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Psychiatry4 papers

Multiple personality disorder

Last edited: 4/15/2026

Overview

Multiple personality disorder (now often referred to as dissociative identity disorder) is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment. These identities often have distinct histories, memories, and behaviors, leading to significant functional impairment 1.

Diagnosis

  • Presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states
  • Disruption of sense of self and subjective experience
  • Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness
  • The disturbance is not attributable to the effects of a substance or another medical condition
  • Symptoms cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning 1

    • Management

  • First-line treatments: Psychotherapy, particularly hypnotherapy and hypnoplay therapy, which aids in the expression of emotions and developmental completion in patient alters 1
  • Adjunctive therapies: No specific drug classes or doses mentioned for first-line treatment; focus on psychological interventions 1

    • Special Populations

  • Pediatrics: Hypnoplay therapy can be particularly beneficial for child alters, facilitating nonverbal expression and emotional processing 1
  • Comorbidities: No specific guidance provided for comorbidities in the given abstracts 1

    • Key Recommendations

  • Utilize hypnoplay therapy to facilitate emotional expression and developmental completion in patients with dissociative identity disorder (DID) 1 (Evidence: Moderate)
  • Focus initial management on psychotherapeutic approaches tailored to the needs of distinct identity states 1 (Evidence: Moderate)
  • Consider hypnotherapy as a valuable adjunct during postfusion stages to aid in identity integration 1 (Evidence: Weak)

    • References

    1 Shapiro MK. Bandaging a "broken heart": hypnoplay therapy in the treatment of multiple personality disorder. The American journal of clinical hypnosis 1991. link

    Original source

    1. [1]
      Bandaging a "broken heart": hypnoplay therapy in the treatment of multiple personality disorder. — Shapiro MK The American journal of clinical hypnosis (1991)
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