Caring for alcoholic patients with dissociative identity disorder

Nursing care of the alcoholic patient becomes multifaceted and complex with the presence of a psychiatric-mental health disorder. Although issues surrounding dual-diagnosis patients have been addressed in the literature, there is a paucity of research and theory regarding care of the patient who has both alcoholism and dissociative identity disorder. This article presents a synthesis of the nursing literature with the author's experience to elucidate factors that enhance healing. Nursing interventions that are unique and sensitive for the alcoholic patient with dissociative identity disorder are discussed.