How Is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Linked To Dissociative Identity Disorder?

Answer 1

I tend to side with Hope, in that the real key is trauma. Both PTSD and DID are creative reactive measures to coping with trauma. DID is a reaction to severe trauma and a dissociative disorder. PTSD is also a reaction to trauma. Many people will in fact encounter some form of PTSD as a reaction to trauma during their lives, the issue is whether the symptoms are short lived (up to one month) or prolonged (more than one month), after which point it becomes diagnosable. PTSD is classed as an anxiety disorder, it may also include symptoms of dissociation.

Some researchers, such as (C.W. Duncan 1994), even suggest that DID is a dramatic form of PTSD. Whatever the truth, diagnosable PTSD is far more common, and is officially thought to affect
at least 8-10% of the general population as a lifetime prevelance. DID is far less common, it is thought that it affects about 1% of the general population.

Interestingly, many persons encountering DID and related disorders such as DD nos feel that all humans actually have multiple personalities rather than the percieved one personality. The issue, is more one of the degree of seperation and communication between the personalities.

Answer 2

Trauma is the Link

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder begins with an individual who is faced with a traumatic event so disturbing that their level of fear is immense.

Dissociative Identity Disorder - also begins when a child experiences trauma so horrific that they believe they will not survive, whether physical, sexual, or situational (tornado, etc.) that they form separate personalities to deal with and hold the memory of the experience the trauma.

(Please note that Dissociative Identity Disorder covers a vast spectrum of variance where people think or feel distanced from reality. In reality, adults who face such strength of trauma form DID to a lesser extent, and do not form separate personalities)

Answer 3

No PTSD has not been linked to Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). The diagnoses most commonly linked are personality disorders. In fact almost all cases of DID occur in people with the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.

Answer 4

I think what "HOPE" said helps because my son's has PTS and he has a lot of problems with his behavior as well.

Answer 5

they try to block out the incident, so they develop new personalities. :]