Dissociative Identity Disorder Case Study

When you are a four foot nine, petite, with multi colored hair; you have to be tough. Especially when it feels like the world is working against you. Born and raised in St.louis, Missouri, Riley is always one to be found in unusual places. Sitting under bypasses or on the bridge by parks, Riley never seemed to have fear. This little girl has more to offer then the world can handle. From photography skills, to a French speaking dreamer, to hidden personalities, Riley is a person who has too many layers to account for. Whenever you spot Riley out and about, she is always sporting her Canon rebel T3I . Whether it is snapping precious moments of her baby sister Gracie or capturing shots of a misty early morning; photography is something that

She suffers from a mental disorder called Dissociative Identity Disorder also known as DID. Dissociative Identity Disorder is described as a coping mechanism where a person disconnects from their feelings, thoughts, memories, actions, and sense of identity. Due to her disorder, it often interferes with the life Riley is trying to build for herself. When talking to Riley, it is a difficult topic for her to explain. "It's tough when I try talking to my friends about it because they don't know what it's like, losing weeks of your life without realizing it. But I know they try their best to understand, and I’m grateful for that because it was so easy for them to leave but they stayed and knowing that they stayed really helped me,” said O’Donnell. Riley often tells me about the nights she does not remember because “she” was not there. When Riley first realized something was wrong her her, she went to a mental hospital. She had lost weeks of her memory and she kept asking what was wrong with her. Although, the doctors did not identify her disorder at first, they did catch it. Due to the amount of stress she has encountered in her life, Riley is lost inside her own mind. According to Riley, she had around four different personalities that interweave all together. More times than not, Riley is what she calls, her usual self, the person everyone loves. The Riley that always has a sarcastic comment to add and