:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-treat-dissociative-disorder-5211865-Final-ea0ab54bf701415b98e2fe18de2f9782.jpg)
Dissociative identity disorder (DID) treatment involves a combination of different therapies, psychiatric medications, and coping strategies.
Previously known as multiple personality disorder or split personality disorder, DID causes a distinct break or discontinuity in a person's memory, perceptions, thoughts, and behaviors.
These symptoms cause significant distress that can interfere with daily life. While there's no specific cure for DID, a person can learn to integrate multiple identities with consistent treatment.
This article discusses dissociative identity disorder treatments. It explains the different psychotherapy techniques, medications, and coping strategies used to manage DID.
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is the most effective treatment for dissociative identity disorder. This condition frequently develops from childhood abuse or other traumatic events. Dissociative episodes, or "shifts" from one personality to another, can be triggered by stress or other factors in the environment (sounds, sights, smells) that remind the person of their trauma.
For this reason, the goals of psychotherapy may include processing painful memories, managing sudden changes in behavior, learning new coping skills, and bringing multiple identities back into one functional person.
This form of treatment may use several different types of therapeutic approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and schema therapy.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is based on the belief that dysfunctional thoughts lead to dysfunctional behaviors or emotions.
For example, a person with DID who has suffered from abuse might always expect negative outcomes in their relationships. CBT challenges these negative thought patterns and replaces them with thoughts based on current reality.
CBT also helps the individual process past traumas and learn how to cope with the depression that often occurs with DID.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of therapy that focuses on both change and acceptance. DBT focuses on these four main skills:
Psychodynamic psychotherapy focuses on helping people better understand unconscious aspects of their suffering. This type of therapy uses a variety of techniques to help a person understand how the past plays a role in their current behaviors.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is used to reduce distress associated with traumatic memories.
The therapeutic benefits of EMDR have been well-studied in the treatment of emotional trauma, an underlying factor for dissociative identity disorder. Research shows EMDR works to rapidly decrease both negative emotions and the vividness of disturbing memories.
During EMDR, a person thinks about past trauma while also performing a physical task to stimulate both sides of the brain—most commonly eye movements. This therapy sometimes includes tapping, listening to sounds, or walking/pacing.
A successful EMDR therapy session may prompt physical symptoms associated with the traumatic event. Though difficult, this has been shown to regulate autonomic nervous system functions, like heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and digestion, and provide long-term benefits.
For people with dissociative identity disorder, EDMR also promotes the integration of autobiographical memories and reduces dissociative symptoms.
A schema is a mental framework that a person develops to help interpret their experiences. Oftentimes, people with dissociative identity disorder have experienced childhood trauma and/or abuse that led to negative schemas and a lack of positive coping skills.
Schema therapy integrates aspects of several different types of psychotherapy (talk therapy). Goals of schema therapy include:
Clinical hypnotherapy is another treatment modality used to treat dissociative identity disorder. Hypnosis is a suggestion-based therapeutic intervention used to treat people with dissociative disorders since the 1800s.
Research shows people with dissociative disorders are more susceptible to hypnotic suggestions, but the degree of success varies. People with more severe dissociative symptoms tend to show greater hypnotic suggestibility than those with less severe symptoms.
When applied correctly, hypnosis can be a helpful tool for creating important turning points in the treatment process. In some cases, hypnotherapy is used in combination with psychedelic medications such as psilocybin (mushrooms), ketamine, or MDMA.
Hypnosis therapy is not without controversy, however. Some experts believe hypnosis carries an unintended risk of creating new identities, while others argue it only allows existing personalities to emerge. Additionally, hypnosis may be dangerous if applied carelessly or by someone who is not properly trained in treating DID.
You can find a reputable hypnotherapist through the following organizations:
There's no specific medication for treatment of dissociative identity disorder. However, medications can be effective for treating depression and anxiety that often occur with this condition.
Antidepressants help manage symptoms of depression by changing levels of chemicals called neurotransmitters in the brain. There are several types of antidepressants, including:
One group of medications commonly used to treat anxiety are benzodiazepines such as Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam). These medications have short-lasting effects and can be taken while a person is experiencing anxiety symptoms to decrease muscle tension and promote relaxation.
SSRIs are also used to treat anxiety disorders.
Antipsychotic medications are typically used to treat psychosis, a condition in which a person has lost touch with reality. However, these medications can also be used to treat severe depression and bipolar disorder, and may treat symptoms associated with dissociative identity disorder. Examples include Abilify (aripiprazole) and Risperdal (risperidone).
A variety of coping strategies can be helpful for managing life with dissociative identity disorder. These include:
Dissociative identity disorder treatment focuses on working through past trauma, managing emotions, and ultimately, integrating multiple identities into one functioning person. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is the most effective treatment for dissociative disorders.
Psychotherapy techniques that are helpful for DID include cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, and schema therapy.
In some cases, medications might be used to treat anxiety and/or depression that often occur with DID. Positive coping strategies can also improve daily life.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
By Aubrey Bailey, PT, DPT, CHT
Dr, Bailey is a Virginia-based physical therapist and professor of anatomy and physiology with over a decade of experience.
