Dissociative Identity Disorder: Who Are We Really?

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), once known as Multiple Personality Disorder has been portrayed on the big screen throughout the years. You’ll find the portrayal through comedies such as in Multiplicity. Then there’s the opposite end of the spectrum with horror movies like Split.

The reality is, DID is a real psychological condition. Dissociative means causing a disconnection or separation. Dissociative disorders are often characterized by an involuntary escape from reality. There is a disconnection between thoughts, consciousness, memory, and identity.

Dissociative Disorders

According to the American Psychiatric Association, there are three different Dissociative Disorders.

1. Depersonalization Disorder: Ongoing feelings of detachment from feelings, actions, thoughts, and sensations.
2. Dissociative Amnesia: Difficulty remembering information about yourself, particularly information revolving around traumatic events.
3. Dissociative Identity Disorder: Alternating between different identities or personalities. These other personalities are sometimes known as Alt’s.

Dealing with Dissociative Identity Disorder can be extremely difficult, especially for those who are unaware of what’s going on. Some people explain the feelings they experience as if they are being possessed and in a way, it may truly seem like it. There are numerous people who understand the condition and actually live life cohesively switching out with their alternate personalities.

Based on my own personal extensive research there seems to be a method to the madness, but this is just my opinion! Childhood trauma, abuse in many forms, and terrifying experience sometimes cause our minds to sort of fracture. The trauma and abuse are stuffed and tucked away in the cracks and crevices. Sometimes these fractures develop an alternate personality.

The Great Debate….. Is It Real?

For many years there has been great debate regarding Dissociative Identity Disorder. Is it real? Is it fake? The answer seems to depend on who you ask.

There are many psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychoanalysts that will tell you, yes, 100% DID is real. While many disagree there is a great number of professionals that are still sitting on the fence about it. In my honest opinion, I have to say YES it is real. There is a lot of material available for those of you who wish to research the topic further.

Who We Are

Someone dealing with Dissociative Identity Disorder can have two or more alternate personalities. In Kim Noble’s case, she had 20 known personalities. Many people would assume that because she is a woman that her alt’s would also be female. This is however incorrect, a person can have alternates that are male or female.

A majority of the people dealing with DID are women. There are some men but the rates are much lower. Many of the cases I’ve seen are women with anywhere from 3 – 5 different alt’s. Most of them have both male and female alternates, as well as, a variety of ages. I would say almost every case I’ve researched includes a set of alt’s that are similar to this:

• Male & Female
• A Young Child
• A Teen
• Young Adult
• An Eldest

Each alt has its own personality, behaviors, likes/dislikes, look and so on. They have their own identity and story. In all actuality, an alt holds the key to the fragmented and fractured pieces of memory regarding the trauma and situations endured.

With the proper help, it is possible to live cohesively with your alt’s. It’s a matter of finding out what’s going on and becoming acquainted, so to speak. You have to open up doors to old memories and say hello to old friends.

Please don’t misunderstand me, let me explain it like this. It’s as if the fractures in the mind caused by traumatic experience creates a new identity. This is the dissociation taking place. All of the different personalities are actually pieces of you created through situation and circumstance. Once this is understood it becomes a little less terrifying. Basically, it’s coming to terms with me is we and we is me!

Alter Ego vs. Alternate Personality

We see a lot of famous people discuss their alter’s but are they talking about DID?

Beyonce claims her alter ego is Sasha Fierce. Sasha is Beyonce’s stage presence, the one who is out there performing during her shows.

Nicki Minaj has had alter egos since she was a child for numerous reasons one of them being to help her escape reality. Nicki’s alter egos have evolved into a way to represent herself in the music industry.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of Alter ego is – a second self or a different version of oneself such as 1: a trusted friend 2: the opposite side of a personality. It is believed that an alter ego is a choice, something the person chose to make up and create.

Herschel Walker, a former pro football player came out about dealing with Dissociative Identity Disorder several years back. Adam Duritz, lead singer of Counting Crows also openly discussed having DID.

So what is the difference? Once again, depending on who you ask the answer will vary. Some people believe alter egos are willingly created and chosen while alt’s create themselves without the conscious awareness of the person. I personally have mixed feelings on the matter. I feel as though they are totally separate yet connected. What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear what you think, drop us a line in the comments and share your opinion.