The Controversy Surrounding Multiple Personality Disorder Essay

The Controversy Surrounding Multiple Personality Disorder Multiple Personality Disorder is a condition that many people probably have not heard of. Among those who have heard of it, there are even less who actually know what it is. However, according to Piper (1997) there were about 6,000 cases diagnosed in North America alone in 1986. Some experts estimate that multiple personality disorder, or MPD, affects 5 to 10 percent of the population, or about 100 million people worldwide. For such a widespread disorder, the public's lack of knowledge about it is pretty shocking. One explanation for this lack of knowledge could be the fact that many people, fueled by the beliefs of many noted psychologists, do not believe the disorder even exists. Why do they believe this? To answer this question, one must first understand a little more about MPD itself. Although there is no clear, universally accepted definition of multiple personality disorder, one interpretation that most seem to agree on was stated by Piper: "Multiple personality disorder (MPD) is characterized by the presence of 'alter personalities' that periodically and unpredictably take control of the patient's body" (pg. xii). All who have been diagnosed with MPD have shown evidence of one or more alter personalities aside from the host personality. The 'host' is usually described as the personality that is in control the largest amount of time, or the personality that presents itself for treatment. This may sound confusing, but it is nothing compared to the many other aspects of MPD, such as what a personality is, what causes the onset of MPD, whether or not someone really has MPD, and what treatment methods are effective-all of which will be discussed. In ... ...tml False Memory Syndrome Foundation Compilation: Dr. Bennett Braun. (1995, September 1). Retrieved March 11, 2004 from http://www.fmsfonline.org/braun.html Hendrickson, G (2001, July 3). psychotherapy. Retrieved March 26, 2004 from http://health.discovery.com/diseasesandcond/encyclopedia/3092.html McHugh, P. Multiple Personality Disorder (Dissociative Identity Disorder). Retrieved March 11, 2004 from http://www.psycom.net/mchugh.html Piper, A. (1997). Hoax and Reality: The Bizarre World of Multiple Personality Disorder. Northvale, NJ: J. Aronson Reyes, A. (2001, July 2). multiple personality disorder. Retrieved March 10, 2004 from http://health.discovery.com/diseasesandcond/encyclopedia/2909.html Richmond, R. Multiple Personality Disorder/Dissociative Identity Disorder. (2003). Retrieved March 12, 2004 from http://www.guidetopsychology.com/mpd.htm