What is Trauma?
Peter Levine’s words sum up the essence of trauma. His definition embraces the single-event trauma, as well as early developmental trauma.
‘Trauma is experiencing fear in the face of helplessness. Fear plus helplessness equals trauma.’
For many, repetitive or severe trauma can give rise to negative beliefs, compulsions, obsessions, addictions and dissociation, that block the development of positive qualities and fracture human wholeness. Trauma is the cause of most psychological disorders.
What is Dissociation?
Carolyn Spring, who developed dissociative identity disorder (DID), as a result of extensive childhood abuse, now helps people recover, through training, informing and supporting. She explains that dissociation can be seen as:
A fairly common and normal response to trauma.
A creative survival mechanism.
A way of mentally blocking out unbearable thoughts or feelings.
A defence against pain.
An instinctive, biologically driven reaction.
A splitting-off of mental functions which normally operate together or in tandem.
A way of distancing or disconnecting ourselves from the awfulness of trauma.
A way to cope with irreconcilable conflicts in our mind (such as being abused by someone we love).
A way of having conflicting emotions by keeping them separate in different parts of the mind.
A way of escaping psychologically when we cannot escape physically.
What is Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
Until 1994, dissociative identity disorder (DID) was referred to as multiple personality disorder (MPD). DID is a complex defence mechanism that develops when young children experience trauma that is severe and persistent. This may include extreme neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or medical trauma. In order to survive, these little ones have to cut themselves off from the trauma by means of dissociation. When parents or caregivers are the perpetrators of terrifying abuse it means the children can’t trust them or form secure attachments. Also, because the trauma happens at a sensitive developmental stage, problems often occur with personality development.
In later years, these traumatised parts, also known as ‘alters’, make themselves known. At times, those with DID can be ‘triggered’ by people or events, and find themselves in the grip of strong emotions and young behaviour that come from their internal, traumatised little ones. Others might experience ‘switching’. This is when young dissociated parts will literally ‘come out’. In such situations, the individual with DID may suddenly take on the voice, vocabulary and mannerisms of a young child, or a significantly different persona.
This is clearly demonstrated in my book, The Girls Within, whenever Little Vivvi and Izzy made appearances. It was vital for them to come out of hiding in order to receive the love, support, acceptance and therapy, that was so essential for them.
Diagnostic Criteria for DID
Taken from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5th Edition (DSM-5)
The key characteristics of DID are:
1. The presence of at least two distinct personality states.
2. The presence of reoccurring periods of amnesia.
3. Distress and/or impaired functioning in at least one area of life.
4. A mix of secondary symptoms are found in DID, particularly caused by the passive influence of alters intruding into awareness.