First of all it should be made clear that while it is commonly belived that DID and MPD are the same diagnosis but there are distinct differences between the two. DID is Dissociative Identity Disorder while MPD is Multiple Personality Disorder. One can be dissociative without having multiple personalities. MPD is actually much rarer than many people think though there have been confirmed cases of MPD and recovery though psychotherapy and integration. Lets start by exploring Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Dissociation is defined as a lack of connection with one's feelings, actions, and memories. To the person who is dissociating, it feels as though they are in a hypnotic state and the memory can be altered as in the case of the child who is enduring sexual abuse. Dissociation can provide a means of "escape", a feeling of not being emotionally or mentally present during a traumatic event, particularly those which are ongoing. This is a defense mechanism by the child in a situation which is overwhelming to them. Quite simply, children are not equipped mentally or emotionally to deal with sexual issues.

While dissociation is a highly effective and creative coping mechanism it can be reinforced by repeated exposure to abusive situations which serves to condition the child to dissociate on a regular basis. What then happens is that a child will begin to dissociate more frequently to deal with emotions such as stress and anxiety. This can become a significant problem if one is persistently dissociating whenever there is stress, leading to dysfunction in one's personal and professional life.

Over time, if dissociation is a chronic state, one's dissociative mental state can begin to take on seperate entities, which may develop into distinct personalities. These personalities may take on their own identities thus creating the problem of MPD. Persons with MPD also have DID but those with DID do not necessarily have MPD.

Common symptoms of DID:

• Mood swings
• Depression
• Suicidal thoughts or tendencies
• Flashbacks
• Panic attacks
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Amnesia
• Aggression

DID is usually caused by repeated exposure to sexual or physical abuse but can be caused by other events. Females are at higher risk than males of developing this mental disorder. DID can be cured by intensive psychotherapy, medication, and hypnosis. One must remember the trauma of the abuse in order to reconnect the feelings associated with the abuse. This is difficult because the coping mechanism was established in order to protect from the trauma. Children are most likely to initially use this sort of coping mechanism but once it is used repeatedly, it becomes reinforced and will continue until the initial trigger is "relived" in order to find other means of coping with the trauma.