Some cultures describe this as an experience of possession. The individual experiences two or more distinct identities or personality states (each with its own enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self).The various identities may deny knowledge of one another, be critical of one another, or appear to be in open conflict.Īccording to the DSM-5, the following criteria must be met for an individual to be diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder: Certain circumstances or stressors can cause a particular alter to emerge. The alters' characteristics-including name, reported age and gender, vocabulary, general knowledge, and predominant mood-contrast with those of the primary identity.

When in control, each personality state, or alter, may be experienced as if it has a distinct history, self-image, and identity. Usually, a primary identity carries the individual's given name and is passive, dependent, guilty, and depressed. The symptoms of DID cannot be explained away as the direct psychological effects of a substance or of a general medical condition.ĭID reflects a failure to integrate various aspects of identity, memory, and consciousness into a single multidimensional self. The person also experiences memory loss that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness.ĭID was called multiple personality disorder up until 1994 when the name was changed to reflect a better understanding of the condition-namely, that it is characterized by fragmentation or splintering of identity, rather than by proliferation or growth of separate personalities.

Some people describe this as an experience of possession. Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a rare condition in which two or more distinct identities, or personality states, are present in-and alternately take control of-an individual.

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