Question

The various dissociative disorders, especially dissociative identity disorder, are controversial. Why? What is the evidence that makes some people support and some people question dissociative identity disorder in particular?

Answer 1

Dissociative identity disorder is particularly controversial because it is extremely rare, and barring a few cases, has not been detected. Experts in the fields of psychiatry and psychology publicly dispute whether or not the disorder even exists. Dissociation protects someone in the moment not only from the emotional pain but also the physical pain. There are endogenous opioids in the brain that, under great stress, numb pain. The view that dissociation serves as a survival mechanism offers partial evidence for the existence of the disorder. However, many cases of malingering or faking have also been reported, with patients having a string tendency to engage in fantasy. These lead to the questioning of dissociative identity disorder as a legitimate disorder in its own right.