Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative identity disorder is a mental health disorder characterised by the ongoing maintenance of at least two distinct and relatively long-lived personality states and was previously known as multiple personality disorder.

The disorder is often accompanied by gaps in the memory that are considered to be more significant than might been seen in normal forgetfulness.

Dissociation is a psychological phenomenon in which the mind creates a mental separation that inhibits access to certain memories allowing the conscious mind to remain undistracted from them.

This is often the case with traumatic experiences and memories and data suggests that dissociative identity disorders are most frequently associated with childhood abuse or trauma.

Like many of the mental health disorders, dissociative identity disorder has been categorised as being due to faulty underlying neurobiology however, despite years of imaging research, no conclusive evidence for biological malfunction has been identified.

Dissociative Identity Disorder Symptoms

The main symptoms associated with Dissociative Identity Disorder are the presence of at least TWO measurably different identities with the accompanying inability to access memories linked to each identity.

Other symptoms often include:

• A sense of loss of identity.
• A sense of a loss of time.
• Loss of sense of self.

Many people, of course, experience some of these symptoms now and again, but Dissociative Identity Disorder sufferers will always demonstrate these symptoms with greater intensity.

Diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder

Technically, only a psychiatrist can diagnose a dissociative identity disorder, but in the UK general practitioners have tended to diagnose mental health problems by using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

The DSM lists specific symptoms against a range of disorders and whenever a person meets this criteria, they are said to be suffering from that disorder.

Diagnostic procedures do NOT make use of medical testing (for example blood tests) in order to produce a diagnosis, but rather is an opinion based on the observation of certain behaviours in the person who is suffering.

Because of this lack of verifiable medical testing, diagnosis remains a controversial subject, particularly within the psychological community.

However, in the UK access to support services is often contingent on receiving a diagnosis, so in this sense, a formal diagnosis may be useful.

Counselling for Dissociative Identity Disorder

We offer a number of different types of therapy and counselling for Dissociative identity disorder and related problems.

Choosing the most suitable therapy depends on a number of different considerations including factors such as:

• How long you have had the problem.
• Your personal preferences.
• How your problem is affecting you today.

You can read more about the different types of therapy for anxiety on the following links:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Dissociative identity disorder
• The CORE programme for Dissociative identity disorder
• Counselling for Dissociative identity disorder

Although all therapies use slightly different approaches, the one thing they all have in common is the relationship that is formed between the client and therapist.

Research suggests that this therapy relationship may be the most important factor in achieving a good therapy outcome.