, therapists speculate that it may be equally commonamong men. However, men are less likely to seek treatment. They often endup in jail because of the behavior induced by DID. Research shows that theaverage person who is just diagnosed with DID has spent seven years in themental health system, and has usually been previously misdiagnosed withseveral other disorders (Klut 82).Since Dissociative Identity Disorder is believed to be a result ofchildhood trauma, including abuse, witnessing violence, and even near deathexperiences sufferers find it hard to lead normal lives. Severe sexual abuse issuspected to be the most common cause (Sidran). The disorder is similar topost traumatic stress disorder found in adults. Many of the symptoms ofPTSD are found in DID, such as flashbacks and depersonalization. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious psychological reaction thatdevelops in some people following experience of overwhelmingly frighteningor traumatic events. It can result from many types of trauma, especially thosewhich threaten life. Such events include, but are not limited to, combat,assault, sexual assault, natural disaster, accidents and torture. PTSD canaffect people of any age, culture or gender (Australian National Centre ForWar-Related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). A study using a sample of 48soldiers suffering PTSD following the Vietnam war, showed results thatsuggested that trauma in the form of combat and the witnessing of violencecan trigger dissociation (Klut 93). Patients diagnosed as suffering DID arenot regarded as having entirely separate, fully elaborated, alternative multiplepersonalities, but are regarded as experiencing difficulties in integratingvarious aspects of their own single personality. Nonetheless, they are seen asbehaving as if they had alternative ego states which do in many ways appearas if they were alternative personalities (Putnam 51). It is known now thatoverwhelming trauma can cause co...
