cujenn81
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Just some food for thought… as I know the defense has referenced a dissociative disorder, but I don’t recall them specifically saying DID and there are a few other types of DDs.
Dissociative Amnesia
Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder
Dissociative Fugue
Dissociative Fugue: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Dissociative Fugue - Mental Health Disorders - Merck Manuals Consumer Version
Some additional reading about DID and the similarities between it and both borderline personality disorder and complex PTSD (please forgive me, I majored in psychology and I’m an unabashed psych nerd
):
Chronic complex dissociative disorders and borderline personality disorder: disorders of emotion dysregulation? - Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation
Dissociation, trauma, and borderline personality disorder - Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation
Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder: Recent Experimental, Neurobiological Studies, and Implications for Future Research and Treatment
Dissociative Identity Disorder | Bridges to Recovery
The following five criteria must be met to diagnosis DID:
Extreme means abuse that is well above and beyond what might be considered “common” or “typical” (beatings with fists or belts, touching and fondling, for example). It means repeated torture, extended periods of social deprivation (such as being locked in a small, dark room for days or weeks), starvation, sex trafficking, forced labor in harsh conditions, being subjected to unsafe and dangerous living conditions a daily basis. Extreme means the worst of the worst abuse you could possibly imagine.
Dissociative Amnesia
- characterized by retrospectively reported memory gaps
- gaps involve an inability to recall personal information, usually of a traumatic or stressful nature
- most commonly occurs in the presence of other psychiatric conditions, particularly personality disorders
- often associated with Cluster B personality disorders (antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic), however there is evidence that suggests it may be more likely among individuals with Cluster C personality disorders (avoidant, dependent, and obsessive compulsive)
- although the forgotten information may be inaccessible to the conscious mind, it sometimes continues to influence behavior (eg, a woman who was raped in an elevator might refuse to ride in an elevator even though she doesn’t remember the rape)
- often caused by traumatic or stressful experiences endured or witnessed (eg, physical or sexual abuse, rape, combat, genocide, natural disasters, the death of a loved one, serious financial troubles) OR tremendous internal conflict (eg, turmoil over guilt-ridden impulses or actions, unresolvable interpersonal difficulties, criminal behaviors)
Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder
- a persistent or recurring feeling of being detached from one’s body or mental processes, like an outside observer of one's life (depersonalization), and/or a feeling of being detached from one's surroundings (derealization)
- often develops in those who have experienced severe stress including, but not limited to, emotional abuse or neglect during childhood, physically abuse, witnessing domestic violence, a severely impaired or mentally ill parent, a loved one dying unexpectedly
- symptoms may be triggered by severe stress (due to relationships, finances, work, etc), depression or anxiety, and/or illegal or recreational drug use
- episodes can last for hours, days, weeks, months, or years
- episodes may involve depersonalization, derealization, or both
- symptom intensity often waxes and wanes (when the disorder is severe, symptoms may be present and remain at the same intensity for years or even decades)
- depersonalization symptoms include: feeling detached from one’s body, mind, feelings, and/or sensations; patients may also say they feel unreal or like an automaton, with no control over what they do or say; they may feel emotionally or physically numb
- derealization symptoms include: feelings of being detached from the environment (people, objects, etc); feeling as if you they in a dream or a fog or as if a glass wall separates them from their surroundings; the world may seem lifeless, colorless, or artificial (for example, objects may appear blurry or unusually clear, or flat and smaller or larger; sounds may seem louder or softer; time may seem to be moving too slow or too fast)
- a physical exam, and sometimes tests, are used to rule out other disorders that could cause similar symptoms (such as other mental health disorders, seizure disorders, or substance abuse); testing may include an MRI, CT scan, electroencephalography (EEG), and/or blood and urine tests to check for drug use; psychological tests and specially structured interviews and questionnaires also help doctors with the diagnosis
Dissociative Fugue
- a rare form of dissociative amnesia
- a temporary state where a person has memory loss and ends up in an unexpected place; they can't remember who they are or details about their past
- if the fugue state is brief, they may appear to simply have missed some work or come home late; when the fugue state lasts for several days or more, they may travel far from home, form a new identity, and begin a new job, unaware of any change in their life
- many fugues appear to represent disguised wish fulfillment or the only permissible way for one to escape severe distress or embarrassment (a financially distressed executive leaves a hectic life and lives as a farm hand in the country, for example)
- often mistaken for malingering because both conditions can give people an excuse to avoid their responsibilities (such as an intolerable marriage), to avoid accountability for their actions, or to reduce their exposure to a known hazard (such as war); dissociative fugue, unlike malingering, occurs spontaneously and is not faked
- doctors can usually distinguish between the two because malingerers typically exaggerate and dramatize their symptoms and because they have obvious financial, legal, or personal reasons (such as avoiding work) for faking their memory loss
Dissociative Fugue: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Dissociative Fugue - Mental Health Disorders - Merck Manuals Consumer Version
Some additional reading about DID and the similarities between it and both borderline personality disorder and complex PTSD (please forgive me, I majored in psychology and I’m an unabashed psych nerd
):Chronic complex dissociative disorders and borderline personality disorder: disorders of emotion dysregulation? - Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation
Dissociation, trauma, and borderline personality disorder - Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation
Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder: Recent Experimental, Neurobiological Studies, and Implications for Future Research and Treatment
Dissociative Identity Disorder | Bridges to Recovery
The following five criteria must be met to diagnosis DID:
- Two or more distinct personality states must be experienced and reported, by observers or the person receiving the DID diagnosis
- Amnesia must be experienced regularly, and must cover a variety of events, situations, and social encounters
- The person must be deeply distressed and/or unable to function in at least one important area of their lives because of their DID symptoms
- Manifestations or reports of alternate personalities can’t be explained by any cultural or religious practices
- The symptoms experienced can’t be explained by substance abuse or another type of medical condition
Extreme means abuse that is well above and beyond what might be considered “common” or “typical” (beatings with fists or belts, touching and fondling, for example). It means repeated torture, extended periods of social deprivation (such as being locked in a small, dark room for days or weeks), starvation, sex trafficking, forced labor in harsh conditions, being subjected to unsafe and dangerous living conditions a daily basis. Extreme means the worst of the worst abuse you could possibly imagine.
