Can alters be different versions of yourself?

That is possible, although it’s not extremely common. Most people’s alters have highly variant personalities. This concept is more common in people with otherwise specified dissociative disorder 1, which is a disorder very similar to DID.

Can someone with DID switches between identities?

According to a 2010 Psychiatric Times article by Bethany Brand and Richard Loewenstein, only 5\% of people with DID exhibit obvious switching between identities. Instead, they point out the majority of people with DID show barely noticeable signs of the condition.

How many identities can a person with DID have?

A person living with DID may have as few as two alters or as many as 100. The average number is about 10. Often alters are stable over time, continuing to play specific roles in the person’s life for years.

Are people with multiple personalities self aware?

What is Multiple Personality Disorder (or Dissociative Identity Disorder)? Multiple personality disorder is the former name for what is now known as dissociative identity disorder (DID). It is characterized by a disruption in memory, self-awareness, identity, or perception.

Can you switch alters on command with DID?

Alters (headmates) can switch for all types of reasons depending on the trigger. Switching between headmates is usually involuntary, and can cause a great amount of distress with the alter. Every DID system is unique. Some people with DID have more control over their switching than other people with DID.

Can you have did without alters?

Dana Dorfman, a psychotherapist in New York City explained it simply: “People with DID do not have different personalities living within them. They are unable to integrate different emotional states into one cohesive sense of self.”

Can you have did without trauma?

You Can Have DID Even if You Don’t Remember Any Trauma But that doesn’t necessarily mean that trauma didn’t happen. One of the reasons that DID develops is to protect the child from the traumatic experience. In response to trauma, the child develops alters, or parts, as well as amnesic barriers.

Can people with DID choose their alters?

And Harris is quick to point out that people with DID can’t always summon one of their alters on command. Rather, part of the therapeutic process is to help a person with DID connect with all their different alters or parts.