Multiple Personality Disorder or Dissociative Identity Disorder

A high school research paper.

Dissociative Identity Disorder or Multiple Personality Disorder

History

Evidence of multiple personality is not a new development of the twentieth century. In fact, evidence of multiple personality is said to exist in the images of shamans changed into animal forms or embodying spirits in Palaeolithic cave paintings throughout recorded history cases of demonic possession have been reported that many experts now believe are cases of multiple personality. Beginning in the eighteenth century, more detailed accounts in terms of multiple personality being a mental condition began appearing. Lobotomy and exorcisms were originally performed. Def of lobotomy: A surgical operation involving incision into the prefrontal lobe of the brain formerly used to treat mental illness.

Causes of disorder

While there is no proven specific cause of DID, the prevailing psychological theory about how the condition develops is as a reaction to childhood trauma. Specifically, it is thought that one way that some individuals respond to being severely traumatized as a young child is to wall off, in other words to dissociate, those memories. When that reaction becomes extreme, DID may be the result. As with other mental disorders, having a family member with DID may indicate a potential vulnerability to developing the disorder but does not translate into the condition being literally hereditary. One of the main causes that can characterize patients with DID is their innate ability to dissociate easily that is caused due to repeated episodes of severe physical or sexual abuse in childhood.

Diagnosis, testing for illness

At the time that a person with DID first seeks professional help, he or she is usually not aware of the condition. A very common complaint in people with DID is episodes of amnesia, or time loss. These individuals may be unable to remember events in all or part of a proceeding time period. They may repeatedly encounter unfamiliar...