Dissociative identity disorder, better known as multiple personality disorder, has inspired many stories and a great halo of mystery surrounds this problem. It is difficult to imagine an individual with more than one personality coexisting in her body and mind. However, there are many documented cases and studies that aim to ensure the veracity of this personality disorder.
Do you want to know shocking stories about people who live with more than one identity? Then don’t miss the following Psychology-Online article about anxiety disorder. multiple personality: real cases. In it you will find interesting cases that inspired the world of cinema, television and literature.
Does multiple personality exist?
One of the great doubts in the world of psychology is the following question: “can someone have more than one personality?” Although it is true that it is difficult to conceive, so many cases of multiple personality have been documented that it is difficult to ignore this phenomenon.
The most widely used diagnostic manual in the world – the well-known DSM – includes the symptoms of multiple personality under the name “dissociative identity disorder.” Therefore, we can affirm that there is a relative consensus in the psychological community that affirms the existence of said disorder.
Signs and symptoms of multiple personality disorder
As with schizophrenia or , a series of symptoms must be met in order to make a correct diagnosis of dissociative personality. We must take into account the following criteria:
- Alteration of self-identity. This alteration is defined by two or more defined personalities that are relatively stable over time. These personalities can be perceived by the family and by the individual themselves.
- Mental gaps recurrent events and memory lapses during everyday actions, repressed memories, and forgetting about personal information.
- The symptoms of dissociative personality cause discomfort and incapacity to the person who suffers from them in their social, personal and/or work areas.
- This personality alteration can’t be explained by a cultural or religious practice widely accepted.
- Changes in personality cannot be attributed to the effects that have in our body certain substances or medical diseases.
Multiple personality disorder: physical changes
More than one film has greatly influenced the image we have of this disorder. There is a very accepted idea and that is that, as happens with the protagonist of “Multiple“, people with dissociative identity disorder experience physical changes depending on the personality that appears at the moment.
The truth is that only one documented case is known: the woman who suffered from psychological blindness and who managed to see again when she experienced a personality change. However, it is a fairly old and poorly proven case, so today cannot be stated That multiple personality causes changes in eye color or hair, for example.
Real cases of multiple personality disorder
Being such a strange and notorious behavior, it has aroused a lot of curiosity and numerous cases have been compiled that have caught the attention of the community of psychologists. From people who claim to commit crimes and not remember to individuals who register 100 personalities and claim to fight every day to remain stable. Below, we show you another look at the multiple personality: real cases.
Mary Reynolds
The first case The only known multiple personality disorder was described in 1816 and is that of Mary Reynolds. This woman lived in the United States and is described as a lonely, introverted woman with a tendency to depressive states. She is known that she passed almost two months stating that he was blind and deaf until one day she woke up with her senses completely “repaired” but without knowing how to read, write or express herself correctly, like a little girl.
Shortly thereafter, Mary Reynolds returned to the sad and melancholic personality state, stating that she did not remember anything that had happened during the last few months. This disorder stayed with her for the next 15 years of her life until, finally, the “girl” personality learned all it needed to and became her predominant identity.
Chris Costner Sizemore
This woman was the inspiration for the film released in 1957 “The Three Faces of Eve“and the story of Chris Costner Sizemore has many elements that arouse curiosity and interest in dissociative identity.
One of the most striking episodes recounted was when gave birth to her daughter and one of its personalities (Eve Black) tried to kill her by strangulation but another personality (Eve White) managed to stop her in time.
After 25 years of treatment and 8 different psychiatrists, it was finally confirmed that Chris had 22 personalities different.
Billy Milligan
Probably one of the most chilling real cases about dissociative identity disorder. Billy Milligan committed several crimes including armed robberies and the kidnapping of three young people at Ohio University which were raped. However, Billy himself denied everything that happened and claims that he does not remember doing it.
Another curious element in this story is the testimonies of the kidnapped girls. While one described him with a German accent and a rough personality, another girl stated that he was a nice and friendly boy. Even though the physical description was the same, the personalities didn’t seem to fit.
With the help of Billy Milligan himself and the community of experts who studied his case, they defined 24 personalities In his mind. Among them, we highlight “the undesirables“(13 aggressive personalities),”the ten” (10 friendly personalities) and “teacher“(the memory of everything that other personalities do)
The Billy Milligan case also set a precedent in the history of criminal law in the United States as he was the first man found “not guilty” due to his personality disorder.
Judy Castelli
Judy is a renowned artist who fights for the visibility of this and has managed to get ahead despite sharing her body with 44 personalities different.
Judy lived a tough childhood marked by physical and sexual abuse; her situation did not improve over the years as she had to be hospitalized for a suicide attempt. Despite living with dissociative identity disorder, one of Judy’s personalities carved out a niche as singer while another of them he dedicated himself to painting.
Today, Judy’s personalities are dedicated to painting, sculpture, singing, musical composition and writing. In short, this case is a clear example that a diagnosis does not have to sentence a criminal and negative lifestyle.
Kim Noble
If we want to analyze the multiple personality and real casesit is essential to talk about Kim Noble, this is the case that records more personalities in a single individual and they have been found up to 100 personalities living with Kim. This woman is a renowned painter who dedicates a large part of her career to trying to express through her paintings how she lives with this disorder.
While some of her personalities try to keep her stable and happy, like Patricia or Judy. Others have tried to take her life by crashing her into a van like Julie did. Today, the predominant personality is Patricia and this she states that “Kim Noble is no more, her mind has been broken into pieces“.
Nowadays, keep painting and his paintings are admired for the enormous emotional charge and symbolism they contain.
Image: CC Arte
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Multiple personality: real caseswe recommend that you enter our category.
References
- Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Pan-American Medical Editorial, 2014.
- Multiple. M. Night Shyamalan, Universal Studios, 2016.
Bibliography
- Poseck, B. V. (2006). The murderer was me! or dissociative identity disorder in cinema. Journal of Medicine and Cinema, 2(4), 125-132.