Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Here's what's happening on the HealthyPlace site this week:

• Dissociative Identity Disorder
• "Living with DID" On HealthyPlace TV
• Extreme Risk-Taking
• Protecting Your Kids From Child Abuse

Dissociative Identity Disorder

You may have heard the term Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). Today, it's referred to as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). DID is characterized by multiple distinct identities or personalities (known as alters) in a single individual, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment.

One of the HealthyPlace members with Dissociative Identity Disorder described it to me as feeling like you're sharing your body with other people who live inside you.

Dissociative Identity Disorder is a controversial diagnosis. Many psychiatrists don't even believe it exists and if it does exist, mental health professionals (and DID patients themselves) argue over whether or not it can be, or should be, cured.

Additional Insights into Dissociative Identity Disorder:

• What is Dissociative Identity Disorder (aka Multiple Personality Disorder)?
• Causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder
• Signs and Symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
• Diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
• Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
• Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID): Working With Your Alters
• Dissociative Identity Disorder, Multiple Personality Disorder: To Integrate Personalities or Not to Integrate
• Videos on Dissociative Disorders
• Books on Dissociative Identity Disorder Issues for Patients, Friends and Relatives

"Living with DID" On HealthyPlace TV

What's it like living with 58 different alters? Our guest, Maria, will talk about that plus some of the misconceptions people have about those who live with Dissociative Identity Disorder on Tuesday's HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Show.

Join us Tuesday, September 1, at 5:30p PT, 7:30 CST, 8:30 EST or catch it on-demand. The show airs live on our website. Maria will be taking your questions during the live show.

• TV Show Blog with this week's show info
• Living with DID (Dr. Croft's blog post)
• Diagnosis and Stigma of Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (Maria's blog post)

In the second half of the show, you get to ask HealthyPlace.com Medical Director, Dr. Harry Croft, your personal mental health questions.

Learn more about dissociative disorders by visiting the HealthyPlace Dissociative Disorders Community.

Coming in September on the HealthyPlace TV Show

• Suicidality and Psychiatric Medications
• Bipolar Psychosis
• The Impact of Eating Disorders on Other Members of the Family

If you would like to be a guest on the show or share you personal story in writing or via video, please write us at: producer AT healthyplace.com

Click here for a list of previous HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Shows.

Extreme Risk-Taking

Everything is "extreme" these days. We have the "Extreme Makeover" show, extreme sports, extreme tech. But as a parent, what we don't want, but sometimes get, is extreme risk-taking by our teenage children.

The Parenting Coach, Dr. Steven Richfield, has some ideas on Coaching Caution To The Risk-Taking Teen.

Protecting Your Kids From Child Abuse

As with many people in this country, I've been captivated by the story of Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was kidnapped 18 years ago by convicted rapist, Phillip Garrido, known in his neighborhood as "Creepy Phil". Everyday, new details unravel, leaving us with questions about how this took place and lasted for so long when it was almost in plain sight.

Some of the HealthyPlace visitor emails we received in the last week outline the concerns of many Americans:

Frank: In one news story, they say a neighbor called the police three years ago describing Garrido as a "psychotic sex addict" who was living with children and had people staying in tents in his backyard. The police came and never went in the back yard, according to the report. That officer should be fired.

Priscilla: TV news says this poor girl apparently has strong feelings for her abductor, rapist and father of her two children. I went through a similar situation. Nobody else really understands. It took me many years before I was able to begin to sort it out.

Deedee: How does a man with a rap sheet a mile long, a parole officer, and neighbors calling the police reporting suspicious behavior get away with this for 18 years? How are we supposed to feel safe and protect our kids? Obviously, the police can't protect everybody from every crime.

Here are some things you can do to help deal with suspected child abuse.

• What to Do If You Suspect Child Abuse or Child Maltreatment
• Reporting Child Neglect
• Hotlines for Reporting Child Abuse
• How to Help Victims of Child Physical Abuse
• Prevention of Child Physical Abuse
• Getting Help If You've Been Sexually Assaulted - Raped

You can find more articles on sexual abuse, physical abuse and psychological or emotional abuse here.

back to: HealthyPlace.com Mental-Health Newsletter Index