QUESTION: After watching a recent television show about a person with several different personalities, I began to wonder if such people really exist.
It made for interesting watching but the whole thing seemed quite bizarre.
Would you please provided some clarifications?
ANSWER: It is a fascinating area of mental care, and yes, such patients do exist.
The condition is called Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) and reports of such cases are appearing with ever increasing frequency in the medical literature.
Perhaps the expanding number of diagnoses are the results of more clearly defined guidelines that help delineate the condition and make the process of diagnoses just a bit easier, but by no means simple.
One of four conditions in the class of dissociative disorders, MPD sees an alteration in the area of self identity, and the patient will display characteristics and expressions of separate and different personalities or identities.
Each personality has its own story and life experiences, but will not remember the events which occurred in another identity's existence.
Physicians may use 4 types of signs to help identify MPD patients: physiological, psychological, behavioral and environmental signs.
For example, when there is a history of wide ranges in blood pressure, or blood sugar levels from visit to visit (physiological findings), physicians may be alerted to the possibility of MPD. Psychological signs include significant time lapses or lack of memory for past serious illnesses.
A patient's behavior may manifest changes by alterations in voice tone or sound, or the way he stands or walks.
Environmental signs are sought in the history of traumatic life events, child abuse, or changes in home situations and locations.
The treatment of such complex disorders require specially trained individuals who can understand and deal with the particular needs of these complicated patients.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
