Multiple Personality Disorder
Biology 103
2002 First Paper
On Serendip
Multiple Personality Disorder
Diana La Femina
When you were growing up, did you have an imaginary friend? Did Mom and Dad have to set a place for Timmy at the table and serve him invisible food, or did all your aunts and uncles have to pet your imaginary puppy when the came over to the house? That's just pretend, though, kids having fun. So is a child pretending that they are someone else, forcing their parents to call them Spike, convinced they have a Harley even though they're only five. But what if this were an adult, someone who should "know better" convinced that they are someone else. If this were to happen, society would label them as crazy or delusional. Or, maybe, this adult suffers from a Multiple Personality Disorder.
Multiple Personality Disorder (or MPD) is a psychological disorder where a person possesses more than one developed personality. These personalities have their own way of thinking, feeling, and acting that may be completely different from what another personality is like (1). To be diagnosed with multiple personality disorder, at least two of the multiple personalities must dominate over the others on a slightly frequent basis (2). This results in an abrupt change in the way a person acts. Basically, they become another person in either an extreme or complete way (3).
MPD was first recognized in the late nineteenth century by Pierre Janet, a French physician. The disorder was later brought more to public awareness by The Three Faces of Eve (1957), a movie based on the true story of a pristine housewife who was diagnosed with MPD when she couldn't explain why she would suddenly become a very sexual person and not remember it. The eighties and the nineties brought on what was seen as an over diagnosis of MPD (1).
MPD is known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) in the psychiatric world (1). The reason for this change of label is that the term "multiple personalities" can be misleading (4). A person with MPD/DID is one person with separate parts autonomously comprising their mind . They are NOT many people sharing one body (5). Although it seems as though these "personalities" seem to be very different, it is important to understand that they are separate parts of the SAME person (4). It is not correct to say that someone with MPD/DID has "split personalities" as this denotes schizophrenia. A person with schizophrenia does not have connected thoughts and feelings, they are "split" (1). A person with dissociation, however, has memories, actions, identities, etc., that are unconnected. Different thoughts and feelings may be connected, but different thoughts and different memories may be connected to some and not the others. Everyone experiences this once in a while. Daydreaming, getting lost in a book or a movie, zoning out, etc. These are all moments of dissociation (4). Just because someone has MPD/DID does not mean they can not function in everyday life (2). Indeed, they usually have this disorder so that they CAN function.
There have been as many as 20 personalities [perhaps even 37] that have been reported (3). About 1% of the population has some form of MPD/DID. In fact, of patients in psychiatric hospitals, possibly up to 20% have MPD/DID but are misdiagnosed. With these statistics, MPD/DID can be put into the same category as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia as one of the major mental health problems at present (4).
Although the causes of MPD/DID are not completely understood it seems as if childhood neglect and abuse of some sort are the major causes (4). The abuse usually occurs early in life, before the age of nine, and is commonly repeated and prolonged (2). Due to this abuse, children may detach parts mind and create new personalities to separate themselves from their pain (3). After long term abuse, these new "personalities," this dissociation, may become second nature. These children may use this technique to separate themselves whenever they feel anxious or threatened. Due to it's ability to keep a sane, functioning part of a persons mind in tact when all else seems hopeless MPD/DID can be seen as a very effective escape technique (4). It is a very healthy, sane, and safe way for these people to survive an unhealthy situation (2).
MPD/DID can be treated. The first treatment usually used is psychotherapy, to try to help the person integrate the personalities more (1). After that medications, hypnotherapy, and adjunctive therapies are also used. In fact, if treatment is started and completed, MPD/DID may have the best prognosis of any disorder (6).
Everyone has different facets to their own personalities. Without this fact we would not be the complex beings that we are. A person with MPD/DID, however, may have very distinct facets that work independently of one another, sometimes not even knowing that the others exist. These various facets work together to keep the person whole. MPD/DID is a highly evolved psychological survival technique that is not to be looked down upon. Without it, the people who "suffer" from it may not be able to function in everyday life as well as they do, if at all.
References
1)Infoplease Education Network, an interesting educational network with many resources
2)MPD/DID information site, Site put together by a lady with MPD/DID
3)Medical Index, interesting site with a great amount of information on many medical conditions
4)MPD/DID resource page, site with a lot of information on MPD/DID
5)The International Society for the Study of Dissociation, another site with a lot of information on MPD/DID
6)Sidran Institute of Traumatic Stress Education & Advocacy, site with abundant information and resources to traumatic disorders and treatment
Comments made prior to 2007
I am a 29 year old woman. I am bi-polar Manic Depressive. I have 2 personalities that i know so far. on the night of 19 of May, I encountered a personality that is know as "Unknown". It was out for a breif 10 minutes, but after it had come out i had 3 scratches on my left wrist. They started out what looked like welts and turned into scratch marks. i don't understand left completly confused and mentally scared ... Jennifer Mills, 23 May 2007
Help Me
Please help me to deal with my muli-personality, it is distorying my marriage. It is very nasty, I just have nothing but anger in me that after some of the things I do upsets me as well as my husband becasue I wonder why I did or said that.
Please I beg you to help me .... my marrigae is on the very edge on being over becasue of it bothering and upsetting my husband.
i dont know what to do
Okay im 16 i was sexually phisicly and mentaly abused from ever since i can remember (well what little parts of it) to the time i was 13 and i think i might have MPD cause i cant remember most of my child hood last week i woke up at someones house in a freakin mini skirt(i dont even own a mini skirt)and the guy called me some name i didnt reconize and i remember going to sleep in my room it scares me cause my mom has said ive gotten violent and mean then i would start acting like a 5 yr old i cant remember any of it its goten alot worse recently ever siince i got a b/f ive lost alot of my memorys and so i looked up the symptons and it said that it might be caused by mpd and i just dont know what to do anymore im really scared
lets just face it... there
lets just face it... there are forces at work beyond our understanding... there is one thing we can do... confront it.. try talking to yourself.. see if you get an answer. keep trying diffrent things.. have someone record you... sleep more... just keep experimenting.. you never know what the solution might be, considering that there is much about the brain we dont understand...
Friend,,,
My friend has 4 children and is on the computer 95% of the time, she has about 3 personalities that have littler and bigger versions of themselves. Alli, one of the personalities, fights, not physically on the game SecondLife, but sometimes with her "uncle" and gets very violent. I am worried about her children. Help.
husband
i have a problem like that he will get mad for no reason calls me names imbarass me on the train and make sure theres people listening to him he will say to get out the house that he owns everything in there he will say that a wife is not a persong that cooks clean or pays rent he will unconditionaly hate me and will scram at me
worried
well he starts by acusing of everything and then saying a wife is not a woman tha cooks clean or pays rent that he wants a divorse he will embarass me in front of people he will make sure that there is a audience he will throw things at me and not care whos there will find exuse to fight or blame me for everthing
sometimes i don't reconize him the only thing i do is stay shut because he is dying for me to say something to go more crazy what should i do
how do i cope with my wifes disorder?
First, the signs have been there since i met her but i just dismissed them as part of her troubled childhood and tried to help her through it. now we are finding out that she has actually 5 or so distinct personalities and one of them is actually completely independant of her(she has no recolection of the times when she is out) but this other personality, aside from being self destructive and violent, has been a real drain on my self as well. the altor has said and done some things that would normaly be unforgivable and ruthless, spreading lies about me and trying desparatly to sleep with several other men, while having cybersex with several that i know of. my wife has no recolection of any of these encounters and actually burst in to tears when she finally came to realise what she was doing and that she was realy the couse of alot of our problem. she couldn't understand why i had such a hard time trusting her. now she knows but to be hionest as much as i want o help her and as much as i love her and want to be with her, how can i cope with the altor who is doing these awfull and hurtfull things to me, i don't blame her but, how do i move past this and ge over it, i am planning on gettting therapy my self to try and figure it out, but i am very confusedd and any help wuld be appreciated.....
PLEASE!!!
Does my bf have MPD?
once i started dating my current bf, he told me about his multiple personalities. he does smoke marijuana. one side is his normal. the other is quiet & helpless & backs off from his surroundings, & sadly is.. a pussy. the other is mean, very sexual, & caused a lot of his past problems. like his cheating on his past gfs, it's just a general asshole. he has a very bad memory. like he said something cute one time & totaly forgot he said it. it annoys me & i yell at him. & he tells me he doesn't know why he said it. & he gets depressed easily over things. one day he'll think i'm a loyal gf & the other day he'll think i'm cheating on him. he has bad insecurity sometimes but sometimes he won't.
what's going on?
:(
Chances are he does not have
Chances are he does not have MPD, but maybe he is Bi Polar. or he is using MPD as an excuse for his bad behavior. Either way, he needs to seek the treatment of a psychiatrist.
whats the problem
one minute his ok and the other he likes to imbarass me when he sees people and will do it in a way that i do not reconise him morning he is mean and sometimes when we go home and theres people sorounding us
My best friend has 1 other personality(who hate me)
OK, so I am 18 years old getting ready to graduate and just recently learned my friend (an 18 year father) has MPD, and has to an extent for 2 years, he is my closest friend but last time he choose to tell someone (a therapist) they sent him away for help so he refuses to seek help again. It is getting worse; he has gotten really far, (or Gabriel Has). He has dug a grave and is planning to kill someone, (vary detailed vary planed) none of this is new to me. But it is getting worse it started as "Meg Ill Always! Be here no one will hurt you... and get away with it" that was his other personality (Gabriel) when he liked and trusted me... Well that quickly turned around Gabriel quickly got jealous of my time with him. So now Gabriel wants me dead, so. We did the best thing we could think to do, we broke up (witch killed me, I want to be with him) I feel I should be afraid for my own life because we still hang out but I am not, I don’t know why I’m not but it does not scare me like I think it should. I have seen the grave he dug, I have talked to Gabriel, a strongly heated conversation. And for some reason I prayed for him (I’m not religious) but when I did this it only seems to get worse (I know that’s in my head, Right?)
I think i have MPD. When i
I think i have MPD. When i get mad and hysterically upset Bella comes out. Shes a voice in my head but she comes out. Shes very dark and wants revenge. She pinnd my mother to the wall with a chair. I zone out likd im sleeping and i dont remember what i do! Please help
Do I have MPD?
I am 16 years old and have been through alot of sexual abuse. My brother was the spark to this fire when I was a little girl. He had been molesting me since I could remember until I was about 9. Last year I was raped many times by my bestfriend's father. I believe I may have deveolped MPD because of the truamas I have been through. Most of the time I completely change myself to act like one of my friends. I act and talk just like her. I don't understand it.. it just happens. I also have a very agressive side to me.. one that when I don't get my way or if I get pissed off I can't hardly control. I have distroyed my house and have left bruises on my mother whenever this happens. Once I realize what I've done, I get extremely depressed. I know there's somehting wrong with me.. and this is the only disorder I have found that relates to this..
Help?
Re: Do I have MPD?
There are other personality disorders that you may have along with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. You might even have a touch of Multiple Personality Disorder. It's very hard to say without being evaluated. It's best to go to very knowledgable psychiatrist who can diagnose you. I have Multiple Personality Disorder and my symptoms didn't show to me until I was 24 even though I was told earlier that I had a personality disorder. I didn't believe it or see the symptoms. When they came out I did not get violent with others and I have over 50 personalities.
Is it possible that your mother abused you and you blocked it out? You may have dissociated parts or some kind of dissociative disorder. I doubt you would lash out at your mother for no reason.
The best thing to do is to get help and talk it out with someone you trust. Also make sure to choose wisely who to help you. Make sure they are understanding and listen to you rather than tell you what you're thinking.
Good luck.
In response to I need info
This is probably not what you want to hear, but I think your family should know. How were you diagnosed at 13 without them knowing? I think your therapist would be the best person to help you with this. It is scarey letting anyone, even family members know. You never know how they are going to respond. It has taken my children, who are grown,a year to talk to me since they found out. But it is easier for me for them to know. It just takes time. serendip2
I need info
I have MPD but have not told my family yet. I call him little brother sometimes. I'm 13 and have had it since I was 8,when I got seperated from my family (temporarily). The personality he has is dark. Mine is shy. my MPD only rises when people are mean to me, and if it rises enough I zone out,then zone in,and I will be brused and beat, or the person who made me sad and him mad,are knocked out. I refuse medication because,like I said I havent told my family so,they think it is survere deppression and perscribe emotion boosters,wich reeeaaallllyyy screws me and him up.So while I'm happy,when someone makes me mad,you know.Its way worse. Someone give me a way to solve this without telling my family,please!
drop dead..... gorgeous-
Recurrent brief depression knocks on my door
and its been here for awhile.
My dissociative identity disorder never rises.
Don't.
reg: some disorders.
I am a 30 year old female. For the last two months I am being facing a very different type of manner . That is taking to any person in a harsh manner and always revenge mentaliality against the person. Feeling the I am very great in all aspects and what ever I do is great and is one of the best in the world. No one has that much capaibility and so on.
My new love
I have met a guy that I have fallen deeply for. We get along great one minute and the next he isn't calling me or seeing me. It's always I need some space. I don't know what to do my friends have told me he appears to have split personalities. When he is good he is great but it's hard dealing with the fact that he can go for days without seeing or calling me. When I mention why didn't you call me he tends to get very defensive. He went thru a divorce a year ago and I have been his support and shoulder. He has also helped me thru alot. I want to help him and be there for him but I don't know how to deal with this please help!!!!
Characterstics of a person I live with
The person I live with is increasingly scaring me.It is as if I encounter ten different people in one single day through him. This has been going on for more than 10 years. At first,I thought they were moods-but now it is becoming a chronic kind of behaviour. Some of the symptoms I have detected repeatedly are:-
1. His total inability to think when in these various personalities-like when he is eating, he becomes the conservative, frowning man very judgemental about the culinary skills. I have noticed he is not nutrition conscious- likes to eat to his taste. Likes all food that are labour intensive- as if punishing the person who's cooking. if fed a simpe nutritious meal-will blow his fuse.
2. Is most inconsiderate of his workers,wife-thank God no children involved!
3. Always ready to find faults with wife and yell at her.
4.Will not say anything to the workers even if they misbehave or are not doing their job properly.
5.Is always exhausted.Snores loudly when asleep.
6.Refuses to analyze his personal behaviour,health. When stressed starts muttering abusive words to wife. Tends to get violent if encountered.
7. Is always telling his wife that nobody is happy with you, you have no friends.
8.If she tries to make friends he is not happy-will always go out of his way to break a date,even a simple visit to a conference.
Tell me how to handle him. Refuses to see a doctor.
It sounds more like he has
It sounds more like he has Borderline Personality Disorder. I doubt someone with MPD would be so unpleasant and abusive. It could happen just like with any, but the symptoms you describe are not characteristic of someone with this disorder.
He could also have psychopathic tendencies. There are many personality disorders which include the symptoms you're describing.
Another thing... People with Borderline Personality Disorder are very difficult to treat partly because they won't admit there is something wrong. They almost seem to have different personalities, but don't. They also may have a poor memory and deny emotional outbursts. They can be sadistic and manipulative and not even admit it to themselves. They also prey on the weak but show moments when they themselves are what they would say is weak.
Totally Wrong.
I have Borderline Personality Disorder and I believe that what you have written about the disease is false. I do not, and have not met any BPD people who do, prey on the weak. I am NOT sadistic nor manipulative, and I do not know many BPD's who are. Maybe you should do your research before you "diagnose" someone with any particular mental illness. By your description of BPD, you must have it, right?
if he does something
if he does something destructive tell him you will call the police unless he sees the doctor
Thanks for Overview
It is possible, of course, that some cases of MPD emerge spontaneously without input from the MPD community, while other cases--perhaps most cases--of MPD have been created by therapists with the cooperation of their patients who have been influenced by authors and film makers. In either case, the suffering of the person with MPD is equally pitiable and deserving of our understanding, not derision.Really like your view on MPD.
HELPPPPP
my bf is not remember meeting pepole also he is not remember fighting with me or yelling at me or my family. PLEASE help me on what to do. we went to the dr and the hospital and they put him in the physciatric hospital after being in there alll night they told him he was fine as he was seein stuff nd hearing voices.. they still told him he was fine.. i am only 18 i really need help he is only 17 please help me understand this more.....
hey
well hey dose he do any drugs. well i have probs like dat i do meth and weed and if he is doing drugs like meth he relly needs help.
alter comes out a bit much
I've tried speaking to him about getting it under control. He's in therapy for it, and his therapist says he's doing fine, but his alter swears that my friend is about to go crazy soon so he can take over and kill everyone :/
Every time I try talking to my friend about it, his alter immediately comes out and deletes the online conversation and makes it look like he had a fit of rage.
I'm very afraid for my friend, admittedly, but... I honestly don't know what to do about this.
Alters and murder
do you think alters are capable of killing other people?
Alters and murder
Statistically that's a no. It's a misconception as well. The multiple personality construct is like a hierarchy and is developed as a healthy response to trauma. The personalities are set up in a sort of hierarchy and the one in charge has ultimate control of the actions and is aware of everyone. That is the gatekeeper or the one who pulls the strings. A person who develops multiple personalities does to prevent themselves from being shaped by the early traumatic experiences and begins to recall them when it is safe enough so that they will ultimately remain good people.
However, there are some cases that people who have Multiple Personality Disorder develop other disorders along with such as bipolar, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and/or many others. That is when a person can be capable of murder. I highly doubt that an alter would have the power to bring harm to others. I have over 50 personalities and I sure have angry ones who of course would like to think about doing such things, but it would never happen because the subconscious (and now for me partly conscious) part in charge would not allow it. Having this disorder has kept me from becoming the madness that surrounded me in my earlier years.
my grandchild
I have a granddaughter who is 2 years old, who I belive has MPD. I need help as to what to do. I think this a coping mechanism for her. She was taken from her mother at the hospital because she tested positive for cocaine. She was then placed in foster care. After much red tape my husband and I finally got custody and took her in. We kept her until she 18 months old. She was very attached to us. Her aunt took her then and has had her ever since. This was veru upsetting to her. We get her every other weekend and she never wants to go back. I've seen her change in the middle of a cry and become someone else. The dominant evil girl is getting stronger because she comes out more. It is so scarry. I believe there are 5 personalities. The evil girl calls herself Badass Bebe. She told me this in the grocery store as she sat in the shopping cart. I need to know what to do to help her.
I have Multiple Personality
I have Multiple Personality Disorder and am 30 years old. What has helped me to heal is that people did not tell me about my other personalities before I became conscious of them. It's very important that you do not foster the development of sides or personalities of her that express undesirable behavior. If it's possible, just ignore that personality and try to bring her back to her conscious self. It's extremely important that you do not tell her about her other sides. That could cause harm by exposing her to events that she's blocked out before she's ready. If that occurs, she can develop other disorders along with the multiple personalities such as borderline personality disorder or psychopathic or sociopathic personality.
If you can get custody of her please do it! Get her evaluated by a very reputable psychiatrist who has knowledge of Multiple Personalities. Then take the evidence to court without letting her know exactly what her mental condition is. It's very important that you NOT tell her there is something wrong with her. Developing multiple personalities is a very healthy response to trauma. Just give her love and support and nurture and guide her, but let her figure it out herself so that she can merge those personalities on her own terms. I believe that it's not possible for her to integrate those personalities safely until all abusive persons are out of her life.
Good luck.
re: grandchild
I have a very major piece of advise - do not ever refer to any personality or part of your granddaughter as "bad" or "evil" even if the child herself does it.; by using those terms, you are re-enforcing it to the child and making the problem worse.
Putting a bonding-age infant/child through constant caretaker transitions can be very psychologically traumatic, but the fact that the child is giving references to "bad" makes me very suspect that at the very least there has been verbal psychological abuse going on.
If you were not observing this kind of behavior until after the aunt had her, you need to find out what it going on in the aunt's house, which may be something even the aunt doesn't know. If you suspect abuse there, do something about it.
I'm glad you are looking after your grandchild's well-being.
confused mind
i want to now...can short temper people (aggressive)can also have these type of prob
of multiple personality disorder..or any such...
MPD
There is a woman by the name of Julie Fast- she's an author of a few BiPolar Disorder books. She's in expert in my opinion on mental illness, she has a radio show on AM910 KTRO and she is discussing MPD today with someone who has it. 3-4pm, PST (Sunday).
I would urge you to look into her work and others that have written books similar to hers. Good luck!
To both of you, if you have
To both of you, if you have not read when rabbit howls, i am pressed to suggest it. I myself have not finished the book, but i have talked to a few friends who have and it has really helped them develop and control their persons. I dont have any names to give, or really a whole lot of advice, but I wanted to let you both know that there are prayers going out for you and your friends. There is always a solution if the persons are willing to work together and unify. Good luck and God bless.
I have a friend who has 3
I have a friend who has 3 distinct personalities, it has been documented since he was 8 years old by doctors. He was severely abused and I beleive that one of his parents suffer from the same thing. He has 1 passive personality, 1 aggressive, and 1 he calls link, who helps the other 2 to get along, I can always tell which one is which because they are all so different. One is a child and the other his protector. The protector is very intellectual while the other just seeks aproval and wants everyone to love him. My question is who has done alot of research in this field and has more knowledge than most doctors about this ? My friend sees a doctor but I don't see much progress happening. He seems like he's in constant turmoil, not able to sleep for days at a time, very thin because he doesn't eat like he should, always hurting because he is so sensitive unless his protector comes out. What can I do to help him ? Any names would be helpful, he is willing to let a specialist look at all his documentation if you can help him.
Tell You What I Know.
Never mind how I know,just think about it.
Okay first thing.........No Drugs,if you start to give powerful drugs, one of the 3 will grab onto it,and then it becomes very difficult. Usually the agressive will grab the drugs because it is bored. The other two won't let him out to cause big problems.The drugs help dull it's awareness,and can cope with the stupidity it believes is around.
Since life isn't always a dream. You can't take your friend to private island to let all of them out in safety. If it is possible to? That would be the best. Once He,feels totally safe. They will merge. I can't say how long. It will depend on what they have decided is safe, "Face" to show.
Things can turn bad very quickly. If whatever "Face",they decided to show is insulted,injured,or in some way betrayed? Then depending on the damage done to passive ones. The agressive one will after playing along nicely. Will no longer listen to the others while their feel injured.
Take the direct way; Tell your friend he has to know that in this day,and age. No innocent is safe. Always protect the "Child". If he wants to keep that part of himself? He has to always to some small degree. Protect the Child.
Then try to reason with the so called intelligent protector. That part has to know that if too much trouble is caused? Then the child could be injured. Most likely the Child would not want to play anymore.
Once your friend makes sure that for him to function in this time. He has to keep part of the child to know what laughter really is. He has to be somewhat automated like most people to continue the day to day exsitance. However the so called "Shit can get pretty Heavy", part of life might need that agressive to save his ass sometime.
My friend has MPD
My best friend has multiple personalities and he hasn't told his family. One of them is violent, very violent. The others I've met seem nice and only want to help fix what the violent one has done to him. I don't know what to do. Or who to tell. My friends all know and I've told my parents but they don't really seem to believe me. Please I need help.
Multi Personality Disorder
Hello my name is Brittany. I would like to help you with your problem. You say your friend has Multi Personality Disorder, also known as Dissociative Identity Disorder. If this is so, he needs help, especially with his violent "alter". My suggestion to you is that you contact his parents and tell them, if that does not work then simply find a psychiatrist who is willing to listen to you. I want to warn you of something though, when your friend gets into his violent "alter", please leave him. He will not know what he is doing and might end up hurting you. The best thing to do is to talk to him about it, but make sure when you talk to him he is himself. Just be careful and I wish you both the best of luck.....
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