Hollywood has always loved the concept of multiple personalities, perhaps because it represents a psychological state that is both frightening and fascinating. The Three Faces of Eve, Sybil and Psycho are three classic movies that have characters with multiple personalities.
One of the most recent films about this disorder is 2010’s Frankie & Alice, in which Halle Berry portrays a go-go dancer whose alternate personality is a racist white woman from the South. Berry was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her performance as a woman who struggles to maintain a grasp on reality despite the fact that her alternate personality can take over at any time.
What is Dissociative Identity Disorder?
Today the term Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is used to describe multiple personalities. This condition is marked by the adoption of alternate identities and partial amnesia. One or more identities (known as “alters”) exist at the same time in the mind of a person suffering from this disorder. Each of these identities has a distinct personality that may include a unique personal history, name, voice, mannerisms, opinions and other characteristics. An alternate personality can even be a different race or gender.
In periods of stress, one of the alternate personalities will “take over.” There will usually be a marked change in behavior and demeanor during an alter episode. When the episode has passed, there is no memory of events that occurred. This loss of control and amnesia are the most disturbing aspects of this disorder.
Causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder
Dissociative Identity Disorder develops in reaction to extreme trauma that most often occurs in childhood. During childhood, identity and personality are still being formed. Stepping outside of one’s own identity and observing trauma “from the outside” is a coping mechanism that may be adopted by children who are subject to chronic physical, emotional or sexual abuse. In the movie Sybil, which was based on a true story, Sally Field portrayed a young woman who developed 12 distinct personalities in reaction to childhood torture inflicted by her schizophrenic mother.
Children and adults who live through traumatic events caused by natural disasters, war or life-threatening medical conditions may also be at risk for developing Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Side Effects of Dissociative Identity Disorder
In addition to alternate identity episodes, people suffer from DID may experience these serious side effects of the disorder:
- Depression and anxiety
- Inability to deal with stress
- Severe headaches
- Traumatic flashbacks and hallucinations
- Alcoholism and drug abuse
- Eating disorders
- Self-mutilation
- Insomnia and other sleep disorders, including sleepwalking and nightmares
- Sexual disorders, including both sex addiction and fear of sex
- Suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide
When to Seek Help for Dissociative Identity Disorder
People with Dissociative Identity Disorder are often unaware of the seriousness of their condition. Depression may cause them to ignore symptoms that can include dramatic changes in behavior, confusion about their whereabouts and no memory of past events. If you observe these signs in a friend or family member, urge them to seek medical treatment.
DID may first be diagnosed in an emergency room after the patient has experienced a break with reality or been injured during an alternate personality episode.
Treatment for Dissociative Identity Disorder
Psychotherapy, medication and hypnosis are frequently used to treat DID. Hypnosis is used to help the patient reveal hidden identities and recall repressed memories. Medication may be prescribed to deal with the anxiety and depression that are often a side effect of the disorder. Finally, psychotherapy will help the patient understand the causes of the disorder and find new ways of coping with the memory of traumatic events. The goal of therapy for DID is to breakdown the alternate identities and help the patient create a single unified identity.
