.png)
Today is Dissociative Identity Disorder Awareness Day which takes place on March 5 annually.
D.I.D. is often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. By raising awareness, the general public can gain a better understanding of the condition.
The NZ Mental Health Organization published an article on their website stating the following:
"Dissociative identity disorder was previously known as multiple personality disorder (MPD). The media and popular culture still talk about MPD.
DID is a complex and quite rare condition where more than one personality structure exists within you. You may, in fact, be unaware of this, and usually other people will tell you of your other identities. Each identity within you has their own pattern of thinking and behaving, and this may be quite different from your own established patterns. In fact, each separate personality controls your behaviours and thoughts at the times they are present.
Dissociation is a mental process of disconnecting from your thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity. It is thought to be a coping mechanism, where the person literally shuts off or dissociates themselves from a situation or experience that is too violent, traumatic, or painful to assimilate with their conscious self. DID is a survival mechanism for the person.
The causes of DID are as complex as the condition, but mental health professionals agree that chronic ongoing trauma throughout childhood is the leading contributor.
The trauma causes the child to “disconnect” from what is happening to them during the times of extreme stress. Trauma can include repeated emotional, physical or sexual abuse or neglect, usually beginning before a child is five years of age and with no adult around who provides comfort or safety. The trauma can also be caused by an accident, disaster or medical event. As many as 99% of people who develop DID have a history of traumatic childhood abuse or other trauma.
The person’s identities remain dissociated as their body matures through the teen years into adulthood. This ongoing disconnection between identities can lead to other problems as they struggle to make sense of their experience of the world.
People who live with DID may experience depression, mood swings, anxiety and panic attacks, suicidal thoughts and feelings, self-harm, headaches, time loss, trances, hearing voices, sleep disorders, phobias, alcohol and drug abuse, obsessive-compulsive behaviour and various physical health problems. It can be distressing to find items that you don’t recognise or to find out you have done things you do not remember. Sometimes people find themselves in places they do not know.
It is important to stress that people who live with DID are in no way violent or dangerous. This is a misconception that comes from pop culture."
A link to the full article is located here:
Feel free to check us out on Facebook:
Comments