# Multiple Personalities?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 29, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921 "2004-10-29T20:59:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921/1 "2004-10-29T20:59:00Z")

</div>

Does the psychological field still endorse the theory of Multiple Personality Disorder? I seem to recall that not too long ago it was getting a second look and many were saying that the conclusions were possibly not valid and that many of the patients were being “lead” by the therapist. Are there any legitmate cases of MPD?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921/2 "2004-10-29T21:11:05Z")

</div>

The current revision of the _Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders_ calls it “Dissociative Identity Disorder.” This represents the recent dominance of a faction which regards the “personalities” as splinters of the main personality, rather than independent personalities. The condition is real, but its true nature is subject to debate.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921/3 "2004-10-29T22:49:50Z")

</div>

I think there’s a lot to be said for the traditional thinking regarding this disorder.

_Well, you would, you anal-retentive piece of_

Hey, will you guys knock it off already! Now you woke up the baby!

_ **Waaaaaaaahhhhh!** _

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921/4 "2004-10-30T01:04:02Z")

</div>

[Cecil beat you to it, Nametag!](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/031003.html) 😉

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![violacrane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c57346/32.png) [@violacrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/violacrane)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921/5 "2004-10-30T01:28:42Z")

</div>

What happens if a therapist diagnoses MPD but not all the personalities agree that such a disorder exists?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921/6 "2004-10-30T09:50:06Z")

</div>

All of us agree… 😃  
[COLOR]No we don’t[/color]  
OK the vast majority of us agree

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921/7 "2004-10-30T09:52:50Z")

</div>

Hey why was my bit not orange?Lousy stinking piece of…  
OK I got it wrong.I’m sorry  
Yeah well you always get things wrong…And you’re in charge

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![violacrane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c57346/32.png) [@violacrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/violacrane)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921/8 "2004-10-31T23:29:05Z")

</div>

Thanks Iceland and friend(s), it’s all clear to me now (or do I mean orange).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-personalities/271921/9 "2004-11-01T09:53:25Z")

</div>

Just purely out of interest, if one personality does something on the board to get themselves banned are all other personalities in that person excluded too?  
Cos that doesn’t seem fair 😃