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Dissociative Identity Disorder Analysis

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Dissociative Identity Disorder Analysis
Dissociative Identity Disorder (D.I.D.) is a mental disorder which intrigues many psychologists today; the Disorder is also known to some as multiple personality disorder. Each case of DID is different since the disorder covers such a broad field. Each instance is a severe form of dissociation in the brain. Most people with DID lack certain brain functions like thoughts, feelings, memories, actions, and even a sense of identity. In most cases it is thought that the disorder forms after traumatic life events which causes an “alternate personality” to evolve. Dissociative Identity Disorder is a complex and intriguing mental disorder that is often confused with other disorders, and is often times treated …show more content…

In most all cases there is a “Dissociation, or disconnecting from feelings, events, or experiences that one is generally associated with, includes a disturbance in memory, identity, or consciousness” (Humphreys, Rubin, and Knudson). The disassociation occurs between the multiple personalities. Because of this, there is a “significant memory loss” (Humphreys, Rubin, and Knudson) that occurs when a traumatic emotional experience occurs. Research has shown that each personality has its own emotional ties and experiences, which helps further explain why the alters shift to the dominant personality. Each case is impacted differently in the same since, because the emotional ties and level of violence vary according to the severity of the case being treated. Table I below (created by Humphreys Rubin, and Knudson) explains the several stages and severity that problematic cases can have. When the case is being treated the patient is diagnosed and treated based on their emotional experiences. In Problematic experiences DID patients must be treated carefully depending on their capability of violence to hurt themselves or therapist.
“Table I. Assimilation of Problematic Experiences Scale (APES).
0 Warded off/dissociated. Client is unaware of the problem; the problematic
Voice is silent or dissociated.
1. Unwanted thoughts/active avoidance. Client prefers not to think about the experience.
Problematic voices emerge in response to therapist interventions or external
Circumstances and are suppressed or avoided.
2. Vague awareness/emergence. Client is aware of a problematic experience but cannot
Formulate the problem clearly. Problematic voice emerges into awareness.
3. Problem statement/clarification. Content includes a clear statement

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