Mental disorders where a person experiences disconnection to reality and fails to connect memories, thoughts, behavior, and their own identity are known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). People who have DID distance themselves from reality in an unhealthy way. DID causes problems in everyday life due to these reasons.
Causes
DID develops in adults or children as a form of coping mechanism for any tragic accident, trauma, or similar incident. DID usually forms at an early age, specifically in children who have constantly been abused, physically or sexually, or come from a dysfunctional family with violence and unpredictable behavior of family members. Natural disasters or wars are also common reasons why adults develop DID.
Identity isn’t fully formed in children, and when they experience abuse or trauma, they are more likely to dissociate themselves and view it as something happening to another person. This is their way of coping with it which leads to them developing DID, and they might continue to use this coping mechanism for any sort of stressful and traumatizing situations in the future.
Symptoms
Symptoms of DID can vary depending on the type of disorder an individual has. Some common ones include:
- Memory loss or amnesia (of certain events, people, time, etc)
- The perception that people and things around you aren’t real
- Detached from your emotions and yourself
- Blurry sense of your own identity
- Stress
- Problems with work or relationships
- Depression and anxiety
- Inability to cope in stressful situations
- Suicidal thoughts
Types
The 3 main types of dissociative disorder are:
Dissociative Amnesia
When a person has dissociative amnesia, memory loss is significant and not just a few events or people. Some aspects of a person’s life are totally wiped from their memory, and they won’t be able to recall them even if they are told about it. The forgotten memory is often of a traumatic or stressful time. Severe dissociative amnesia can even lead to one forgetting completely about themselves.
Episodes of dissociative amnesia can occur suddenly and can last from minutes to days and even years.
Dissociative Identity Disorder
DID was previously also classified as multiple personality disorder. When a person suffers from DID, they often switch personalities to become someone they aren’t. A person with DID usually experiences the voices and thoughts of other people in their head. Each of their personality or identity can have different, unique names, characteristics, personal histories, etc. They could be of a similar or a different gender and race as well. They can have different physical qualities, for example, a different voice, accent, body tone, weak eyesight, etc.
Usually, DID is accompanied by dissociative amnesia and dissociative fugue.
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder
Depersonalization-derealization is a disorder where a person feels detached from reality and thinks of themselves as outside their body as a different person. They can observe themselves, their own voice, actions, feelings, and thoughts as a completely different person. Things in their surroundings might seem blurred or foggy, time might seem to slow down or speed up for them, and it can feel like a dream.
Depersonalization-derealization episodes and symptoms can be very distressing and can come and go for years.
Treatment
Treatment for DID will be determined by the doctor who diagnoses the illness and determines its severity after assessing you and the history of the disorder. Common treatment courses include treating patients with medication and psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is considered the primary treatment in DID cases. Talk therapy and psychosocial therapy are two other names given to this kind of therapy. It includes counseling where a person talks about their disorder with a trained mental health therapist. They explain the other issues regarding the disorder as well as their past traumas and incidents.
The therapist tries to locate the source of DID which triggered the person to dissociate from reality and work on making the person accept it and move on from it. All of this is done at an appropriate time the therapist deems fit.
Medications
No specific medications for treating DID are present, but doctors often prescribe antidepressants and antipsychotic medications to relieve symptoms and help people relax. These medications are to be used exactly as prescribed by the doctor, both in terms of dosage and the time period the doctor determines.
Prescription Assistance Programs
Treatment for DID or any other dissociative disorder can cost a significant amount. If you’re unable to afford it, we advise you to enroll in a prescription assistance program offered by Advocate My Meds, subject to their eligibility criteria. The company offers prescription assistance for multiple companies, including Lilly cares prescription assistance, Janssen prescription assistance, Merck prescription assistance, Novo nordisk prescription assistance, and more. Contact them now for further details.
Disclaimer: This article is only intended for educational purposes and shouldn’t be used as a substitute for medical advice.
