Who Was I Today? Research Paper Example

The mental dysfunction which was previously designated as multiple personality disorder is presently categorized as dissociative identity disorder. The dissociative identity disorder is classified in the DSM- 5 (DSM- 5 300.14, F44.1). Dissociative identity disorder pertains to a collection of disorders which are acknowledged as dissociative disorder. In accordance with the DSM’ 5, the dissociative illnesses and mental disorder causes symptoms which include disruptions   of perceptions, identity, awareness and memory. Dissociative identity disorder can be encountered in 3.5% of the individuals who have received therapeutic intervention of other categories of mental health disorder (Schneiderman 174). A substantial number of the people who are found in drug abuse rehabilitation centers are suffering from dissociative identity disorder. There appears to be several causal attributes to dissociative identity disorder. The factors are inadequate protection with inadequate nurture during childhood development, abnormal psychological development, the inability of being able to separate one{s identity, misperceptions and situations which have caused overwhelming stress. There has been a substantial amount of research on dissociative identity disorder. The extensive research has been attributed to the significant interest in this disorder. The objective of the research is to completely identify the causes and manifestations of dissociative identity disorder. . Research has demonstrated that communication is an important component with regards to the treatment of dissociative identity disorder. Dissociative identity disorder is detailed as an extreme condition in which one or more personality states are manifested and become dominant in the individual (Schneiderman 176). The thesis that was examined in this research is the following: Is dissociative identity disorder a fad or is it an actual psychological disorder.

The procedure which is involved in deconstructing the personality layers initiates with the perception of the analogy of the Russian Matryoshka doll. The Russian Matryoshka dolls are artisan wooden dolls which have various hollow dolls that are egg shaped within a larger egg shaped doll. There are four tiers of communications which are required. The initial tier is the analogy of the self. The second tier is being cognizant and comprehending the self. The final tier is self-administration which provides the foundation for introspection and self-analysis (Kluft 297).

Research that has been performed has reviewed the irrational characteristics of the arguments that have been presented in favor of acceptance of dissociative identity disorder as a mental illness. The research has emphasized that there are no successful diagnostic or interventions which are accessible for dissociative identity disorder. In addition, the research has demonstrated that there are adverse outcomes from the misdiagnosis and intervention. Research has also demonstrated that the psychiatrist in North American have been abandoning the concept of dissociative identity disorder as a diagnosis which is acceptable. . Patients who have been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder have been known to modify their personalities while they were being observed in the emergency room setting (Schneiderman 179; Tartarovsky 1).

Studies have shown that in the circumstance of an individual who has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder manifests the perception of self as being reliant on the interpersonal context of communication. The interpersonal context of communication entails the manner by which the self is able to correlate to other. In the case of dissociative identity disorder, communication is an approach where the individual’s capacity of reacting to others in the environment forms significance with regards to the correlation and the state of the identity. The causal attributes for dissociative identity disorder continue to remain unclear. Studies have demonstrated that as much as 99% of the people who manifest dissociative identity disorder have antecedence of repetitive life threatening situations during an early stage of development (Freud 43).

Studies have demonstrated that dissociation can be referenced as a coping mechanism. In the recollection of an extremely traumatic situation, it has been discovered that the child applies a defensive mechanism which is identical to an alternative condition of presence in order to escape from the emotional and physical pain that is manifested in their memory. Consequently, after the mnemonic episode has subsided, the individual is able to return to normal function in a manner as if nothing has happened. Consequently as a result of the success that this approach provides from the relief of the mnemonic retrieval of the episode which caused the emotional and physical pain, the person may continue to apply the technique of dissociation in circumstances where they perceive peril. The application of dissociation as a defensive mechanism may occur when the situation is bereft of danger (Conan 1; Freud 51).

In clinical work with individuals who had been affected by dissociative identity disorder, it was observed that a component of the cerebral cortex which is designated as the hypothalamus responds to the perception of peril by initiating a fight or flight response. The result is compartmentalization and the neurons conduits experience physical extinguishing. The extinguishing of the neuron conduits causes a compartmentalization of the specific event. The compartmentalization process takes place in order to protect the other areas of the consciousness. The compartmentalization is performed in order to enable the mind to continue to function normally (Kluft 302). Subsequent to the mnemonic retrieval of the painful event, the individual responds as if there had been no retrieval of the pain causing event.  The neural conduits with are accountable for the conscious self-administration are extremely susceptible to the mildest forms of stress. Consequently, when these neutral conduits experience extinguishing, the primal tendencies are unchecks. As an outcome of this process a mental paralysis takes control of the individual (Kluft 303).

Dr. Sigmund Freud proposed that projection is a defensive mechanism that is applied by the ego. In the projection hypothesis the individual projects the thoughts which are unpleasant onto another person. These thoughts incorporate feelings, desires and motivations. Freud detailed that defensive mechanisms are applied in order to diminish anxiety and bring the psyche back into equilibrium. As the dissociation takes place during the traumatic events, the individuals who had been victimized formulate a scenario where they may apply an object or a personality as a coping mechanism (Freud 57).

As a result of the examination of the abusive period being a long and tedious process of addressing the trauma that has been retrieved by the mnemonic centers of the brain, the individuals concoct altered conditions which supplant the self during the recollection of the episode of trauma. These altered states are conventionally designated protectors. In specific cases the protectors are designated with names. The protectors take control when the individual is in situations where peril is perceived.  Furthermore, the protector emerges in circumstances where the individual perceived an elevated amount of stress and risk (Kluft 301).

The comprehensive perception with regards to dissociative identity disorder is that there must be an examination of the manner by which the dissociative facet functions. In addition, there must be a consideration of the way that the dissociative identity manifests itself as well as the ways that the dissociative identity facilitates communications with others in the environments. The system of dissociation can be perceived as a system doll. The system doll enables those who experience dissociative identity disorder to provide inferences on the manner the systems will produce or decompose (Kluft 304; Schneiderman 181).

The individuals who are affected with dissociative identity disorder have the characteristic of a dominant personality suppressed by the alter persona who are derived from the dominant personality which create their own entities. The function of these personalities is to provide protection for the dominant personality from the process of mnemonic retrieval. Consequently, any situations which may be correlated to the traumatic event are suppressed. Each of the alter personalities has their own vocal pitch, form of verbal communication, vocal tone, and facial expressive manifestation (Freud 57).

The concept that a physical body may include multiple personalities is not a novel concept. The romans perceived this phenomenon and invented Janus. Janus was a deity which had two faces. Robert Louis Stevenson detailed the characteristics of one person with multiple personalities in his novel “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The modern literary works are filled in personalities which are divided (Haberman 1). The Hulk character in Marvel comics and the villainous Two Face in the Batman comic series are embodiments of this concept. In Superman, there are two personalities. These are rare situations that have captivated the collective psyche of America like the movie “Sybil”. This was the examination of a young woman who was diagnosed as not having two personalities but multiple personalities. Sybil was documented as displaying sixteen alternate personalities. The movie was so popular that a sequel was developed four years subsequent to its debut (Haberman 1).

In the event of a mental disorder attracting this type of attention, it becomes comprehensible to debate the resulting confusion.  Many of those who have been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder are women. These women have had brutal experiences during their childhood development. The pattern of the victims of dissociation identity disorder is that they have been victims of sexual and physical abuse when they were in the early stages of development. Dr. Spiegel, a respected psychiatrist at Stanford University explained that with multiple personalities, there is not a development of multiple personalities. Dr. Spiegel proposed that in the cases of dissociative identity disorder, the individual who is afflicted is suffering from having less than one personality (Haberman 1).

As a result of the manifestation of multiple personalities, the people who are afflicted with dissociative identity disorder may experience the following symptoms in addition to their display of multiple identities. These symptoms have been documented as nutritional disorders, hallucinations, phobias which are psychotic in nature, obsessive compulsive rituals, drug abuse, somnolent disorders, depr4essive tendencies, extreme mood changes and suicidal thoughts.  In the field of psychoanalysis, the clinicians have attempted to distinguish, evaluate and assist individuals who suffer from dissociative identity disorder by the application of a variety of interventions. These interventions pertain to the psychoanalytic method (Schneiderman 185).

Therapists have applied hypnosis in order to relieve the pain which the individuals who are afflicted with dissociative identity disorder are experiencing. The application of hypnosis has had the objective of implementing an object in order to remedy the trauma. The application of an object enables the direction of the patient’s attention. The directing of attention in the hypnotherapy which is applied to remedy the symptoms of dissociative identity disorder has been applied with the goals of coercing the patient into a mental condition which is more vulnerable. The coercing of the vulnerability in the patient is performed with the aim of liberating the thoughts that have been subjected to suppression and pro ejection (Freud 61).

The liberal association of words and thoughts would more than likely cause the victims to experience relaxation. In addition the liberal association that has been conducted by therapists would most likely cause the patients’ attention to become directed outside of the field of vision. In order to diminish the distractions and the enable the patient to relax, the verbalization of concepts has been proven to be effective with patients who have been affected with dissociative identity disorder.  The evaluation of the residual dream content   has been applied as a psychoanalytical intervention. The process of the residual dream intervention involves the evaluation of the basis of the inferences which are censored by the dissociative identity disorder patient (Kluft 311). The subliminal messages are decided, analyzed and reviewed with the patient in the psychoanalytical process (Kluft 312).

The theory of psychoanalysis could be adapted into the standard of a scientific theory that has been validated. In accordance with the scientific paradigm, theories which are conceptually sound present facts which are connected and categorized in addition to the implications of hypotheses in the scientific method, there are theories which present predictions that can be tested under different circumstances. In addition, the theories can be applied to the practical day to day application. In the application of the criterion for theories that confirms to the scientific method, the theory of psychoanalysis is composed of facts which are categorized and connected. There are a number of hypotheses which are applied. Notwithstanding, the practical applications and the predictions which can be tested may vary in their outcomes (Schneiderman 279).

Conclusion

Considering that speculation and theory administrate the etiological premises that apply to dissociative disorders, a position that has been received with substantial acclaim is that the dissociative identity disorder is catalyzed by traumatic experiences and recollections. The evaluation of past traumas and mnemonic associations may not be sufficient to categorize dissociative indent disorder as a mental dysfunction in itself. Nevertheless, the traumas which are associated with the coping mechanism that has been delineated by some experts as dissociative identity disorder is a significant contributor that exerts influence in the production of dissociative disorders. Patients who have been affected by dissociative identity disorder have been demonstrated to have the qualities of being talented, socially adept, creative and intelligent individual who have developed dissociation with past traumatic events .The dissociation with the traumatic memories that has enabled the afflicted to overcome the traumatic abuses of the early developmental stages of life.

Works Cited

APA. DSM-5. Arlington, VA: American Psychological Association.

Conan, Vivian. “Me, me, me and my therapist.” The New York Times, 3 January 2015. Web. .24 April 2015. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/03/me-me-me-and-    my-therapist/

Freud, Sigmund. The Psychopathology of everyday life. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2003. Print.

Haberman, Clyde. “Debate persists over diagnosing mental health disorders, long after ‘Sybil’.” The New York Times, 23 November 2014. Web 24 April 2015.http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/24/us/debate-persists-over-diagnosing-mental-health-disorders-long-after-sybil.html?_r=0

Kluft, RP. “An overview of the psychotherapy of dissociative identity disorder.” American Journal of Psychotherapy53. 3(1999): 289- 319.

Schneider, Kirk J. and Rollo May. The Psychology of existence: An integral clinical perspective. Columbus, OH: McGraw- Hill, 1995. Print.

Tartarovsky, Margarita. “Dispelling myths about dissociative identity disorder.” Psych   Central, 30 January 2013. Web. 24 April 2015. http://psychcentral.com/lib/dispelling-myths-about-dissociative-identity-disorder/0009785