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Dissociative identity disorder used to be called multiple personality disorder. It is a rare and complex psychological condition where a person’s identity is fragmented into two or more distinct personality states called ‘alters’.
These alters routinely take control of the person’s body. A person with DID also experiences noticeable, recurring gaps in their memory.
DID is associated with overwhelming experiences, traumatic events and/or abuse during childhood.
Estimates on the prevalence of DID vary widely. Studies show it can affect anything from 0.01% to 15% of people. It is more common in areas that have experienced large-scale trauma such as war or natural disasters.
DID is more commonly diagnosed in women than men.
The majority of people with DID have experienced severe trauma in childhood, and dissociate as a way of coping with a situation that is too violent or traumatic for their conscious self to handle.
DID was called multiple personality disorder until 1994, when the name was changed to reflect a better understanding of the condition.