Dissociative disorders are the result of severe, early childhood trauma. To be properly identified and diagnosed with a dissociative disorder, an individual must be under the care of a properly, trained mental health professional for months or more often years before an accurate diagnosis can be given.

When there is enough trauma, especially early in childhood, a person can develop a dissociative disorder. The four types are dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, depersonalization disorder, and dissociative identity disorder.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is the most well known and most severe form of dissociation. DID is also the most controversial, misunderstood, and often misdiagnosed mental health disorder. Media, such as television shows or movies often give an inaccurate misrepresentation of what DID really is which only increases the stigma, myths, and misconceptions about DID. When it comes to how media projects dissociative disorders, especially DID to the public, DID is portrayed through television shows and movies with the most inaccurate account of symptoms.

Individuals are often misdiagnosed with having other mental disorders due to clinicians who have had no training with dissociative disorders or clinicians who have been improperly trained. The misdiagnosis leads to inappropriate and often harmful treatment, which causes more harm and delays for getting proper and accurate treatment.

At Life Recovery Counseling, an individual who has been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder can find hope, care, and healing in a nonjudgmental and safe environment. Recovering from the trauma which caused an individual to develop DID can be difficult and challenging but with the support of a caring therapist, healing is achievable.