Dissociative Identity
"Discovering Unity Within: Healing and Thriving with Dissociative Identity through Compassionate Counselling"
Dissociative Identity Disorder Counsellor Chesterfield and Mansfield
Dissociative Identity disorder (DID) could be considered one of the most controversial mental illnesses in modern society. It’s been dramatized in movies such as The Three Faces of Eve and television series such as Cybil, and this has led to many misconceptions about the condition. Our dissociative identity disorder counsellor in Chesterfield and Mansfield supports clients suffering with the condition with the emotional and psychological impact of the condition. We are not qualified to diagnose the disorder but work therapeutically with it.
What is Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) was previously referred to as multiple personality disorder, which describes it much more clearly. Individuals suffering from it have two or more distinct personalities, which have separate emotions, unique reactions and even different physiological functioning. This results in blackouts, where the individual does not remember periods when the other personality (the “alter”) was dominant. It’s generally assumed that DID develops as the result of a severe trauma, which most commonly occurs during childhood. Females are nine times more likely to be diagnosed with DID, but psychologists are unsure whether this is because of difficulties in diagnosing the condition in men. Counsellors may also mistake DID for other conditions in some cases.
Symptoms of DID
There are many potential symptoms of DID which a psychiatrist will look for to make a diagnosis, but many individuals are in the mental health system for a long time before being identified as having the condition. One of the main symptoms is the memory lapses discussed in the previous section, which often occur during significant events like the birth of a child or a wedding. Other symptoms include things like being addressed by apparent strangers by a different name, being frequently and apparently falsely accused of lying, hearing voices and finding unusual and unfamiliar items in your possession. Some individuals also experience things like not recognising themselves in a mirror and feeling as though they aren’t real.
Why Do Some Psychotherapists Not Believe in DID?
The uncertainty regarding the causes of DID has led some professionals to believe that it doesn’t exist. It’s primarily thought to develop after a major trauma, but this isn’t a direct cause because many individuals go through extreme trauma without developing the condition. These cases are often used as evidence against its existence, as are instances of people faking it. It’s also primarily found in North America, which indicates that cultural influences may play a part in diagnoses. However, the condition has been found in people who haven’t been exposed to it through the media, and multiple resources can be used to verify it. Aside from this, the fact that the personalities can differ in unconscious processes such as blood pressure, pulse and blood flow to the brain adds further credence to the diagnosis.
How Does Counselling for Dissociative Identity Disorder Help?
The most common treatment for DID is psychotherapy. The therapist will help the individual rebuild their relationships and help them confront difficult emotions. Guidance from a counsellor is especially useful because the condition often results from severe trauma, which can be very difficult and painful to address. There are other options for treatment, such as eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), medications and hypnosis, but therapy is considered effective.
It’s fairy unlikely that you or your loved one will be suffering from DID, but it is a possibility, and in some cases the symptoms can be indicative of a different issue like anti-social personality disorder, Munchausen’s syndrome or schizophrenia. In any case, if you or your loved is displaying symptoms, counselling or psychiatric help might help.
It’s fairy unlikely that you or your loved one will be suffering from DID, but it is a possibility, and in some cases the symptoms can be indicative of a different issue like anti-social personality disorder, Munchausen’s syndrome or schizophrenia. In any case, if you or your loved is displaying symptoms, counselling or psychiatric help might help.