Dissociation: How does a person "get" DID/MPD?
MPD arises in childhood, between the ages of Birth-8 years old. It is caused by severe and almost always prolonged, and repeated physical, sexual, mental and emotional abuse. Almost all of this abuse is sexual and physical. MPD is able to happen by a means called Dissociation.
In psychological terms dissociation means " that a person mentally distances themselves from traumatic situations or emotional distress." By using dissociation, a child can mentally remove him/herself from a dangerous, frightening and physically painful experience.
A child of say 5 years old does not have the knowledge or the ability to deal with a physical or sexual attack. Most likely by somebody s/he loves and trusts. The child cannot understand why this person whom s/he loves is hurting him/her in this manor. Most children during sexual abuse feel pain and pleasure. They have no way to comprehend that kind of pleasure or that kind of pain. So the child goes somewhere safe and happy inside their mind by dissociation. The mind creates an alternate personality (Alter) to come and deal with the abuse.
The more abuse the child experiences the more alters s/he may have. Each alter with its own "relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self" Dissociation to the point of forming multiple personalities is a sane and healthy response to a insane and unhealthy situation.
Dr Colin Ross founder of The Ross Institute for the treatment of Dissociative disorders said " Multiple Personality Disorder is a normal thing to have if you have suffered severe childhood abuse"
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