Re:DID and MPD

The phenomenon you describe occurs not only in DID (which is the new name for MPD) but also at lesser degrees of dissociation. Dissociation falls on a continuum, so its not a black and white thing but a shades of grey thing.

A person only is DID if they have amnesia for significant periods of time in present day and if the parts of self are quite distinct. A little less dissociation and there are parts of self with strong opinions that may conflict with the opinions or feelings of other parts of self, but there may not be actual amnesia, or just momentary amnesia.

A little less dissociation and its more like inner conflicts but the struggles aren't so distinct.

Lots and lots of people who aren't DID have conflicts between adult and child parts of self.

Solution in all cases is to acknowledge the importance of and jobs of each part of self, even if it seems like Attilla the Hun, and to mediate between the parts, once they all understand they are in the same body.

For lots of people, this requires assistance from a therapist, using Ego State Therapy.

EMDR works well in combination with EST. For DID's, the EST must precede the EMDR, sometimes for a long time. For less dissociative clients, the EMDR can begin, and the EST can give voice to parts of self in the middle of a stuck EMDR (a form of cognitive interweave).

If you wonder where you are on the continuum, you might print this out and take this discussion to your therapist.

Replies:

Re:DID and MPD, by Peter M. Barach, Ph.D., 05/26/02 Re:DID and MPD, by client, 05/29/02

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