What is DID, formerly known as MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder)?
Dissociative identity disorder is a condition in which two or more "personalities" take control of an person's behavior. A number of DID cases have been documented in books and movies, but it's still a controversial diagnosis. I hope this lens will help to enlighten and educate people about the disorder.
Table of Contents
- Dissociative Identity Disorder on Wikipedia
- DID Video on YouTube
- My Personal Disclaimer
- Causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder
- Symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder
- How Many People Have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
- Books About DID for Multiples
- More Books for Survivors
- Books About DID: Personal Stories
- More Personal Stories of DID
- Dissociative Identity Disorder Movies on DVD
- DID Awareness Shirts and Pins
- Inspiration from an Incest Survivor
- Recovered Memories - Believe it or not?
- If You or Your Loved One is a Cutter...
- The Most Famous Person with DID?
- Another Well-Known Person with DID
- More Famous People: Herschel Walker
- Herschel Walker Video on DID
- DID/Dissociative Identity Disorder Links
- Let Us Know You Were Here
Dissociative Identity Disorder on Wikipedia
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), as defined by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a condition in which a single person displays multiple distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment. The diagnosis requires that at least two personalities routinely take control of the individual's behavior with an associated memory loss that goes beyond normal forgetfulness; in addition, symptoms cannot be due to substance abuse or medical condition. Earlier versions of the DSM named the condition multiple personality disorder (MPD), and the term is still used by the ICD-10. There is controversy around the existence, the possible causes, the prevalence across cultures, and the epidemiology of the condition.
DID Video on YouTube
Expression of D.I.D.
This montage is an amalgamation of the letters, emails and comments that we have received from survivors of trauma who have shared their experience of D.I.D. with us. D.I.D. emerges as a survival mechanism in order for the victim to survive their abuse. It is a gift and is feared by many who do not understand it. All of the emails that we have received are from well-functioning, "normal" every day people, who just happen to live with D.I.D. It is part of who they are but does not define them. We hope that this montage will shed some light into our interpretation of D.I.D. and allow conversation to take place, allowing survivors to end their fear and silence. Please visit our website for more: http://www.womenspeakoutnow.com Join us on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/menspeakout
Runtime: 2:46
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My Personal Disclaimer
I'm not a therapist, a doctor, a scientist, or a researcher
As the subtitle says, I'm not an expert on DID. I'm just a regular person who has had a long friendship with someone with DID. I knew her years before she was diagnosed with multiple personalities (before they changed MPD to DID), and when she finally was diagnosed, it made a lot of sense to me. It explained a lot of things that had happened over the years that didn't seem to have other explanations. So I have never doubted her diagnosis or the existence of DID. You won't find any links or information here that suggest DID isn't real. That's my first bias.
My second bias is that I don't think people with DID are "crazy." In fact, I think they're quite clever and amazing. At least, my friend is. She has been mostly integrated for over a decade, but I knew her alters and found them to be fascinating and creative (and much better artists than she is!). What's crazy is not the way she managed to stay alive, but the horrific things that happened to her when she was a child. Her abuser was absolutely crazy. She is not. I also don't think that someone who is multiple, has no memory of abuse and doesn't want to integrate is crazy.
So that's my disclaimer - I'm no expert, I believe in DID, and I don't think people who have it are crazy.
Now that you've read the disclaimer, please feel free to continue on. I hope you find the information here useful and educational. This page is meant mainly to provide resources for friends and family of people who have been diagnosed with DID as a result of severe trauma or abuse. But if there are any multiples visiting, welcome to you all, too!
Causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder
Symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder
A person with DID may have the following symptoms:- Exhibits at least two distinct personalities that that each have their own way of perceiving and relating to the world around
- Experiences episodes of amnesia or time loss beyond mere forgetfulness
They may also experience these symptoms, which may be present in people with any type of dissociative disorder (not just DID):
- Depression, anxiety or suicidal feelings
- Depersonalization (feeling detached from yourself)
- Flashbacks
- Sleep disorders
- Eating disorders
- Self-mutilation (such as cutting)
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- Panic attacks or phobias
For more information, visit these links:
Sidran Foundation - Help for PTSD and Dissociation
Mayo Clinic - Signs and Symptoms of Dissociative Disorders
How Many People Have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
It's not quite as rare as once thought
According to the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, studies suggest that DID may exist in up to 1% of the population.But the incidence of all dissociative disorders is much higher. "Diagnosable dissociation occurs in approximately two to three percent of the general population," according to the ISSTD, and "immediately following severe trauma, the incidence of dissociative phenomena is remarkably high. Approximately 73% of individuals exposed to a traumatic incident will experience dissociative states during the incident or in the hours, days and weeks following."
Books About DID for Multiples
Self-help books for those with DID and those who love them
The Dissociative Identity Disorder Sourcebook
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 08/21/2008)
Amongst Ourselves: A Self-Help Guide to Living With Dissociative Identity Disorder
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 08/21/2008)
Got Parts? An Insider's Guide to Managing Life Successfully with Dissociative Identity Disorder (New Horizons in Therapy)
Amazon Price: $15.25 (as of 08/21/2008)
More Books for Survivors
Healing from abuse and PTSD
The PTSD Workbook: Simple, Effective Techniques for Overcoming Traumatic Stress Symptoms
Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 08/21/2008)
The Courage to Heal 4e: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse 20th Anniversary Edition
Amazon Price: $15.61 (as of 08/21/2008)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 08/21/2008)
Restoring Hope And Trust: An Illustrated Guide To Mastering Trauma
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 08/21/2008)
Books About DID: Personal Stories
But while I would recommend these for friends, family and significant others of those with DID because they can be very helpful in understanding the condition, I would caution anyone with DID to be aware that these stories contain accounts or inferences of severe abuse. Therefore, they may be triggering.
Sybil
Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)
When Rabbit Howls
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 08/21/2008)
First Person Plural: My Life as a Multiple
Amazon Price: $7.50 (as of 08/21/2008)
Flock: The Autobiography of a Multiple Personality
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 08/21/2008)
Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 08/21/2008)
More Personal Stories of DID
I Am More Than One
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 08/21/2008)
Becoming One: A Story of Triumph Over Multiple Personality Disorder
Amazon Price: $16.95 (as of 08/21/2008)
The Minds of Billy Milligan
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 08/21/2008)
Dissociative Identity Disorder Movies on DVD
Movies about DID
Others would disagree with me. Some people believe movies such as these present an overly-dramatic and not-altogether accurate picture of DID and aren't useful at all. I'd have to agree that these movies simplify and dramatize DID, but I think there is still a lot of value in them. I know my friend with DID watched Sybil a number of times because it gave her hope to see how Dr. Wilbur was able to help Sybil, and I think it also gives people an idea of the type of abuse that causes DID. So that's my viewpoint. You can decide for yourself.
Those movies are available on DVD, but it's also worth checking the TV listings for other movies. A re-make of Sybil aired on CBS in June 2008. Tammy Blanchard played Sybil and Jessica Lange played Dr. Wilbur in this version of the movie. Shelley Long of "Cheers" fame also starred in 1990 in a made-for-TV movie based on the book "When Rabbit Howls."
As with the books, I would caution that movies about DID can be triggering for multiples.
Sybil (Two-Disc Special Edition)
The two-disc 30th anniversary edition of this classic movie includes interviews with the screenwriter, actresses and producer, and also includes paintings created by "Sybil," which was a pseudonym for Shirley Mason, the real woman whose story was told in the movie. The interviews with the screenwriter are particularly interesting, as he answers a lot of questions about the fictional aspects of the movie and why they were included.
It's still the best movie ever produced about DID, IMHO.
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 08/21/2008)
The Three Faces of Eve
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 08/21/2008)
A&E Television Networks Presents: Multiple Personalities (Documentary Case Studies DVD)
Amazon Price: (as of 08/21/2008)
DID Awareness Shirts and Pins
DID/MPD Awareness Ribbon Button
Simple white button with the DID/MPD awareness ribbon.
Price: 3.24
Mug with DID/MPD Awareness Ribbon
A mug with the DID/MPD ribbon that says "Multiple Awareness"
Price: 12.00
DID awareness t-shirt
With a quotation from Walt Whitman
Price: 16.00
DID/MPD Awareness Teddy Bear
Snuggle with this bear-it understands!
Price: 14.25
white t-shirt with DID/MPD ribbon
White t-shirt with DID/MPD ribbon and the words DID/MPD awareness
Price: 10.00
Inspiration from an Incest Survivor
Marilyn Van Derbur has been an outspoken advocate for abuse survivors
Marilyn Van Derbur was crowned Miss America while in college and later went on to become one of the most successful motivational speakers in the country. She is also an incest survivor. Although she does not have DID, I am including her on this lens as an inspiration for those who have suffered from sexual abuse (as many with DID have). Marilyn repressed her memories of sexual abuse for years, and is a great inspiration to those who have survived similar experiences.I heard her speak many years ago, and she was amazing. A version of that speech is available on her website, Miss America by Day.com and is called A Story of Hope. It shows her first public speech in which she told about her childhood incest. The speech is inspiring and should be non-triggering for most abuse and DID survivors. I highly recommend it.
A second, more recent speech called "The Journey of Recovery" is also available from the site. It touches on many of the same issues as the first speech, but is spoken from the perspective of someone who has more years of recovery under her belt.
She has also authored a book called "Miss America by Day," which is available from the site or through Amazon. In addition to describing her personal journey of healing, the book offers a variety of self-help sections for abuse survivors and parents who want to protect their children. It's an excellent read for anyone wanting to have a better understanding of the painful process of healing from incest.
Recovered Memories - Believe it or not?
The Sidran Institute has a great fact sheet on traumatic memories.
And for greater insight into how a person can seemingly forget and then recover a repressed memory, read "Unchained Memories." This book is not about DID, but it is helpful in understanding how the brain handles and remembers traumatic events. Author Lenore Terr, M.D., uses real stories to illustrate how memory works in traumatic situations and critically examines the difference between recovered memories and "false memories." It's balanced, insightful and very readable. Highly recommended.
Unchained Memories: True Stories Of Traumatic Memories Lost And Found
Amazon Price: $12.58 (as of 08/21/2008)
If You or Your Loved One is a Cutter...
A good book to read
A Bright Red Scream: Self-Mutilation and the Language of Pain
From Publishers Weekly: Strong's research into "cutters" combines journalistic passion with academic integrity. Through dozens of interviews conducted for a 1993 San Francisco Focus article, she explores the reasons that lead over two million Americans to injure themselves regularly and deliberately with such items as knives, razor blades and broken glass. Although most cutters are young women who have been emotionally, sexually, or physically abused as children, Strong's research shows that this specific type of self-harm also appears in other groups.
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 08/21/2008)
The Most Famous Person with DID?
Who was the woman portrayed in the movie Sybil?
The identity of the woman depicted in the movie Sybil was revealed in 1999 to be Shirley Ardell Mason.
Shirley Ardell Mason (January 25, 1923 ? February 26, 1998) was an American psychiatric patient and commercial artist whose life was documented in the book and film both released under the name Sybil. The book was penned by Flora Rheta Schreiber and published in 1973. It was adapted in a made for TV movie in 1976, with Sally Field in the title role. Both the book and the films used the name Sybil Isabel Dorsett to protect Mason's identity, though the 2007 remake revealed Mason's name in its conclusion.
Another Well-Known Person with DID
Chris Costner-Sizemore was the subject of the movie "Three Faces of Eve"
Christine Costner-Sizemore was the woman whose case of DID was portrayed in the 1957 film and book, "Three Faces of Eve." Joanne Woodward played the main character. Her case also later became the inspiration for the song "Christine" by the English rock band Siouxsie & the Banshees.
Christine "Chris" Costner-Sizemore (born April 4 1927) is a woman who, in the 1950s, was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. Her case was depicted in the book and film The Three Faces of Eve by her psychiatrists, Corbett H. Thigpen and Hervey M. Cleckley. She lived for many years in South Carolina.
In accordance with then-current modes of thought on the disorder, Thigpen reported that Costner-Sizemore had developed multiple personalities as a result of her witnessing two deaths and a horrifying accident within three months as a small child.
While The Three Faces of Eve was written by Thigpen and Cleckley with limited input from Costner-Sizemore, her later books Im Eve and A Mind Of My Own fill in details. According to psychiatrists...
More Famous People: Herschel Walker
One of football's greatest running backs reveals he has DID
Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder
From Amazon: Born into a poor, but loving family in the South, Herschel was an overweight child with a stutter who suffered terrible bullying at school. He now understands that he created "alters" who could withstand abuse. But beyond simply enduring, other "alters" came forward to help Herschel overcome numerous obstacles and, by the time he graduated high school, become an athlete recognized on a national level.
In Breaking Free, Herschel tells his story -- from the joys and hardships of childhood to his explosive impact on college football to his remarkable professional career. And he gives voice and hope to those suffering from DID. Herschel shows how this disorder played an integral role in his accomplishments and how he has learned to live with it today. His compelling account testifies to the strength of the human spirit and its ability to overcome any challenge.
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 08/21/2008)
Herschel Walker Video on DID
Herschel Walker on Dissociative Identity Disorder
Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL running back Herschel Walker talks to WNYC's Leonard Lopate about his struggles with dissociative identity disorder, which nearly drove him to suicide. http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/episodes/2008/04/15/segments/96866
Runtime: 4:05
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DID/Dissociative Identity Disorder Links
Learn more about DID
- ISSTD - FAQ About Dissociation
- Frequently asked questions about all types of dissociation from the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.
- Sidran Foundation
- PTSD and Dissociation Resources for Survivors, Supporters and Professionals.
- NAMI - Dissociative Identity Disorder
- NAMI's fact sheet for Dissociative Identity Disorder formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder.
- MayoClinic.com - Dissociative disorders
- Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, causes and treatment of a variety of dissociative disorders, including DID.
- Sidran - How to Choose a Therapist
- What to look for and how to choose a therapist for post-traumatic stress and dissociative conditions
- Sidran: Essential reading list
- Essential reading list of articles and books on trauma
- Astraea's Resources and Controversy - Multiple Personality
- Multiple personality information. Focus on living multiple. Empowerment for all multiples, MPD/DID, natural plurals. We are everywhere!
- Newsweek.com - Unmasking Sybil
- A re-examination of the most famous psychiatric patient in history
- Newsweek.com - Overcoming Multiple Personality Disorder
- What is it like to live with 17 alternate selves? A survivor of multiple personality disorder discusses the disease and the painful integration process that made her whole.
- Coping with Dissociative Identity Disorder - Multiple Personality Disorder
- Dissociativie Identity Disorder, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder: Share ideas to cope with the symptoms. Help me Help others with MPD / DID. Stories, tips and links to other resources
- Dissociation.com
- Some nontraditional theories on multiplicity by Dr. Ralph Allison.
- NeeDID Exchange - A DID/ DD NETWORK
- Dissociative Identity Disorder Support and information exchange for individuals with Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID, MPD, Multiple Personality Disorder and other Trauma related Dissociative Disorders and their Supportive Others.
- Lady Jz Talk Zone
- Personal site with inspiration and links
- Trauma Information Pages - Comprehensive Resources on Traumatic-Stress, PTSD & Dissociation
- Educational site focused on emotional trauma and traumatic stress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociation. Trauma information for clinicians, researchers, students and an amazingly extensive link list.
- Labyrinth Of People
- LABYRINTH OF PEOPLE SITE - understanding multiple personality disorder
- Many Voices Press - Hope for People Recovering from Trauma & Dissociation
- Words of Hope for People Recovering from Trauma & Dissociation, PTSD, DID, MPD, DSM-IV,
multiple-personality - Keepers Korner - information and support for people with DID/MPD and their families
- Site by a multiple offers an art, gallery, blog and resources
- Pilgrim's Journey
- An excellent blog by a woman who has DID
- Blooming Lotus
- Very informative blog by a woman who has integrated from DID
Let Us Know You Were Here
If this information was helpful, please leave a message!
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LadyJtalks
are you a mother/father 4R children's futures? Posted June 24, 2008 |
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TopStyleTravel
It is sad to face all the problems that plague mankind. But knowledge impowers people to do something about it. Along with prayer. Posted June 16, 2008 |
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sisterra
Excellent, excellent lens. 5 stars! Posted June 14, 2008 |
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jaktraks
Thanks for joining the Mental and Emotional Health group. This is a great lens!! Very glad to have you. jak Posted June 07, 2008 |
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LadyJtalks
You are working well here. It's so good to see links up to all the stuff that has been written over the years. Build it and they will find it. Posted May 22, 2008 |
