Others

Research Paper

                     

So this is the paper Bear wrote for English on DID. He had a lot more to add for you guys but before he could write it and show you he went dormant. When he gets back he'll probably write another paper for you but for now I am showing you what he turned in. Please enjoy -Wybie

                           Misrepresentation of Dissociative Identity Disorder in The Media

Have you seen Split or more importantly do you know the harm that movie caused? Dissociative Identity Disorder is what Kevin from Split has. It is one of the most stigmatized and misrepresented disorders in the media. Dissociative Identity Disorder is caused by childhood trauma and the media likes to portray people who have been through a lot as monsters. DID is the correct term for multiple personality disorder. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD, similar to DID but with a few different requirements) is misrepresented in the media which invalidates systems (someone with DID), makes people think they're dangerous, and gives non-systems (people without DID) incorrect information.

Like I've previously mentioned DID was known as multiple personality disorder but in 1994 research showed that it isn't a personality disorder. It's not as common as people think either 1% of Americans have DID and 3% have some form of dissociative symptoms. It has been proven to have been caused by trauma as a child because when you are born you do not have a whole personality. You have many separate pieces of your brain with different needs but at around eight they integrate to form one personality. When a child endures trauma and thinks they can't survive their brain keeps them from integrating which later forms separate states of self to protect to child. This can cause amnesia and time lose, identity confusion, and many other symptoms. Alters are created to help a child and are their brain's unique coping mechanism. Their alters may not all be human and that's because they thought that's the only way they could survive what they were going through at the time.

DID has been a thing for a long time but with technology things have changed. It has been proven that some alters can have a disability like being blind while others are fully able. "Dissociation has an identifiable neural activity fingerprint" (Kastrup, Crabtree, and Kolly). This shows that brain scans have proven it undeniable that DID is a real disorder. Yes DID is a hard thing to understand which makes people want to deny it's reality but that it exactly why it needs more representation.

The little representation in the media can invalidate systems. "The 'it's just a movie' people only fuel and blame those living with DID." (Dunson). This shows that people aren't taking movies with the disorder serious which can be very invalidating. "They usually misrepresent it as another disorder which may include aspects of DID but usually are exaggerated." (Hayden). The media tends to mix together disorders and exaggerate them to be something they're not. From my research and first hand experience I can tell you that more often than not movies make systems feel invalidated.

Many movies can make people look dangerous. This is one of the biggest problems with DID in the media because people with DID are not monsters! "Our ex as soon as she discovered we have DID, called CPS on us, because she automatically assumed we have a violent headmate..." (Dunson). People have had their children taken away because of how DID is portrayed as being dangerous although most people and their alters are completely safe. "It was the first and last time I disclosed I had DID to emergency room staff. She was afraid of me and I'm super docile. All parts of me are." (Dunson). This proves that people are fearing people they shouldn't because of the media. As you can see the media is making harmless people "dangerous".

The media doesn't give out enough correct information. "I am also concerned that the film [Split] doesn't portray the illness as a response to chronic childhood trauma." (Dunson). Many movies fail to provide background information including causes for illnesses which can be important in understanding them. "Creators should talk to real diagnosed systems and not go off the first result on google or horror stereotypes." (Dunson). It would be very easy to interview real systems and get correct information but most creators don't do that. " It also makes DID seem more like a movie trope, and not a real, common, trauma based disorder." (Dunson). This confirms that the media is making DID look like a fake movie disorder which possibly could be stopped if they did their research properly and applied it. As you can see more research should go into films.

There are some decent opposing statements that I may not agree with but make sense. "So who wants to watch a movie about adults who were traumatized severely as children? Not many..." (Hayden). DID and OSDD are like every other disorder they are not fun and glamorous they are hard things to cope with. "The best example that is simple and straight forward is a little paper back book, entitled, 'United We Stand- A Book For Those With Multiple Personalities' by Eliana Gil, Ph.D."(Hayden). There is some good representation and information out there though it is most commonly found in books. Some people might also argue that because Split wasn't created to be informational it shouldn't be blamed for misrepresentation. In total there are some reasons as to why there is little representation (and to say there is representation) although I personally don't agree with the reasons.

Dissociative Identity Disorder and Other Specified Dissociative Disorder is misrepresented in the media which invalidates systems (people with DID), makes people think they're dangerous, and gives non-systems (people without DID) incorrect information. Most movies exaggerate DID and make it look either like a super power or a joke. Many people have become feared for their DID because a movie made them look like a monster. There is so much wrong information in the media and it's giving people the wrong ideas about a unique coping mechanism. Next time a friend says having alters is cool, makes a Split joke, or says Split is a great movie ask them if they truly know what they're talking about.

Dunson, Luara. "How Dissociative Identity Disorder Is Being Stigmatized In The Media." 2019, www.shrinktank.com/how-dissociative-identity-disorder-is-being-stigmatized-in-the-media/. Accessed 5 Mar. 2019.

Hayden, RJ. "What Is a Good Example of Dissociative Identity Disorder in Media (Books, Movies, Comics, Etc.)?" 2019, www.quora.com/What-is-a-good-example-of-dissociative-identity-disorder-in-media-books-movies-comics-etc. Accessed 5 Mar. 2019.

Kastrup, Bernardo, et al. "Could Multiple Personality Disorder Explain Life, the Universe and Everything?" Scientific American, A DIVISION OF NATURE AMERICA, INC., 2019, blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/could-multiple-personality-disorder-explain-life-the-universe-and-everything/.

N/A, N/A. "Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder)." Psychology Today, Sussex Publisher, 2019, disorder-multiple-personality-disorder.