Dissociative a Disorder Formerly Known as Multiple Personality Disorder

Running head: Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative Identity Disorder Formerly Known as Multiple Personality Disorder

Crystal J. Sloan

Atlanta Technical College

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder is not a new disorder, this disorder was first recognized in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual in 1980. (Phillips, 1995 p. xiii) This disorder remains highly controversial to this day amongst professionals and common everyday people for many reasons. The reason this disorder is so controversial is because people have a hard time believing people can have two or more personalities in one body. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), in order to be diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder the person has the have, the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states (each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating two, and thinking about the environment and self). The second criterion is at least two of these identities or personality states recurrently take control of the person’s behavior. The third criterion is the inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness. The fourth and final criterion is the disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance or general medical condition. (DSM-IV 1994) It takes years in many cases to actually be diagnosed with DID because sometimes those actually suffering from this disease are thought to just be liars, forgetful or attention seeking and in truth some may be which is why all the controversy surrounding DID. A survey of a group of 301 board certified American psychiatrist found that only 1/3 of those surveyed believed DID should be included in the DSM-IV (1994) without hesitation and the remaining felt the disorder should...