Celebrating National Multiple Personality Day: Understanding DID
Raise Awareness And Examine Your Personalities!
Dissociative Identity Disorder Awareness Day is marked on March 5th every year to spread knowledge and awareness about DID. Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a mental illness where individuals are with two or more distinct identities. The day aims to debunk widespread misconceptions about the disorder and raise awareness of it as a recognized illness. Our personalities can change depending on who we are with and what we are doing. With these considerations in mind, National Multiple Personality Day is a day to dwell on yourself and your personality. A multicolored awareness ribbon resembling multiple crazy quilts represents the day.
How Common Dissociative Identity Disorder Is?
Formerly, dissociative identity disorder was known as multiple personality disorder or split personality disorder until the mid-1990s. It was renamed to characterize the symptoms experienced. Previously, DID was quite uncommon. Between 0.01 and 1% of the population is affected by an illness that can happen at any age. DID is more common in women than in men. Lately, research finds almost 1.5% of the global population is affected by DID.
National Multiple Personality Day 2024
Multiple Personality Day strives to dispel those worries by raising awareness of its occurrence and providing resources and coping strategies to patients and their families. Some people celebrate this day by connecting with the various aspects of their personality.
Louis Vivet was the first patient to be correctly identified with multiple personalities in 1885, and his case drew the medical community's attention to the problem.
Symptoms Of Multiple Personality Disorder
DID patients have two or more distinct and different personalities, each with its pattern of reacting to their surroundings and environment. Because of their separate identities, they suffer from substantial memory loss of time, people, and events throughout their lifetime, with a wide range of other symptoms, such as sadness, anxiety, and dissociation episodes typically caused by unresolved trauma. Those suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder may experience symptoms that interfere with their quality of life. Aside from amnesia, these may include
- Depersonalization (feeling detached from their actions, emotions, thoughts, or sensations that things around them do not feel real)
- Flashbacks of old memories (often described as sleep-deprived nightmares)
- Eating disorders or addictions are used to manage mood problems like depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Goals Of Dissociative Identity Disorder
Embrace your weirdness!
Multiple personality day has three goals when it comes to defining it.
- Empower those personally affected by the disorder by sharing their stories and inspiring others to find ways to accept themselves in the world.
- Increase awareness about the disorder and improve understanding of the disease and its management tips.
- Learn more about your thoughts and characteristics.
Perspectives To Improve The Goal
The first technique involves an introspective study of our characteristics. This method views the day as an opportunity to investigate personality traits and the underlying causes of those characteristics. Each of us reveals a distinct side of our characters at other times and in different places. Our personalities can change depending on who we are with and what we are doing. With these in mind, the day focuses on our personality traits.
The second perspective on the observance is that it is intended to promote awareness of the condition. It is distinguished by at least two different and relatively long-lasting identities or dissociated personality states that alternately dominate a person's behavior.
Causes Of Multiple Personality Disorder
DID is estimated to afflict almost 1.5% of the general population. The cause of DID differs but is mostly caused by severe childhood trauma associated with imbalanced emotional life. Around the age of nine, children typically complete the process of personality growth during development. Long-term child abuse and a chaotic attachment system stop the kid from reliably calming down and seeking comfort from caretakers. At different times, these types have control over their behavior. Stress is one of the underlying causes of the disease.
How Can You Contribute On This Day?
1. Learn About Yourself
National multiple personality day is an excellent time to reflect on your hobbies, passions, anxieties, and ambitions. You can take personality tests and quizzes to understand yourself better and share your results with your friends.
2. Spread Awareness
Help raise awareness of dissociative identity disorder, its treatment, common misconceptions about persons with it, and how to be compassionate towards them!
This day is thought to be observed for two reasons,
Some people would describe national multiple personality day as a day to reflect on oneself and reconnect with one's true self. Investigating your personality traits and the roots of such features is equally important.
Others believe that National Multiple Personality Day is a day to raise awareness about this condition. Learn about the lives of people with dissociative identity disorder, which is both intriguing and eye-opening.
Myths and Facts
Myth: People with Dissociative identity disorder have multiple personalities that are completely separate and distinct.
Fact: While individuals with Dissociative identity disorder may experience different identities or "alters," these identities are not separate individuals but rather different aspects of the same person's consciousness. They share the same body and memories, although each alter may have its own unique characteristics, memories, and behaviors.
Myth: DID is caused by imagination or attention-seeking behavior
Fact: Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a real mental illness that usually arises in reaction to extreme trauma, such as abuse, neglect, or other traumatic experiences throughout infancy. It isn't an example of attention-seeking or lying.
Myth: Individuals with DID are dangerous or violent.
Fact: People with DID are not naturally aggressive or dangerous. Like everyone else, a variety of circumstances, such as their unique experiences, coping strategies, and support networks, have an impact on their conduct. Negative assumptions regarding DID are fueled by discrimination and misunderstandings.
Myth: It's impossible for someone with multiple disorders to lead a happy life.
Fact: Many people with multiple diseases can lead happy, meaningful lives if they receive the right care and support. People can learn to manage their circumstances and achieve their objectives and desires, and recovery is achievable.
Summary
A Perfect Day To Delve Into The Depths Of One's Personality
Research has revealed the condition's existence. Still, due to its rarity in many situations, many people are unaware of it. The day's goal is to change that fact and make it more well-known worldwide as a recognized condition that people should understand the issue.
You can also study your personality and change the areas of your personality that you dislike. Even if your dominant features remain the same, you will strengthen your shadow traits and become stronger. Therefore, this day serves as a reminder to pause and reflect on your thoughts and characteristics.
