Online Doctor Consultation India on Dissociative Identity Disorder
At present, around 1 to 1.5% of the global population suffers from DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) or multiple personality disorder. This condition is marked by one person having multiple personalities, resulting in a frightening experience for the sufferer. The sufferer usually “forgets” when the other personality or “alter” takes over.
In this blog, learn all about DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) and opt for online doctor consultation in India from the best counsellors and psychologists from Doctor2Care.
For more details on DID, read on!
What is Dissociative Identity Disorder?
Dissociative Identity Disorder is a mental health condition characterized by having two or more distinct personalities within one person.
Dissociation can be simply explained as a disconnection between reality and a person’s experience or perception of himself. This condition typically affects consciousness, identity, memory, and self-awareness, four aspects which usually work harmoniously without any hiccups.
Previously, DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) used to be known as multiple personality disorder and at present is listed among the dissociative disorders of the DSM-V classification.
What are the Symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder?
The first and most significant symptom of DID is that the person will experience the presence of “alters”.
Alters are distinctive personalities with unique personal histories, mannerisms, genders, and different core values.
These unique personalities or alters take control of the person’s behaviour recurrently or alternatively.
When it happens, the person may or may not remember what happened when the alter or other personality was in control.
Other symptoms of DID are:
- Flashbacks or the sudden remembrance of previously forgotten memories.
- Hallucinations
- Lack of awareness of recent events
- Losing chunks of time
- Suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm
- Feelings of “detachment” or “disconnection”
- Inability to recall childhood memories or personal history
How will doctors diagnose DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder)?
At the outset, it should be mentioned that there exists some controversy regarding the diagnosis of DID.
Some doctors feel that people with DID are very suggestible or may have a greater susceptibility to hypnosis. Hence, the patients may experience “alters” as a result of the suggestions made to them by others.
However, there are other studies that show that persons with DID have different physiological profiles, such as brain pattern activation, or cardiovascular responses. This seems to confirm the presence of alters.
Yet, DID diagnosis continues to be a bit of a controversial topic.
However, DSM-V lays down diagnostic criteria for the condition. They are as follows:
- The presence of two or more distinct personalities or identities, each having its own way of interpreting and interacting with the environment. The presence of these alters or personalities can be self-reported or observed by a therapist.
- Amnesia must occur.
- The person should have difficulty in their daily functioning.
- These symptoms are not a part of the cultural or religious experiences of a person.
- Symptoms do not arise from the use of alcohol or other substances.
What are the potential causes of DID?
Trauma is believed to be the root cause of DID, with 90% of the sufferers having experienced some form of past emotional or physical abuse.
People with DID often report repeated sexual and physical abuse in their childhood. Moreover, they may display self-harming behaviours, impulsive behaviours, and instability in relationships.
There exists a theory that people with DID have experienced unthinkable pain and trauma as children and have coped with the effects of those memories by strong dissociation. Over time, this dissociation has led to the formation of different personalities or alters.
Furthermore, DID sufferers may also experience trauma-related symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks or other PTSD-related symptoms.
What is the treatment for DID?
The chief treatment for Dissociative Identity Disorder is psychotherapy. Psychotherapy helps to integrate multiple personalities into one, integrated personality.
The core focus of psychotherapy is to help the person cope with past trauma, to process memories related to that trauma and improve relationships with others, especially family and friends.
Furthermore, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication can also be used to treat the patient.
How to help someone with DID?
If you know someone suffering from DID, you can learn all about the topic and its symptoms before you set out to support them. You can be there for them by offering to attend therapy or providing them with a shoulder to cry on. Most importantly however you should stay calm when the different personalities manifest.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we at Doctor2Care, an online doctor consultation India would like to tell you that you can conveniently opt for online counselling if you think that you are suffering from any of these symptoms. The counsellors available at our portal are more than capable of handling and treating any problem. So get in touch with them only on Doctor2Care today!