The Crowded Room starring Leonardo de Caprio looks set to focus the spotlight on Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder). It is based on the story of Billy Milligan, a murderer rapist who was later diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

An excellent article by Kirstin Fawcett of US News was published this week and should help improve understanding of Dissociative Identity Disorder by addressing several key misconceptions.

With DID patients, if they feel hostility or aggression they take it out on themselves with self-harm… They’re self-destructive and repeatedly suicidal, more so than any other psychological disorder. So that’s what’s typical – not this wild aggression, or stalking women [or robbery].

– Dr Bethany Brand, psychologist

Another misconception is that “alter” states in DID are as defined and separate as, say, Toni Collette’s in “The U.S. of Tara.” Although a small subset of patients experience what clinicians call a “florid presentation,” a majority of people with DID experience much more subtle transitions between their various identity states.

– Kirstin Fawcett, US News

Read the article http://tinyurl.com/crowdedroom

Short link to this post http://tinyurl.com/thecrowdedroom

Related links

More on Dissociative Identity Disorder http://traumadissociation.com/dissociativeidentitydisorder

Mental illness and Crime https://traumadissociation.wordpress.com/2014/04/21/mentalillnesscrime

Dissociative Identity Disorder and System Responsibility https://traumadissociation.wordpress.com/2014/11/23/system-responsibility/