Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder

This assignment delves into the relationship between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), as portrayed in a specific film. It examines the psychological underpinnings of both conditions, highlighting their symptoms, potential causes, and various treatment approaches. The analysis also addresses the social stigma surrounding DID and PTSD, emphasizing the need for understanding and support for individuals affected by these disorders.

PTSD and DID
Institution Affiliation
Name
Date
PTSD & DISOCITE personality

1- Introduction:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that is
experienced by a person after he or she is subjected to a serious accident or
has been involved or witnessed death (Skortz, 2015). The chances of
acquiring this disorder sometime in their lives based on the U.S. population
are approximately 7-8% (Jaimie L. Gradus, DSc, MPH, February 23, 2016).
Apart from PTSD Dissociative identity disorder (DID) also occur as a result of
traumatic experiences witnessed by an individual. The most visible
characteristic of this disorder is the fact that an individual develops multiple
personalities which take control of their original self. Although the disease is
not common, it has been previously reported at around 1% (James , Chen
and Jacky 2000-2015).
The objective of this written paper is to provide detailed analysis of
Dissociative identity disorder and Post Traumatic Stress in a broader way
based on movie “Secret Window”. The following was discussed based on this
movie: synopsis and the main characters, signs, and symptoms of the
disorder, its prevalence, how it was treated, psychosocial and ethical issue,
discrimination that occurred and finally recommendations are identified
which could bring about positive results in the life of a patient
Keywords:, psychosocial issues ,Dissociative identity disorder, Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder ,prevalence, discrimination and Treatment.
2-Body
2.1 Synopsis of the movie and analysis of the main character:
The movie opens with a person dressed in a hat and wearing glasses. The
person who is called Mort is driving his car near a hotel conversing to himself
and looks thoughtful. Mort stops near the Hotel, moves in hurriedly picks a
PTSD & DISOCITE personality

key and rushes to a room where he gets shocked upon opening the door and
finding a man in bed inside the room. The woman in bed with another man is
his wife Amy, and the man she is in bed with is her boyfriend, Tod. The
second scene shows Mort being woken up from his sofa, his usual place of
sleeping by a knock on the door by a strange man named Shooter who
accuses Mort of stealing his written story the secret window. The strange
man asks Mort to produce magazines to confirm that the story indeed
belongs to him in three days failure to which he will sue Mort’s wife. Shooter
then threatens Mort and even kills his dog and Burns the house belonging to
Mort and his wife, Amy. After the incidence, Mort requests for help from his
friend Ken. Unfortunately, Shooter kills his friends after a few days leaving
mort a miserable man. His Misery is compounded by the fact that his wife is
pressuring him to sign their divorce papers so that she can be with her
boyfriend, Tod. Mort appears quite upset. In a flashback we are shown Amy
smiling through a small window and telling Mort that that was the Secret
window of the secret garden. We learn that it was through that window that
she used to see the current boyfriend, Tod. The story of the secret window
was written by mort about his wife. Mort’s time is mostly spent on the sofa
sleeping. Mort thinks of Soorter as a friend of Amy’s loved one and tries to
find out. He also makes an effort to get hold of the magazine in which his
story was published, but unfortunately, the magazine pages that contained
the story are missing.
Mort later receives a call from Amy requesting him to sign the divorce
papers. The call is followed by Amy’s decision to appear at Mort’s house to
have him sign the papers. Mort remembers about the cap he bought while
they were living a good life with his wife. He starts speaking to himself and
seeing himself everywhere and later realizes that he was the shooter. A
conflict ensues when his wife Amy appears an in the incidence Amy gets
injured although she manages to escape. Tod also gets hit with a shovel on
the face which makes him fall. What follows is killing of both Tod and Amy
and hiding of their bodies by Mort. In the end, the police know everything
PTSD & DISOCITE personality

that happened, but they cannot arrest and label any charges on Mort
because they have not yet found the bodies of the deceased.
2-2 associated signs and symptoms:
Severe trauma can be experienced by some people in their lives. Such
trauma leads to numerous changes both physical and psychological and
regarding their behavior, thoughts, and habits. Post-traumatic stress disorder
resulting from traumatic experiences can make some people develop
psychiatric diseases. If this condition remains untreated for long durations, it
can have an impact on the mental health of the victims and lead to the
development of a mental disorder. Multiple Personality disorder or
dissociative disorder develops as a result of this.
The post-traumatic disorder occurs as a result of failed adaptation and is
revealed in increased stress levels among the patients. Such is the case
when mort opens the door only to find his wife standing there with another
man. This incidence makes him helpless. This compounded the suffering that
he had had for almost half a year as a result of the traumatic experience he
had had. Mort’s personality can be compared to that of an individual who has
post-traumatic stress disorder which can have symptoms lasting for at least
three months or even years. Research has shown that people who have PTSD
show different signs and symptoms which include intensive memory in which
an incidence takes over the mind of an individual and keeps repeating itself.
This also occurs in the form of repeated nightmares, hallucinations,
flashbacks and illusions. However, these do not only occur when an individual
is sleeping but even when they are awake such as the case of Mort when he
flashbacks about his wife and which makes him lose touch with the reality
and have a conviction that traumatic events are over the time(Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder, 2016).
Another major attribute of people suffering from the dissociative disorder is
the inability to recall important personal information, which cannot be viewed
as the mere act of forgetting due to its pervasiveness. Memory variations and
split personality are also common as witnessed in the Movie. The Character
PTSD & DISOCITE personality

has another personality in the name of Shooter which takes over his thoughts
and behavior. Among the symptoms associated with dissociative identity
disorder are instantaneous mood swings depression, suicidal tendencies and
aggressiveness which occur as a result of conflict between their two
personalities. Other symptoms associated with this disorder include sleep
disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders ,anxiety disorder, visual
hallucination, phobia auditory , anxiety disorder as a result of anxiety and
distress (Dissociative Identity Disorder, 2016)
Although there is no cure for dissociative identity disorder, its symptoms can
be treated by the use of different types of treatments such as pharmacologic
treatment which can be used alone or jointly with psychotherapy
2-3 Prevalence of the diseases:
A study carried out in the year 2014 by among 176 patients by University
Psychiatric Outpatient Unit in Turkey on the prevalence of dissociative
identity disorder established that the most common age for DID was among
teenagers between the ages of 11 and 17 years out of which around 96.8%
were as a result of a history of neglect and child abuse. The study also found
out that the prevalence of the disease was more on Girls than on boys (Sar,
et al.,2014). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in a study
carried out in Shangai China, North America, Canada, and Winnipeg found
out that there were more cases of DID in North America as compared to
China (Ross, C. A. (2011).
2-4 Treatment:
According to the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete
physical, social and mental wellbeing as contrasted with the mere absence of
disease in an individual. Mental wellbeing is, therefore, an essential
component of an individual’s life. Although there are different remedies
offered through Psychotherapy for different patients depending on their
health situations, both speech therapy, and medication may be required by
PTSD & DISOCITE personality

some while others may require only one of them. Psychotherapy sessions
require being carried out in a period of between 6 and 12 months. However,
an improvement of an individual’s conditions is so much dependent on family
support. The changes required in a client’s mental status can be identified
through speech therapy.Antidepressants are some of the medications that
can be used in PTDS to help manage symptoms such as worry, sadness,
feeling numb inside and anger. (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, 2016).
Alternatively, special techniques of psychiatric and psychotherapy medical
management such as adjunctive therapy and hypnotherapy which involves
the induction of deeply relaxed can be applied to manage dissociative
identity disorder. Other techniques include pharmacological therapy and
psychiatric therapy (Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 2011)
In conclusion, there are major components emphasized under effective
psychotherapy which includes the creation of awareness about the
associated symptoms, instilling of skills to help in the identification of trigger
symptoms as well as skills meant at managing the symptoms. Medication can
also be applied to relieve the symptoms associated with the disease. Goals of
treatment of dissociative identity disorder can help facilitate a change in
behavior as well as relieving the symptoms and leading to an increased
degree of coordination and communication.
2-5 psychosocial issues:
Psychosocial issues in a mental disease can be easily developed through low
social and family support as well as a reduced self-concept. The impact of
this can be felt by friends and family, individuals and at the workplace. In the
movie for this report, the main character suffers from post-traumatic stress
upon the realization that his wife of 10 years has betrayed him. The impact of
this is that he secludes himself, develops hallucinations, sleep disturbances,
repeated nightmares, develops a feeling of laziness and lives in fear due to
PTSD post-traumatic disorder and dissociative identity disorder. Studies have
shown that PTSD can lead to the development of sour and stressful
PTSD & DISOCITE personality

relationships between families and friends whose impact can be divorce,
aggression, and violence. The post-traumatic stress experienced by the
character [propels him to kill his dog and commit other crimes under shooter
personality. The disorder had also cost him his job and reduced his ability to
socialize with individuals around him.
2-6 Ethical issues:
In the final part of the movie, the police warn Mont of his coming to the city
because people are afraid of him. The police already know about the crimes
he committed, but due to lack of evidence, they cannot arrest him. This
raises a moral question why the police cannot arrest him and whether they
should only arrest an offender after gathering proof. As per the ethical
principles of autonomy versus nonmalficine, doing no harm to the society is
prioritized than the Mort autonomy. So the ethical concern here would be
whether Mort’s autonomy is more important than doing no harm for the
society.
2-7 Discrimination:
Discrimination is a common phenomenon among individuals associated with
post-traumatic stress disorder. This occurs through stigmatization because of
their mental illness and can have a profound effect on them through first
label avoidance, i.e. failure to adhere to medication will make a patient
develop the fear of being labeled as a person with a mental health condition
which can make them shy of from social events. Secondly, it can affect them
by denying them a chance to get life opportunities such as a job of their
choice. Additionally, self-stigma can result to negative emotional reactions
such as developing a low self-esteem and feeling ashamed. At the end of it
all, this will subject to social withdrawal and isolation (Karen-leigh Edward,
Ian Munro, Anthony Welch, 2014).Labeling and discrimination are witnessed
in the movie in the form of the policeman who approaches Mont and informs
him of their awareness regarding the crimes committed by Mont although
they lack evidence and out of which they want Mont to stay away from the
grocery in the city because he is scaring away potential customers.
PTSD & DISOCITE personality

2-8Recommendation:
Recommendations are meant to offer a positive response or suitable
solutions to an existing issue or problem. In this regard, an early detection of
the mental disease analyzed can prevent further complications.
Hospitalization becomes necessary in a situation where patients fail to seek
medical treatment or fail to comply with their medication requirements which
could lead an increase in the possibility of the patients harming themselves
or others. Occupation therapy will help in promoting the independence in
their daily routine activities and help in the improving the quality of life. In
addition, positive stress coping mechanism can be applied to help relieve
anxiety and stress. Patients can ventilate by being open to people close to
them such as friends and family or professionals like a psychologist. Finally
awareness on the signs and symptoms, causes and treatment modules can
lead to rising of public awareness regarding the disease.
3- Conclusion:
In conclusion, according to the movie Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
emerges as the cause of dissociative identity Disorder (DID).However; there
exist many different mental diseases which possess unique features. Post-
traumatic stress disorder is a disease that occurs to an individual after a
traumatic experience. The dissociative disorder does not only affect
individuals during childhood but can also be manifested at later ages. The
emergence of a new generation of medicine has improved treatment
modalities. The movie raises an issue about patients with DID and PTSD
which include discrimination, psychological issues and offers
recommendations.
PTSD & DISOCITE personality

References
Brown, L. S. (2011). Guidelines for treating dissociative identity disorder in adults, third
revision: a tour de force for the dissociation field.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality
Disorder)'.WebMD.N.p.,2016.Web.6Apr.2016.
Jaimie L. Gradus, DSc, MPH. ( February 23, 2016). Epidemiology of PTSD.U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420, 10.
James D;Chen,Jacky. (©2000-2015, June 12). Dissociative Disorder Community. Retrieved from
HealthyPlace :http://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/dissociative-identity-disorder/
dissociative-identity-disorder-did-statistics-and-facts/
Journal Of Trauma & Dissociation: The Official Journal Of The International Society For The Study
Of Dissociation (ISSD), 15(4), 402-419. doi:10.1080/15299732.2013.864748
PTSD & DISOCITE personality

Karen-leigh Edward, Ian Munro, Anthony Welch. (2014). Mental Health Nursing. Melbourne: in
Australia by Oxford University Press.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.(2016, 1 1). Retrieved 4 3, 2016, from
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-
stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml#part_145375
Sar, V., Onder, C., Kilincaslan, A., Zoroglu, S. S., &Alyanak, B. (2014). Dissociative identity
disorder among adolescents: prevalence in a university psychiatric outpatient unit.
Skortz, J. K. (2015). PSYCHOSOCIAL ISSUES .PSYCHOSOCIAL ISSUES WITH POSTTRAUMATIC
STRESS DISORDER AND TREATMENT, 28.
PTSD & DISOCITE personality