Dissociation & multiple personality disorder. A challenge for psychosocial nurses

1. Multiple personality disorder (MPD) is a dissociative disorder in which two or more distinct personality states exist within an individual. At least two of these personalities recurrently take full control of the person's behavior. 2. Most MPD clients report histories of severe childhood trauma, particularly physical, sexual, and ritual cult abuse. MPD most likely originates in childhood, but is not usually diagnosed until adulthood. In most reported cases, the first dissociative episode is thought to have occurred at a very young age. 3. Signs and symptoms that may suggest MPD include a history of medical and psychiatric diagnoses; inconsistencies in accounts of elapsed time and physical behaviors; psychophysiological complaints; experiencing voices inside the head; and an individual referring to herself as "we" instead of "I."