Multiple Personality Dissorder: Does it really exist?

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Cactus Annie

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A few weeks ago I was watching a True crime program about a WW2 hero who saved the lives of many soldiers. Years latter he was convicted for murdering the landlord of his pub after he ran up large arrears in the rent and was on the verge of losing his business and his home. He was executed as the death penalty was still in existence in the UK at the time. However there is still debate whether he intended to murder his landlord. Psychiatric reports stated that the man claimed to have no recollection of the event, neither did he remember driving with the body in the boot of his car and burying him. His wife also claimed that he had be prone to severe headaches and nosebleeds years before the murder. She said that it was almost as if his personality had changed because he was no longer the kind, generous man she married. He had changed into an impatient man who could not deal with stress and would fly of the handle with customers. He would make unkind comments to her and the next day completely forget that he ever said it. Psychiatrists' also cannot understand how years earlier he could save people's lives and years latter carry out a seemingly callous murder. It was out of character.

Many people think that Britney Spears has this condition. But women with this condition tend to be violent like men can.
 
There's been much speculation that Britney is suffering from some form of mental disorder, but most of the guesses I've seen have been towards something in the bipolar area. (Granted, much of the speculation is bullshit, since we ain't doctors and can only speculate on what the tabloids give us. Poor gal.)

Anyway.

I believe it's referred to nowadays as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), and as I understand, it's a somewhat controversial diagnosis. I don't know the latest trends about it, but last I remember, there were people within the field who didn't believe it existed.
 
Does MPD exist? Sure, but I think everything else surrounding that is pretty gray at this time.

Psychiatrists' also cannot understand how years earlier he could save people's lives and years latter carry out a seemingly callous murder. It was out of character.

I don't think this alone is reason to believe this person had MPD, people do snap, you don't have to have MPD in order to conflicting actions take place in your life.



Many people think that Britney Spears has this condition.

I'm not sure who you've heard say that Britney has MPD, but I would venture most were kidding or just using hyperbole.
 
You posit an interesting theory, Beav.

Interference alters - evidence of DID, or just sockpuppets?

:hmm:
 
A few weeks ago I was watching a True crime program about a WW2 hero who saved the lives of many soldiers. Years latter he was convicted for murdering the landlord of his pub after he ran up large arrears in the rent and was on the verge of losing his business and his home. He was executed as the death penalty was still in existence in the UK at the time. However there is still debate whether he intended to murder his landlord. Psychiatric reports stated that the man claimed to have no recollection of the event, neither did he remember driving with the body in the boot of his car and burying him. His wife also claimed that he had be prone to severe headaches and nosebleeds years before the murder. She said that it was almost as if his personality had changed because he was no longer the kind, generous man she married. He had changed into an impatient man who could not deal with stress and would fly of the handle with customers. He would make unkind comments to her and the next day completely forget that he ever said it. Psychiatrists' also cannot understand how years earlier he could save people's lives and years latter carry out a seemingly callous murder. It was out of character.

Sounds more like untreated PTSD to me.

Many people think that Britney Spears has this condition. But women with this condition tend to be violent like men can.

Not much has been written about the effects of life under constant 24 hour surveillance. As someone with some high-profile actor friends, I can say that it's definitely weird to go out for dinner and see a line of people waiting to take your picture or get a piece of you. It's a unique kind of strain.
 
This doesn't sound like dissociative identity disorder to me, but it does sound like it could be one of the other dissociative disorders that fall under the same umbrella - they tend to affect memory of events (and, as nathan said above, PTSD does seem to be a comorbid or preoccurring disorder). Saying that someone has "personality changes" falls far below the criteria for suspecting DID. In DID, the personalities are very distinct, and as such, would be very noticeable to someone close to the patient.

And cori is also correct, that it's a very controversial diagnosis. It's so rare, it's difficult to study, and many reported cases are suspected to be caused by incompetent therapists working with suggestible patients.
 
Unfortunately, many people get multiple personality disorders confused with schizophrenia.
Case in point, one of my favorite albums:

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Ian Hunter's You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic
 
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