Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Do you sometimes struggle with remembering how you spent your day? Are you sometimes told that you did things that you have trouble remembering? Do you find it hard to control your emotions?
Well, if you answered yes to two or all of these questions, it is very likely that you have the disorder, dissociative identity disorder or DID for short.
WHAT IS DID?
Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID for short, is a mental health condition where an individual has two or more equally dominant personalities.
Each of these personalities dominate the person at different times and leaves them having memory gaps and suffering emotional instability.
WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF DID?
Though the exact causes of DID are not known, it is believed that it is majorly caused by severe and prolonged trauma experienced during childhood, and emotional, physical or sexual abuse.
Dissociative disorders usually occurs in children who had terrible childhood experiences like growing up in a home where violence is practiced or had been subjected to prolonged physical, sexual and emotional abuse.
For these children, DID is a trauma response and a coping mechanism. It is the best way for them to cope with all of the bad experiences that they've had as kids and other stressful situations they experience throughout their lives.
This is not to say that every child with a rough childhood develops DID, but records have proved that children who were forced to take on the responsibilities of adults at an early age are more likely than most to develop DID.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF DID?
Memory loss (amnesia) of certain time periods, events, people and personal information
A sense of being detached from yourself and your emotions
Hallucinations
Disorientation
A blurred sense of identity
Significant stress or problems in your relationships, work or other important areas of your life
Inability to cope well with emotional or professional stress
Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors
Suicidal thoughts or self-harm
Drug or Alcohol abuse
Insomnia
HOW IS DID MANAGED?
Managing DID can be a tough nut to crack, but we at EmpathySpace are more than ready for the job. We are here to help you . Below are the two common yet effective ways to manage DID.
Medications: Some medication can help with some symptoms like Depression or Anxiety.
Psychotherapy : A professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist is very necessary to guide the patient towards the right treatment. This is a very reliable way to manage the condition