Elise Schmidt
LP3
1
We have all witnessed the classic movie scene where a loving, caring person
suddenly switches into an aggressive enraged individual. Or maybe read about where
Dr. Jekyll a highly sophisticated doctor suddenly turns into the beast of a man Mr. Hyde
and has amnesia like symptoms while he is Dr. Jekyll. These stories are fiction what do
they have to do with mental health. Could Dr. Jekyll ever really turn into Mr. Hyde? The
answer for this papers sake is yes but not with magical potions. In the real world people
can have multiple personalities within themselves. This is referred to as Dissociative
Identity Disorder or DID. It was formally referred to as multiple personality disorder and
is how most people commonly refer to it as. (Johnson, 2012)
DID is one of the four dissociative disorders and is the most severe. It has been
described to feel like someone else is living inside your body. It also may feel like there
are voices within you. Individuals who have DID usually also have dissociative amnesia.
(Mayo Clinic Staff, 2011)
DID is believed to be a coping mechanism for a severe trauma that happened as
a child such as psychological, physical, or sexual abuse. An individual that suffers from
Dissociative Identity Disorder suffers from a severe form of dissociation. Individuals
using this coping mechanism literally try to remove themselves from violent, traumatic,
or painful experiences as much as possible. (Johnson, 2012)
Dissociative identity disorder is the most severe and chronic manifestation of the
dissociative disorders that cause multiple personalities. Individuals with DID have at
least two personalities that are very distinct and have control over the individuals
behavior. (Johnson, 2012) The average individual who suffers from DID has 10 but they
Elise Schmidt
LP3
2
could have up to 100. (NAMI, 2000) The different personalities that are in control are
known as alters. Alters can be extremely different from one another. They can be
different in age, sex, and race. (Johnson, 2012) Alters can also be as different as left-orright handed, eyeglass prescriptions, and allergies. (NAMI, 2000) They can have their
own postures, gestures, and way of speaking as well. When the individual reveals a
new alters is in control it is called switching. Switching can take seconds, minutes, or
even days. (Johnson, 2012)
Symptoms of DID that individuals may experience could be depression, mood
swings, suicidal tendencies, sleep disorders, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, alcohol
abuse, drug abuse, compulsions, rituals, auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations,
and/or eating disorders. The most common symptoms are memory loss and amnesia.
(Johnson, 2012) Many individuals with DID cannot remember things when the other
alter is in control.
Environmental and biological factors play a part in the cause for this disorder; the
majority, about 99% of individuals, experience recurring, overpowering, or lifethreatening disturbances in childhood. The diagnosis for dissociative identity disorder
usually takes a long period of time because symptoms are common to other psychiatric
disorders. Many individuals with DID have an accompanying disorder like depression,
anxiety, or panic disorders. The DSM-IV has criteria to diagnose DID as follows; two or
more distinct identities or personality states are present, each with its own pattern of
perceiving and thinking about its environment and self, at least two identities recurrently
take control of the individuals behavior, individual cannot recall important personal
Elise Schmidt
LP3
3
information that cannot be explained by ordinary forgetfulness, and disturbance is not
due to physiological effects of substance or general medication condition. (Johnson,
2012)
Unfortunately there is no cure for DID but there are treatments and long term
treatment has been proven to be successful. Talk therapy, psychotherapy, medications,
hypnotherapy, and adjunctive therapies are different approaches that can be taken.
(Johnson, 2012) The primary therapy is psychotherapy with the goal of joining the
personalities into one. Medications used for individuals with DID are medications used
to help with their other disorders like antidepressants, anti-anxiety, or tranquilizers.
(PsychologyToday, 2008)
Only about 1% of the population is diagnosed with DID but about 7% may have
undiagnosed DID. (Johnson, 2012) Although it is not very common it is still a serious
disorder. Sitting on your couch at home watching Dr. Jekyll transform into something
unlike him is a story of fear and terror. A terror that is real and a portion of our
population are living it day-to-day.
Elise Schmidt
LP3
4
Reference Page
Johnson, K. (2012, May 26). Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder). From WebMd:
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personalitydisorder
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2011, March 11). Dissociative Disorders. From Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dissociative-disorders/DS00574/DSECTION=prevention
NAMI. (2000, March). Dissociative Identity Disorder. From NAMI:
http://nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Helpline&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDis
play.cfm&ContentID=20562
PsychologyToday. (2008, October 10). Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder) .
From PsychologyToday: http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/dissociative-identitydisorder-multiple-personality-disorder?tab=Treatments
Elise Schmidt
LP3
5
Reflection Paper General Instructions and Rubric
Purpose: As a professional Substance Abuse Counselor, potential employers will expect you to be able to
articulate a basic understanding of various mental health disorders allowing you to have consultations with mental
health counselors, clinical social workers and psychologists about clients who have been diagnoses with co-existing
disorders. One way of achieving this is by your analysis and reflection on various mental health disorders.
Therefore, you will be asked on several occasions in this course to develop reflective responses on various
categories of mental health disorders.
Format: All reflection paper should be 3-4 pages long, computer generated, double-spaced and in a 10-12 point
regular font with one-inch margins. Despite the fact that these papers are designed to reflect your thinking process,
they must cite external sources as these will help you to develop an informed opinion based on facts and not biases.
Thus, each reflection paper must include a reference page (bibliography) of no less than four sources. These sources
must be legitimate, reputable and fully referenced (i.e. no wikipedia and no blogs). You are to use APA citation
style. Grammar and spelling will count. Do not procrastinate and try to write your reflection papers at the last
minute. These reflection papers are to demonstrate your understanding and engagement with the topic and must be
thoughtful and meaningful.
Exceeds Standards Meets Standards
Unsatisfactory
Score
Grading
5
points
4
points
3-0
points
Rubric: The
following rubric
will be used to
evaluate your work.
Reflection Paper
Rubric
Paper is neatly typed,
Paper is neatly typed,
Formatting rules ignored,
Format
double-spaced, 10-12
double-spaced, 10-12
shorter than 2.5 pages or
point regular font, onepoint regular font, onemissing more than one
inch margins, and 3-4
inch margins and 2.5-3
reference.
pages in length with a
pages in length or short
minimum of four
one reference.
references.
No errors.
1-2 minor errors.
Lacks basic proofreading
Grammar and Spelling
or contains major errors.
Well-organized, well
Well-organized but
Organization lacking and
Organization
written, easy to read and
“flow” could be
arguments difficult or
understand.
improved.
impossible to follow.
On time with no
Resubmission for more
Late or several
Submission
resubmissions.
points.
resubmissions.
Shows strong evidence of Shows evidence of
Lacks reflection and
Reflection
reasoned reflection and
reasoned reflection.
depth.
depth. Articulates what I
Clearly articulates what I
knew, what I wanted to
learned.
know and what I learned.
In-depth synthesis of
Goes into more detail
Identify some general
Connection to readings
thoughtfully selected
explaining some specific
ideas or issues from
(assigned and ones you
aspects of readings
ideas or issues from
readings related to the
have sought on your
related to the topic.
readings related to the
topic. Readings are only
own)
Makes clear connections
topic. Makes general
those assigned for the
between what is learned
connections between
topic or there is little
from readings and the
what is learned from
evidence that required
topic. Demonstrate
readings and the topic.
readings had been read.
further analysis and
Includes reference to at
insight resulting from
least one reading other
what you have learned
than those assigned for
from reading. Includes
class.
Elise Schmidt
LP3
6
reference to at least two
readings other than those