Indianapolis Social Security Attorney

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative identity disorder is the new name for multiple personality disorder. The disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a condition in which a person while exhibit multiple distinct identities or personalities, which are known as alter egos or alters.

Each ego or alter has its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with an environment. In order for an individual to be diagnosed, there must be a minimum of two personalities that routinely take control of an individual’s behavior. This control must have an associated memory loss that goes way beyond normal forgetfulness. These symptoms cannot be a result of substance abuse or some other medical condition.

An individual who has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder demonstrates a variety of symptoms that have wide fluctuations across time. A person may be nearly fine on a day to day basis and then experience a flair up of symptoms. The functioning level experienced can vary from severe impairment to normal or high functioning abilities.

The various symptoms experienced include:

• Multiple mannerisms, attitudes, and beliefs that are not in any way similar to each other
• Headaches and other body pains
• Distortion or loss of subjective time
• Depersonalization
• Amnesia
• Depression

In addition, the symptoms exhibited can resemble a wide variety of other disorders including:

• Epilepsy
• Schizophrenia
• Anxiety
• Mood disorders
• Post traumatic stress disorder
• Personality disorders
• Eating disorders

Contact an Indianapolis Social Security Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder and been denied social security disability benefits, contact the Indianapolis social security lawyers of the Charles D. Hankey Law Office at 317-634-8565.