'I'm a bisexual 15-year-old, Japanese chef,

and four-year-old twins': Woman, 23, claims she has 15 personalities (and must buy Christmas presents for each of them)

Kimi Sands suffers from a rare condition called Dissociative Identity Disorder



Results in her different personalities taking control of her body at any time

She has spent hundreds of pounds buying gifts for all 15 of her personas

Says her boyfriend Chris, 24, loves all of her personalities



A 23-year-old woman claims she has 15 personalities - and must buy Christmas presents for all of them.



Kimi Sands suffers from a rare condition called Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which results in her different personalities taking control of her body at any given time.



She has spent hundreds of pounds buying gifts for all 15 of her personas, which include Japanese chef Satou, 22, exercise-addict Fiona, 17, and four-year-old twins Jack and Safyer.

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Changeable: Kimi Sands, 23, with partner Chris. She suffers from a rare condition called Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which results in her different personalities taking control of her body at any given time

Ms Sands, 23 from Cardiff, said: ‘Christmas is a bit more expensive for me than for others because obviously I have so many people to buy for.



‘Including myself, there are 16 individuals to get presents for. These can be anything from alcohol for the older personalities to teddies for the kids.’



Ms Sands’ condition, DID, is commonly known as multiple personality disorder.



People who have DID can experience shifts of identity as separate personalities and each identity may be in control of their behaviour and thoughts at different times - each with a distinctive pattern of thinking, needs and desires.

Young: Kimi as Jack, aged 4, who is twins with Safyer, right. She has spent hundreds of pounds buying gifts for all 15 of her personas



Mixing it up: Kimi as exercise-addict Fiona, aged 17 (left) and as Ashy, aged 23, from Yorkshire



Ms Sands’ personas started to develop when she was three years old but it was not until she reached the age of 20 that she was diagnosed with DID by a psychotherapist at The Pottergate Centre for trauma and disassociation in Norwich.

Her personality switches can last anything from a few minutes to several days at a time, which is typical of the condition.

She can become personas such as Yorkshire man Ashy, 23, flamboyant Essex-born Koumi, 17, genderless Finn, 14, and a party-loving bisexual called Theodore, aged 15.

Ms Sands’ partner, Chris Lee, 24, said the festive season can be a struggle for the couple financially as there are so many individuals to buy presents for.

He said: 'It’s hard. We’re a couple but at the same time, we have this internal family. You’ve got to pay for gifts for everyone else,’ he said.



Different ages: Kimi as bisexual Theo, aged 15 (left) and as 25-year-old Abigail (right). Her condition, dissociative identity disorder, is commonly known as multiple personality disorder



Kimi as Fyn, aged 14 and right, as Kitten, who is 'very secretive'. Her personality switches can last anything from a few minutes to several days at a time, which is typical of the condition

Mr Lee is usually buys the presents for Kimi’s younger personalities, as they prevalently tend to get 'overexcited' during shopping trips.



‘The kids go mental in the toy store and want to buy everything,’ he said.

‘It’s funny because when I’m queuing at the till with My Little Pony figures, people often mistakenly assume that I’m buying presents for my children.’

However the pair believe the money and effort is all worth it.

Mr Lee said: ‘Giving the presents to everyone is so much fun. The kids are ecstatic and emerge from Kimi immediately.

‘But then it’s very difficult to make one personality leave so you can give the next gift to another one.’



Ms Sands added: ‘I lose a lot of time when my alters take over. When I was at school, Ashy attended it in my place quite regularly.



Kimi as Aimee, who has not disclosed her age and as her 'normal' personality. Her personas started to develop when she was three years old but it was not until she reached the age of 20 that she was diagnosed



‘In that time, he got with all of my female friends. When I returned, rumours were going around that I was a lesbian!

‘Teenager Theodore takes advantage of the fact that I have an age identification card and goes out drinking.

‘I’ve lost whole evenings because of him and I wake up the next morning with terrible hangovers,’ she said.



It is not only at Christmas that Ms Sands has to spend money on her other alter egos.



‘You have to make a lot of compromises when you have 15 personalities. I have to stock my wardrobe with different clothes for everyone. The boys would be angry if they had to wear dresses.

‘I also have to make sure that there’s always vegan food in the fridge for Fiona. It’s complicated making sure everyone’s diet is catered for,’ she said.

Variety: Mr Lee said that he has come to love all of Ms Sands' personalities in different ways and is able to have a night out with the boys, as well as taking the younger 'kids' to the zoo

Mr Lee said that he has come to love all of Ms Sands’ personalities in different ways and is able to have a night out with the boys, as well as taking the younger ‘kids’ to the zoo.



However they retain a strict rule of no romantic intimacy between Mr Lee and Ms Sands’ other personalities.



She explained: ‘It’s mostly just me with Chris. Although sometimes I allow him to kiss and cuddle Koumi, who is gay.



WHAT IS DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER? Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is the most complex dissociative disorder and is also known as multiple personality disorder (MPD).

Some people see it as a personality disorder, although it is not. The defining feature is severe change in identity. People who have DID can experience the shifts of identity as separate personalities. Each identity may be in control of their behaviour and thoughts at different times and each has a distinctive pattern of thinking and relating to the world. Dissociation can affect a person's perception, thinking, feeling, behaviour, body and memory. The impact of dissociation varies from person to person and may change over time. How well a person appears to be coping is not a good way of telling how severely affected they are. A person's sense of reality and who they are depends on their feelings, thoughts, sensations, perceptions and memories. If these become disconnected from each other, an individual's sense of identity, their memories and they way they perceive themselves in the world will change - and this is what happens to sufferers of Dissociative identity disorder. SOURCE: Mind

‘Some of my alters are romantically involved with each other though. Theo is going out with Finn.



‘Theo has his own Facebook profile and asked Finn to join the social network so they could be in a relationship together online,’ she added.



Ms Sands, a part-time artist, wants to educate more people about the disorder and regularly uploads videos on YouTube featuring her other personalities.



‘Every time you see a DID sufferer in a film, they are portrayed as evil. I often have to explain to people that I’m not an axe murderer!’ she said.



‘I want to deliver a positive message through my videos.’



Ms Sands does not let her condition get in the way of life and tries to remain optimistic about it.



She says: ‘Yes it’s a painful disorder but there are so many happy bits to having DID.



‘I always have company. There is someone by my side all the time.’



A spokesperson for Mind, the mental health charity, said: ‘Dissociative identity disorder is the most complex dissociative disorder.



'You may experience shifts of identity and each one may be in control of your behaviour and thoughts at different times. Every identity you have has a unique pattern of thinking and way of relating to the world.



‘If you are experiencing these symptoms then we would urge you to talk to a family member or friend about how you’re feeling or seek help from your GP or a psychiatrist.



'A health professional can assess your symptoms and discuss all your treatment options with you.’

