Facilitating the emergence of hidden dissociative identity disorder

Finding the lost maiden Medusa

Bibliographic Data

ID8982791
AuthorsRuth Calland (London UK, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume67
Issue1
Pages73-87
Publication date2022-02-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Analytical Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-8774 • E-ISSN: 1465-5922
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1468-5922.12750
PMID35417571
OpenAlexW4223999981
LanguageEN
References cited11

This paper uses the myth of Medusa as a containing narrative to explore the aetiology, recognition and treatment of emergent dissociative identity disorder or DID, in apparently high-functioning people. Both the 'hiding' nature of DID, and disbelief in therapists are identified as impediments to recognition of the disorder, despite the high prevalence of DID. The paper describes the impact on psycho-neurobiological development of both disorganized attachment and group sexual abuse at a young age, both typically present for DID survivors, leading to multiple ego centres in the psyche. DID is perceived as a creative protective mechanism against knowing, that also seals the abuse survivor into a lifetime of fractured self-experience, and exile from relational depth with others. Two case studies illuminate a key feature of DID, the existence of lost but ever-present child selves/alters, and how these may present within the therapeutic relationship. The author supports the facilitation by the analyst of self-diagnosis and describes how careful attunement to inner turmoil and confusion, can act as a containing mirror within which to discern the individual needs of a multiplicity of selves/alters, leading to increased self-agency, internal co-consciousness and the ability to function more authentically with others

Aesthetics · Art · Dissociative · Dissociative identity disorder · Identity (music · Psychoanalysis · Psychotherapist · Clinical Psychology · Mental Health and Psychiatry · Psychology · Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments · Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications

Tools

Open DOI