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Chapter 5: Problem 4

Like patients with PTSD, people with DID have often been the victims of serious sexual abuse. How are the symptoms of the two disorders similar? In what ways are they different?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Both PTSD and DID sufferers experience emotional distress, numbing of emotions, avoidance of traumatic reminders, and alterations in mood and cognition. The main differences are the presence of distinct personality states and amnesia in DID, and flashbacks and physical reactions to reminders in PTSD. DID is characterized by memory gaps, while PTSD involves flashbacks.

Step by step solution

01

Research PTSD Symptoms

First, we need to look up the common symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to the American Psychiatric Association, common PTSD symptoms include: distressing memories, flashbacks, unwanted thoughts, emotional distress, and physical reactions to reminders of the traumatic event, numbing of emotions, avoidance of reminders, detachment, and alterations in mood and cognition.
02

Research DID Symptoms

Now, we need to research the symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). According to the American Psychiatric Association, symptoms of DID include: the presence of two or more distinct personality states, memory gaps, recurrent amnesia, difficulty recalling essential information, and severe emotional and functional impairments.
03

Identify Similarities

Having researched the symptoms of both PTSD and DID, we can now identify the similarities between the two disorders. Both PTSD and DID sufferers tend to experience emotional distress, numbing of emotions, avoidance of reminders of their trauma, and alterations in mood and cognition.
04

Identify Differences

After identifying the similarities between PTSD and DID symptoms, we can now point out the differences. The primary difference between the two is the presence of distinct personality states and amnesia in DID, which are not found in PTSD. Additionally, PTSD is characterized by flashbacks and physical reactions to reminders, whereas DID is characterized by memory gaps and difficulties in recalling essential information.
05

Summarize Findings

To summarize, both PTSD and DID sufferers often experience emotional distress, numbing of emotions, avoidance of traumatic reminders, and alterations in mood and cognition as a result of their trauma. The main differences between the two disorders lie in the presence of distinct personality states and amnesia in DID, as well as the differing manifestations of memory issues: flashbacks in PTSD and memory gaps in DID.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

After he had been working with Paula for several years, Dr. Harpin stopped asking to talk to her alter personalities by name, preferring instead to address only Paula. Should he have adopted that strategy from the beginning of the case? Do you think his willingness to talk to her using different names could have contributed to the problem? Or did it help him sort out the problem and establish a strong working relationship with his client?

The initial presentation of DID can be very confusing, both for the patient and the therapist. What were the various diagnostic options that Dr. Harpin originally considered when he began working with Paula? Why was DID a more appropriate diagnosis?
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