrepresentation in the media), making him or her
reluctant to seek help, and the difficulty in diagnosing the disorder once
the client presents. Typically, an individual with DID will require many
years of treatment.
Prognosis
Because
the disorder is longstanding, it can be very difficult to treat. Often
individuals have numerous ups and downs in treatment. Overall,
however, extensive work with an experienced therapist can greatly enhance
this prognosis.
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