Multiple Personality Disorder
Multiple Personality Disorder, also referred to as MPD, is a situation where an individual literally has more than one altered states/personalities. This is more than just talking to yourself, which we all do from time to time. This is a situation where the personalities are able to control behavior, they have their own personalities, their own memories, their own histories, and even their own physical characteristics.
Someone with MPD can have several personalities. There have even been some reports of individuals have dozens of personalities.
In order for someone to be diagnosed as having MPD there must be evidence that they suffer from distinct identities, each with its own way of thinking, reasoning, and behaving. There must also be a situation where one personality takes over the person's behavior with memory loss that is more than just normal forgetfulness. In addition, this must not be caused by any kind of drugs or medication, sleep disorders, or brain injury.
The causes are not known for sure, but there is speculation that it is related to a very stressful situation, e.g. abuse in childhood. There is also evidence that genetics may cause predisposition to suffering this illness.
Treatment usually involved behavioral therapy, and psychotherapy, in order to unite the personalities. There are no drugs yet developed to help treat this condition.
The term MPD has recently (1994) been changed to DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Amanda Baggs, the woman who many think suffers from Dissociative Personality Disorder, really has something even more interesting, which is psychogenic autism, possibly one of her personalities. It is also possible this is a factitious disorder, as she is reported to have 'studied" other severely autistic cases in order to adopt mannerisms...Very interesting case. You Tube video: "autism epidemic out of control" and "autism spectrum seems out of control" go into this subject a tad...this is definately something on the horizon. A new phenomenon, sparked by the autism explosion and creating mass hyteria and psychogenic factors within unstable minds to adopt such a diagnosis, as they feel this will bring them attention and nurturing they so deeply need, due to often traumatic upbringings (ie...Donna Williams, a most interesting case as well). The trouble is, when these psychogenic autism cases are featured on CNN (as in case of amanda baags) then you have a case of avoidance, where the media that once promoted or featured such a person, is now unwilling to realize or accept that this was all a fraud, or fabrication of such. This is not helpful for neither the patient or the community at large.