Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), once known as Multiple Personality Disorder and sometimes known by split personality disorder or dissociative personality disorder, is a kind of dissociative disorder. It is a controversial diagnosis.

DID is characterised by the presence of at least 2 or more people inside of the mind (identities), who are at least relatively enduring. The disorder is usually accompanied by gaps in memory that are worse than things which can usually be explained by normal forgetfulness. The other identities can sometimes present themselves and cause changes in how the body acts. It is usually caused by trauma, however, it can be caused by other factors, including imaginative play.

There are medications and treatments which can treat DID, such as antipsychotic medication and supportive care. Without treatment, the disorder remains. It is believed that around 1.5% of people in the world (based on a small United States community sample) have the disorder. DID is diagnosed 6 times more in women than in men. The number of reported cases of DID increased a lot in the later part of the 1900s, along with the number of identities reported by those who have DID.

It isn't clear whether the increase in reported cases of the disorder are caused by being more recognised or sociocultural factors such as mass media portrayals. The usual presenting symptoms in different regions of the world may also vary depending on culture, such as other identities taking on the form of possessing spirits, deities, ghosts, or mythical creatures and figures in cultures where normative possession states are common.