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The Truth About Multiple Personalities: A Clinical Psychologist Explains DID

Dr. Becky Spelman | The Human Pattern

26,987 views

What if everything you thought you knew about Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) was wrong?

Clinical Psychologist Dr Mike Lloyd joins Dr Becky Spelman to explain one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions in the world.

In this interview, Dr Mike reveals:

• Why DID may affect around 1% of the population
• How severe childhood trauma can fragment identity
• Why DID is often confused with schizophrenia
• The shocking memory loss experienced by some sufferers
• How therapy works with different identities ("alters")
• The relationship between trauma, gender identity and dissociation
• Whether people can recover from DID
• Why some people with DID don't want their alters to disappear

This is one of the most fascinating and controversial conversations we've ever had on the channel.

If you're interested in trauma, psychology, dissociation, PTSD, identity, ADHD, autism, mental health or psychotherapy, this episode is essential viewing.

Subscribe for more psychology interviews, mental health education and expert discussions.

#DID #DissociativeIdentityDisorder #Trauma #MentalHealth #Psychology #Psychotherapy #PTSD #DrBeckySpelman

CHAPTERS

00:00 DID may be more common than you think
00:34 What is Dissociative Identity Disorder?
03:25 How common is DID?
04:40 DID vs Schizophrenia
08:15 Memory loss and DID
10:28 How DID affects daily life
11:54 Sense of self and identity
14:09 What therapy looks like
18:28 Can people recover from DID?
20:22 Working with alters in therapy
23:07 Recovery and integration
28:25 DID and gender identity
43:28 Why therapists avoid trauma too early
45:54 Dissociation as protection
49:42 Relationships and intimacy
52:28 Common mistakes therapists make
56:42 What kind of trauma causes DID?
59:57 ADHD, autism and dissociation
01:03:00 Can DID ever be a strength?
01:07:00 Final thoughts

Dr. Becky Spelman is a top Psychologist in London, Becky is the Clinic founder of Private Therapy Clinic in the UK, Ireland and the UAE.

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info@theprivatetherapyclinic.co.uk/

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20 Comments

@matthewpool6508 2 months ago (edited)

I brought up DID symptoms with a therapist and he said "it's a rare and controversial disorder so you probably don't have it." I am stable now but have had periods of extreme dissociation and even an alter introduce themself to a friend. I was hospitalized twice and told I had bipolar disorder. This was a couple of years ago but it drives me crazy thinking there is this part of myself that I don't know anything about except a name that I heard myself saying while having no control of what I was saying. I am grateful that I do not currently have symptoms impacting my life but it also makes me feel like my experiences will never be taken seriously. I also don't know how to talk to anyone about this including my boyfriend, and I am scared that talking about it will bring back the symptoms and chaos, and I feel extremely alone.

@justboyv2134 3 months ago

I wish more psychologists were educated in DID because when someone with DID goes to a psychologist and is being told they just have personality disorder like borderline, they just lose trust and close themselves to getting help. There is also a possibility that system / person with DID will “create” alter who will deny any symptoms and after couple of appointments they will get diagnosis of personality disorders with cPTSD. It’s really sad, because psychologist is meant to be someone who helps people, not traumatize patient so much they must create another alter to deal with them. I don’t know if you know what I mean, English is not my native language so sorry for that.

@microdosenyc4515 4 months ago

The thing about DID is that people (society) does not want to believe it is capable of doing such harm to children… it’s very lonely. You grow up thinking you are making everything up….

@khaosfrgmntarium 4 months ago

What I like most about my DID: When I wake up, go to the kitchen and surprisingly the kitchen is clean af. Best feeling. :)

@iamafairyqueen 2 months ago

I couldn’t imagine being “better”. I’ve lived like this for most of my 50 years. We’ve largely had to work on things ourselves as most therapy did more harm than good. We have a deep love and respect for one another that’s been hard earned.

@marshmallow_egg 1 month ago

I found the most frustrating thing is the fact that I already have adhd so I loose things but I will have like a 4 hour window where I have no idea where that object could be during that time and I come back into conciousness and I am searching for my stuff that I didn't even loose

@mundoblocktalk 2 months ago

Brazil is so behind, there aren't any professionals in D-ID. I'd love to start changing this scenario.

@user-wi3yx3gy2o 2 months ago

People don't seem to get that sometimes someone who is more calm, carefree, or happy else taking over can make you feel pretty good afterward. Also having a happier, more outgoing, calmer more easily fascinated less distracted less anxious part out while un some situations can be very productive and useful.

@LMHinshaw 4 months ago

Outstanding - just outstanding. I feel so much gratitude for Dr. Lloyd. What a solid discussion on this topic. I love that the “symptom” of traumatic dissociation is the traumatic “solution”.

@sarahcouture24 4 months ago (edited)

Im fairly certian my ex boyfriend has DID. He transforms into different people, and you can tell by his voice, way of speaking, facial expressions, posture, manurisms, attitudes, mentality, emotional state, and the inconsistency of his wildly different behaviors on a pretty consistent basis. He also has been diagnosed schizophrenic and has massive childhood trauma. I recognize at least 5 different personalities. Its difficult to deal with. Its like playing boyfriend roulette. He's like a box of chocolates. You never know which version youre gonna get.

@theresadutcher4750 4 months ago

That was a pleasure to watch. I am glad that there is educational content that invites real specialists who help real people. Denial is so easy but then what do mental health professionals do when they face real patients...

@tiredko-hi- 3 months ago

25:37 - 26:54 This was me with my alters. Though no one consented to being gone for an extended period of time (I don't think) and it wasn't anyone's intention, the brain just did that for about 2 days. I did do the wishing for everyone to just be gone. I didn't want any more pushing and pulling, and I wanted more control.

Them not being there, at the beginning, it was a relief. Just me, the room, my thoughts. But really quickly, about 20 minutes after I noticed I would say, I got this incredibly deep feeling of loneliness. It was creepy, it was kind of scary, I was left alone with no one to bail me out. I hadn't noticed that I did this before, but I noticed I couldn't "go under" and take a break / flee. It was absolutely awful. I also felt really empty, which I guess might be part of the loneliness? I'm not sure.

While I hadn't been fully aware of them or myself, I've been there with them most of my life. Almost as far as we can remember. I had taken them and the positive the dissociation does for me totally for granted. I hadn't realized this until some time last year, but we rely a lot on each other to be able to function properly.

@trudylyte4485 4 months ago

I’m so glad u brought up the joy of child within DID ..so true ..thank u

@lauraholladay 3 months ago

Dr. Mike is is a rare a impressive human. Your work is amazing

@nonamezshert 4 months ago

I think it's way more than 1/100, trauma is so dismissed in therapy, just enough to make you so unwell you cannot handle it. I have DID and also BPD, so no one listened to me for years, even before I knew what DID was, I showed symptoms and described symptoms. My life was hell as a kid. We need more research.

@ChanceKismet 4 months ago

Mike is wonderful - the CTAD clinic YouTube has helped us so much (alongside therapy), and we hugely appreciate having such a calm, down to earth, compassionate voice spreading a lot of wisdom about something that becomes a lot less scary the better you get to know it.

I love that last point about joy - we definitely have parts that fit that description to a T, and I can't describe how incredible meeting them for the first time was a couple of years ago. I had the experience of everyone going quiet for a few days since, & it was *the worst*.... so now we do our best to work together <3

@ApfelMuse 4 months ago

Do you feel that, somebody sorts clothes out and the other one says, who the heck decided that to give it away.

@ElenaAideen 2 days ago

Oof, the description of how parts can help us stay connected to childish joy really hit home. One of our parts is exactly that for us. Every week when we do laundry we set our socks aside and she does a sock puppet show while turning all the socks right side out.

@Sandi-zh2wx 1 month ago

I have to have noise on continously when I'm awake, and usually its a true crime video in the background. I think is bc I need chaos, I've never actually known how to "be" in quiet and calm. About 4-6 weeks ago, for some reason I'm not sure of, I decided I would see what it was like not to have continuous noise. Well, apparently it wasn't a good idea bc the last I remember was eating a brownie with my kid about 10pm, nothing of my normal night routine, like taking my meds, and I woke wide awake at exactly 5:21am, as if I had just come back into my body. It was a terrifying experience bc I knew "I" had been gone and someone else had taken over completely. I called my therapist and she said it was very unusual for a DID experience, in her experience, to last over 30 minutes. She felt like someone had taken over and got a peaceful night's sleep bc I have horrible insomnia.

@Bestill0579 3 months ago

Amazing interview. I’ll rewatch multiple times, as I was all over the place unable to fully retain. My favorite part when you were asked what no one has asked you. And the childlike parts, very descriptive of my own experiences with DID. These parts behaviors, looking back, have always been critical around my children. Thank you for all you have done for the DID community, I have learned so much about my own system through your videos.