Multiple Personality Disorder example essay topic

Multiple Personality Disorder, MPD, is an illness that is little understood by the public but still remains to be very difficult and trying to the people that fall at its mercy everyday. In the 1950's, a book introducing the World to Multiple Personality Disorder was released, The Three Faces of Eve. This was the first time the public had ever been exposed to this sickness (Clark 15). People with this disorder are said to be inhabited by many different personalities. Each of these personalities can become the center of the person's consciousness (Kluft and Fine 87). This should be a great concern to people because it effects more and more of the human race.

The most common cause of MPD is said to start between the ages of two or three in kids that have been physically, mentally, and or, sexually abused. At this age, the child is to small to fight back at their adversary, therefore, they create a safe harbor in their minds where they can go when they are being subjected to pain (Clark 28). This does not mean that everyone that has been diagnosed with MPD was mistreated. But it has been discovered that the disorder is a reaction to stress and trauma (Spiegel 2). In many cases, the traumas that MPD patients have been subjected to have been inflicted on them by a family member. People with MPD also repeatedly report a past of neglect, seeing violence, and or murder in their early lives.

(Kluft and Fine 59). These torturous emotions are held inside by the different personalities containing memories imprisoning the patient to the past (Clark 224). Headaches have been reported as a very predominate symptom associated with MPD. These headaches have been described as uncommonly painful and most of the time are accompanied with visual impairments (Putnam 65). Most people describe these headaches as being "Like migraines" (Clark 56) The only difference is that these "migraines" are not affected by medicine. These headaches happen often and can also come before the switching of personalities (59).

In one case study a woman by the name of Nora had a very painful left fromtotemporal headache that happened very suddenly but did not lost for a long period of time. The headache ceased to exist when Nora's alter personality, Nora Ann appeared (Kluft and Fine 234). Many patients have been reported to have symptoms of depression and even suicidal behaviors. In a resent survey of the NIMH eighty-eight percent of patients have been diagnosed with depression (Putnam 64) and seventy-five percent have made at least one or more suicide attempts (58). Suicide is an onset of depression that is ever-present in MPD patients.

The many alter personalities may try to commit suicide thus killing the host personality (Putnam 206). Another symptom of MPD is hearing voices. This part of the disorder makes many patients feel like they are losing their minds (Clark 60). When patients finally talk about the voices they report that they are coming from the "Inside of their head".

For multiples, each of the voices has its own personality. These voices do not have total control over the patient, but the patient can react to something that they hear the alter personalities are saying (61). Many sufferers are often hesitant to speak of this problem because they are afraid of what people will think of them (60). During the late twentieth century, more attention was given to studying the contingency of MPD than to a treatment for the disorder (Crabtree 56). So far, the best treatment that has been found for MPD is psychotherapy which helps the patient to realize the state of each of their personalities (Spiegel 2). Two or three psychotherapy sessions each week are recommended to be effective.

(Kluft and Fine 211). It is very important in the treatment to find out which of the alters cause the most stress on the body (206). One part of the treatment is providing the patient with a stable environment. Being in an environment where divorce and or having health problems is a factor may cause more splitting of the personalities thus, undoing what has been accomplished in therapy (Clark 209). The patient that has been successfully treated will keep the best talents of the alters but will no longer have to deal with the confusion and blank spells (Clark 228). Most multiples can be brought under suppression within two to three years after the patient has been correctly diagnosed.

(Clark 212). Another form of treatment is hypnotiziom. During this procedure information and memories of the patients past life are easily accessible (Clark 66). Although MPD sufferers are easily hypnotized they have a strong resistance against it. They have a fear of losing control. The best method that has been discovered for helping people with this fear is to provide them with an initial trance.

This provides the patient with trust in what the therapist is doing (Putnam 220). Until people understand the true danger of this disease it will remain a threat for years to come. Is it really worth taking your pain out on someone else? But no one can truly understand this disorder until they have lived with it. The true torment that these individuals live in is described in this heart-rending poem written by an unnamed suffer of MPD. To and fro, Where she stops Nobody knows- With the spin of the head And a countdown is said Who will she be this time?

To and fro, To and from, Where she stops I'd like to know. The feeling changes at the drop of a hat. One moment I feel this, The next I feel that. How do I pin down the feeling inside and bring them together so they will no longer hide? When one sees the other, they " ll start to fight; the ones that are mean fight with all their might, but the ones that are scared will run and hide out of sight.

Confusion, confusion, Is all that I hear Voice upon voice ring in my ear. I cover my ear but to no avail. To die, to die, Is all I think of But would I go to hell Or heaven above? Would I do it? Could I do it? Should I do it?

Why? To find peace and relief In the sweet by-and-by (Clark 62-63). Clark, Terri A.M.D. More Than One. Nashville; Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1993.

Crabtree, Adam Multiple Man: Explorations in Possession and Multiple Personality Disorder. Ontario; Collins Publishers. 1985. Kluft, Richard P.M.D. and Fine, Catherine G.P. h. D. Clinical Perspectives on Multiple Personality Disorder.

London, England; American Psychiatric Press, Inc. 1993. Putnam, Frank W.M.D. Diagnosis and Treatment of Multiple Personality Disorder. New York; The Guilford Press. 1989.

Spiegel, David "Dissociative Identity Disorder". Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000. Microsoft Works. 1998.