What is Dissociative Identity Disorder?

People with DID experience severe dissociative symptoms, a disconnection between thoughts, memories, emotions, actions and sense of identity. Dissociation allows a person to compartmentalize traumatic memories and experiences into separate identity states. Switching between these alternate identities/personas is involuntary.

The many identities

Each identity has its own pattern of thinking, relating, perceiving and behaving that is noticeably different from the others. There may be distinctive variations in speech, gait, mannerisms, opinions, attitudes and dress style between identities. An individual may shift into a child, persecutor, protector or other alternate identity in response to environmental triggers.

Switching between alters can be abrupt, with no memory of what happened during another identity’s control. Some experience transitions like flashes of light, headaches, or blurs in vision, which are signifying switches. Alters can also switch internally, with passive influence on external behaviour. Co-consciousness, where alters experience awareness of each other, also occurs.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis involves a structured clinical interview by a mental health professional to assess impaired functioning due to dissociative symptoms. Reports from a spouse or family member about exhibiting distinct identities may supplement patient history. Tests like the Dissociative Experiences Scale can screen for the likelihood of DID.