Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a severe dissociative disorder characterized by the presence of two or more distinct identity states or personality fragments controlling behavior at different times. Etiology is strongly linked to early-life trauma, chronic abuse, and disrupted attachment, with neurobiological alterations in memory and emotional regulation circuits. Clinically, patients exhibit identity discontinuity, gaps in memory, depersonalization, and varying emotional states associated with distinct personality states. Diagnosis requires thorough psychiatric assessment, careful differentiation from psychotic and personality disorders, and corroborative history. Management involves long-term psychotherapy focused on integration of identity states, trauma processing, and symptom stabilization. Prognosis improves with structured treatment, although chronicity and functional impairment can occur in untreated cases.