The Controversy Surrounding Multiple Personality Disorder...

The Controversy Surrounding Multiple Personality Disorder Multiple Personality Disorder is a condition that many people probably have not heard of. Among those who have heard of it, there are even less who actually know what it is. However, according to Piper (1997) there were about 6,000 cases diagnosed in North America alone in 1986. Some experts estimate that multiple personality disorder, or MPD, affects 5 to 10 percent of the population, or about 100 million people worldwide. For such a widespread disorder, the publics lack of knowledge about it is pretty shocking. One explanation for this lack of knowledge could be the fact that many people, fueled by the beliefs of many noted psychologists, do not believe the†¦show more content†¦For the most part, what psychologists talk about as identity, although a useful construct, is a complete illusion. The example he gives is how people tend to act differently in different situations. For instance, a teenage boy is usually one way around his friends, another way around his parents, an d yet another around his siblings or other family members. Richmond calls these different aspects of personality ego states. Many psychologists dont even attempt to define personality. For example, Carroll (2003) gives the following explanation for an alter personality: The alters are said to occur spontaneously and involuntarily, and function more or less independently of each other. This really gives no insight as to what an alter personality truly is; it only describes what an alter does. Piper attempts to explain alter personalities in stating each personality has its own set of personality traits, such as language abilities, style of speech, value systems, and cognitive styles. This gives a little clearer picture of what a personality consists of, but its not quite complete. One reason many are skeptical about MPD could be that no one really understands what an alter personality is, so it is therefore hard to believe they exist. Besides the apparent presence of alter personalities, there are many otherShow MoreRelatedEssay on Dissociative Identity Disorder800 Words   |  4 PagesIdentity Disorder Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a severe condition in which two or more distinct identities or personality states are present in, and alternately take control of an individual. People who suffer from DID often have no recollection of what they have done or said while under the influence of the alternate personalities. Friends, family, and the person with the disorder often have a hard time dealing with DID, because of the sporadic nature of the personalities. DID is aRead MoreDissociative Identity Disorder1310 Words   |  6 PagesDissociative Identity Disorder or DID. 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