ORIGINAL ARTICLE FROM EXTRAORDINARY INTELLIGENCE

http://extraordinaryintelligence.com/6712/health/dissociative-identity-disorder-a-closer-look-at-multiple-personalities/

 

Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly Multiple Personality Disorder)

From the National Alliance on Mental Illness

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously referred to as multiple personality disorder (MPD), is a dissociative disorder involving a disturbance of identity in which two or more separate and distinct personality states (or identities) control the individual’s behavior at different times. When under the control of one identity, the person is usually unable to remember some of the events that occurred while other personalities were in control. The different identities, referred to as alters, may exhibit differences in speech, mannerisms, attitudes, thoughts, and gender orientation. The alters may even differ in “physical” properties such as allergies, right-or-left handedness, or the need for eyeglass prescriptions. These differences between alters are often quite striking.

striking

I’ve noticed that in recent months, there seems to be a concerted effort in mainstream media to discount or diminish the concept of dissociative identity disorder (DID), or what was once known as Multiple Personality Disorder.  It is interesting how these trends work.  One news outlet releases a story, and others follow suit with increasingly more critical articles, almost in a case of “one upsmanship” amongst their peers.

Certainly, this trend isn’t new.  The very reason that the psychiatric community changed the MPD name to DID was because of bad publicity.  Naysayers claim that it is a disease created by psychiatrists eager to make a name for themselves, and publishers/filmmakers eager to make a buck.   But, it must be noted that just because something is exploited by opportunists, doesn’t negate the reality of the disorder.

I’ve found that the primary target of those who would call DID a myth is the scandal surrounding the book and subsequent film, Sybil.

In short, the book Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber chronicled the life of a young woman named Sybil (pseudonym) who’s split into 16 personalities after a childhood wrought with abuse.   Her doctor, Cornelia Wilbur, treated this disorder and claimed to eventually heal Sybil of her split personalities.  The book was a commercial success, and a film starring Sally Field is now a cult classic.

In Dr. Wilbur’s documentation, it was brought to light that Shirley had at one point written her a letter stating, “I do not really have any multiple personalities. I do not even have a double…I am all of them. I have been lying in my pretense of them,” which the doctor apparently dismissed as an attempt to escape further exploration of abuse memories.

Although proven false, the story of “Sybil” caused a flood of patients to seek medical attention for their own MPD, and the diagnosis became much more commonplace.  Hospitals devoted much time and money (and many doctors made substantial money) treating MPD, and patients were often seen for years in an effort to rid them of the disorder.  When the damning expose (most notably Sybil Exposed: The Extraordinary Story Behind the Famous Multiple Personality Case) of Dr. Wilbur’s tactics with regard to Shirley Mason came to public light, these same patients began to turn on their doctors, and in many cases sued hospitals for misdiagnosis.  It seemed that MPD was under attack, and that perhaps it never existed at all.

But what about the scores of cases that have never been negated?  Are we to assume that in every scenario, the victims are lying, acting, or insane?  While the diagnosis of DID has become extremely rare, there are many instances where it seems to be the only explanation.  There is also evidence that the Government is not only aware of the ability of the human mind to “split” into different identities, but that covert groups within the government were/are actively creating such alters within individuals for their own purposes.  We’ll touch on those later.

First, let’s take a look at a few high profile cases of DID/MPD, and see if there’s any way to “fake” such experiences.  Note, nearly every case of multiple personalities can be connected to extreme abuse starting in very early childhood.  Often, such abuse has a ritualistic nature, and the victim splits in an effort to withstand the torture being inflicted.

Read the rest of this article to witness four real life sufferers of DID.  Their stories are as fascinating as they are disturbing.  Also learn more about ritualistic abuse and the role it plays in the lives of many victims. 

http://extraordinaryintelligence.com/6712/health/dissociative-identity-disorder-a-closer-look-at-multiple-personalities/

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