We are here to break down what it is like to have multiple people living in the same body. Not long ago, the symptoms and after-effects of Dissociative Identity Disorder(DID) was a topic of mockery in the public eye. Nevertheless, as science advanced, so did proof and acceptance. However, keep in mind, Dissociative Disorder victims are not only the grown-up. Children also have multiple personality disorders.
By now, Dissociative Disorder or Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) has been recognized by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
It is really not as rare as it seems. An estimated 150 million people suffer from DID, meaning the population of individuals with Dissociative Disorder ranges from 1-3%. It is, however, the same percentage of people with Ginger hair!
Whenever we hear “multiple personalities,” movie scenes like “Civil,” “Mr. Robot,” and “Split” pop into our minds, these are media that often portray this condition as something it is not. Popular culture would have us believe that people with these challenges are complex. And this is why, when a parent comes to know that his child is suffering from teen dissociative identity disorder or teen multiple personality disorder, he becomes so broken at first. Even our society has some negative approaches to teen multiple personality disorder.
This article aims at breaking the stereotype and providing information to take care of a loved one.
What Is Teen Dissociative Identity Disorder? How Does Dissociative Disorder Develop In A Child?
To summarise, the only way you may get Dissociative Disorder is by getting traumatized. Mind you. The condition can find a home in your brain only up to the age of 8, as recent studies have shown. It means that your child may start suffering from the age of 8. And it is just the beginning.
As a child, our personalities are never coordinated. We figure ourselves out as we go and as we grow. However, if a child is exposed to severe trauma at a very naive age, they are likely to be incapable of coping with it. You know what? Child sexual assault may also trigger teen multiple personality disorder. Therefore, it is important to talk about child sexual abuse with the children.
Their forming brains can split parts of the mind. What pushes the children to this is realizing that nobody will save them from the unbearable, and they have to protect themselves all on their own.
Therefore, the brain creates a completely detached personality to deal with traumas the mind could not deal with. Psychiatrists like Dr. George Blair West have described this as a “sophisticated coping mechanism.” With time, new individuals/ personalities/ alters can be created by the brain. Ultimately, they work as a team to keep the body safe.
When Do We Realize The Situation?
Even having this condition from a very young age, many people only realize the situation later in their lives – like their twenties or after. Until you are well educated about the condition and how it works, the experience can be quite frightening. Many with this condition had said in interviews that they often thought they were possessed or had gone crazy before they knew. On the other hand, in third-world countries, most people consider teen dissociative identity disorder in another sense. That is, they are possessed! The same goes for adult dissociative disorder.
Alters In Dissociative Disorder, The Teen Multiple Personality Disorder
Alters are mostly alternate states of identity or the different “personalities.” Usually, a system of altering exists to manage the various aspects of the mind. Many alter even literally block away particular tastes and smells to stop a memory completely. Many people, however, with Dissociative Identity Disorder have described these alters as “protectors.”
You may be thinking, how can so many people control the same body at the same time? They don’t. One personality goes through amnesia and allows the other later to “front.” And it is called a “switch.”
Communication With Alters
Each alters usually kept unaware of the other alter’s experiences. The brain is built like that to survive. When an alter takes over, the host (“main person”) may go through “derealisation.” Derealisation refers to when the host views themselves as another person from the back of their head.
However, if you find yourself in such a state, it does not necessarily mean you have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). KEEP CALM! Studies have shown more than half the global population is most likely to go through derealization at least once in their lifetime!
Okay, back to the topic. The alters have their own names, ages, personalities, genders, fashion sense, dreams, and sometimes even accents or languages! Many people communicate with their alters by writing in sticky pads or notes or texting themselves, or even maintaining a diary. Nonetheless, some people have mastered their communication skills and can communicate through “co-consciousness.” Through this, they can talk to each other and coordinate.
How to survive Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)? Or How To Cope-Up With Teen Multiple Personality Disorder?
Since each alters has a personality of their own, it is only normal to have a strong opinion. If you have Dissociative Disorder, you might come back to the front and find yourself in a different place, doing something different, wearing something different, and not always will it match your taste.
In these cases, make sure you get to converse with your alters and come to a middle ground where you all agree. Do not try to force yourself to the front all the time. Take turns if necessary. Give the other alters importance and respect them. Do not look at it as a problem because it is not. It is simply a different lifestyle. Embrace it. And for the teenagers, parents learn well about it and help your teenagers to cope up. However, never forget to give your child full support.
What Is The Recovery?
There have been cases where people could “overcome” Dissociative Disorder and Teen Multiple Personality Disorder by learning to adjust to a singular lifestyle. However, in most cases, people remain the same and can only learn to handle it better over time. However, after a survey, it was found that most people with DID indeed prefer living that way.
Are There Dangers Of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
The only dangers worth discussing are the dangers people with Dissociative Disorder face. Since alters can completely block away memories and senses, they often find themselves entirely lost.
Simple things like going to a coffee shop or driving somewhere far may be highly challenging. It is especially true if a different alter takes over in between. In such situations, clear communication is vital.
After an exchange of alters, the new alter that ‘fronts’ the body does not have any memory of what the body was doing before it arrived. They might find themselves completely lost in the streets, in a different country, in the middle of a highway, etc.
Reading from a third-person perspective, this might seem attractive, but what if you are the parent or partner of someone who has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)? It is essential always to keep your loved one with DID in check. Give them space when necessary but also keep in touch.
4 Facts About Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
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