Initially, most people with Dissociative Identity Disorder are unaware they have the condition. It's when they visit the doctor to complain about the DID symptoms, that a diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder is confirmed.

Children with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) have a great variety of symptoms, including depressive tendencies, anxiety, conduct problems, episodes of amnesia, difficulty paying attention in school, and hallucinations. Often these children are misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia. By the time the child reaches adolescence, it is less difficult for a mental health professional to recognize the symptoms and make a diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder.

How is Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) diagnosed?

At the time that a person with DID first seeks professional help, he or she is usually not aware of the condition. A very common complaint in people with DID is episodes of amnesia, or time loss. These individuals may be unable to remember events in all or part of a proceeding time period. They may repeatedly encounter unfamiliar people who claim to know them, find themselves somewhere without knowing how they got there, or find items that they don't remember purchasing among their possessions.

Often people with Dissociative Identity Disorder are depressed or even suicidal, and self-mutilation is common in this group. Approximately one-third of patients complain of auditory or visual hallucinations. It is common for these patients to complain that they hear voices within their head.

To make the diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder, a doctor conducts a thorough psychological interview. A medical examination may be needed to determine if a physical disorder is present that would explain certain symptoms. Special questionnaires have been developed to help doctors identify Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Interviews may need to be prolonged and involve careful use of hypnosis or drug facilitation. Hypnosis or drug-facilitated interviews may make the person more likely to allow the doctor to encounter other personalities or to reveal information about a period for which there is amnesia. However, some doctors feel that hypnosis and drug-facilitated interviews should not be performed because they believe the techniques can themselves generate symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

Sources:
Merck Manual
Sidran Foundation
NAMI

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