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Psychological disorders can be classified as patterns of behavior or mental

processes that are connected with emotional distress or significant impairment in

functioning. Dissociate Identity Disorder (D.I.D.), formerly known as Multiple

Personality Disorder (M.P.S.), is a condition in which two or more distinct identities take

control of a persons behavioral pattern. D.I.D. can be classified as fairly common effects

of severe trauma in early childhood, most typically, extreme, repeated physical, sexual,

and/or emotional abuse.

People living with D.I.D. have the existence of two or more personalities, each

with it's own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about

the environment and self. At least two of these personalities recurrently take full control

of the persons behavior. The personalities may change gestures, language and posture.

D.I.D. patients may experience depression, mood swings, suicidal tendencies, insomnia,

night tremors, sleep walking, panic attacks, phobias, alcohol and drug abuse,

compulsions, hallucinations and eating disorders. In addition, individuals living with

D.I.D. often experience headaches, amnesia, time loss, trances and "out of body"

experiences. Some people with Dissociate Identity Disorder have a tendency toward self

persecution, self sabotage and even violence which can be both self inflicted and

outwardly directed.

While experiencing a new identity, a separate personality takes control and the

person is unable to remember important and personal information about themselves. The

typical alters that are found in a person with D.I.D. include a depressed, depleted host, a

strong, angry protector, a scared and hurt child, and a bitter prosecutor who blames one or

more alters for the abuse that has been suffered. The personalities can be different sexes,

races, or ages. The can speak with a whole new vocabulary, be fluent in another

language or even have an accent. The new identities can even have different

handwriting, and be left handed, when in actuality the person may be right handed. Many

have names but some identities appear nameless. Not all cases are this distinct and

extreme. In some, the personality may only be partially independent and the original

identity will still have most of the control.

The main influences that affect how many personalities appear for an individual is

based on the severity of the trauma as well as the age and degree of vulnerability of the

person. Personalities have functions that are specified. At the time of their creation, their

rolls are well defined by the individual depending on past experiences. For example, a

person may develop a child alter due to sexual abuse as a child. At first, the alter may

only appear when the individual is confronted with a sexual relationship. As time passes,

the alter may become more complex and can appear with any confrontation of the

opposite sex. The personalities may appear only once for a single episode and there-after

remain dormant. Others function almost as a shadow, making its presence hidden and

having unconscious influences. A personality can also act as a dominant force when they

periodically take over the individuals consciousness. In most D.I.D. cases, the

personalities are not aware of each other. In some cases though, each personality may

actually be acquainted. They may even talk, argue, console and jointly engage in some

activity.

Dissociate Identity Disorder is not a new development of the twentieth century.

Evidence of D.I.D. is said to exists in the images of Paleolithic cave paintings.

Throughout recorded history, cases of demonic possession have been reported that many

experts now believe are cases of D.I.D. Eberhardt Gmelin is sometimes referred to as

being the first to report a case of D.I.D. Gmelins 1791 account of "exchanged

personalities" has been noted as the first account of D.I.D. written about in great detail.

The case involved a 20 year old woman who was living in Stuttgart, Germany. The

woman began to speak perfect French, behave like a French aristocrat and spoke German

with a French accent. This event took place the year that the French Revolution began,

which is significant since, during the uprising, many French aristocrats left France and

fled to Stuttgart. When she was the "French woman", she could remember everything

she