Multiple Personality Disorder

[annekathleen]

Here is a question that should bring out some very interesting responses.
Do you think that there is a correlation between crossdressing and multiple personality disorders?
It's one thing to live out a fantasy or satisfy a fetish by dressing up in
clothing of the opposite sex.
Although I have a "username" of AnneKathleen, I am NOT AnneKathleen,
I DON'T want to live my life as Anne Kathleen, and I will NEVER become
AnneKathleen.
Again, it might be a fantasy or a fetish.
I think that it is healthy for an individual to enjoy many life experiences,
even if one of those experiences is crossdressing.
I may dress in womens underwear, I may dress up entirely in womens clothing,
but I don't act like a woman, I don't pick up mannerisms, gestures, moods,
morals, values, and personality traits typical of a female.
Crossdressing can be fun, it can be exciting, but in cannot overwelm you,
and it cannot change who you are. Once it overtakes who you are, I think it can become unhealthy and even dangerous. Once you think that you've become someone else,and you don't want to be, or don't think you are the male that you once were, you may be bordering on a multiple personality disorder. The key word being "disorder" which can be described an an unhealthty mental condition that varies from normal!

[Marla S]

No, I don't think it is a multiple personality disorder.
The "Jekyll-and-Hyde-syndrome", as someone called it, is rather the effect of outer restrictions than of inner multiple personalities.
I am a firm believer that we wouldn't see it to this extend if we would be free to express ourselves in an environment free (or less) of constraints.
Some would go full time, some more the androgynous way, some would dress just for fun sometimes, but most wouldn't switch anymore, perhaps swing a bit.

With more freedom, I think it would be similar like we see it for FTMs. Far less and predominately TSs or close to. The others blend in in their gender, due to the wider range GGs have to express their personality.

[Tamera]

First I don't consider my TG lifestyle a disorder....

It is more a GENDER IDENTITY issue to where I should have been born Female instead of Male. Unfortunately I must have this so called SPLIT-PERSONALITY because my Male identity is my BREAD-WINNER of my life. It would be nice to have my FEM side be my BREAD-WINNER but its to late to change. I wish my parents would have seen this trait when I was younger and raised me female. But OH WELL.
Hugs,
Tamera

[christid66]

Great thread,
I have noticed that when I'm dressed and on this forum, some of the comments that I make are now what I'd say in real life.
I'm painfully shy and nervous in real life and it took me ages and a million brave pills to come on here. Once I'm here however, my comments seem to come from an ultra confident person....maybe too much at times (I'm really sorry to anyone that I may have upset :sorry:)

However, I'm not sure whether that's a dressing//personality thing or an internet/personality thing. I'm not a member of any other site & don't contribute to any other forums and have not been out in public or interacted with others whilst dressed so don't have anything to compare it to.

[Veronica Fallon]

Hmmm... I dunno. I guess I don't really know the true definition of "MPD".

I think of myself as having lots of different "sides" within my base personality. I have my male & female sides, of course, & many other much smaller sides too. There is my redneck/hillbilly side (comes out when I'm feeling silly & joking around), my intellectual side (when discussing heavy, serious subjects), my rebel side (whenever injustice hits me in the face), my aggressive side (when I need to get things done, or when I must defend myself), my submissive side (in bed:heehee:), my nurturing side (when I'm around kids, animals, or people in need), etc.
I even have a "cartoon side", which is to entertain others with my animated actions & a goofy voice! :silly:

There are many other sides lurking inside me, some coming out only for a single moment, surprising even me, & then disappearing forever. But as for my femme side, it seems to just blend with my maleness to varying degrees. Sometimes I feel all male (rarely), other times I'm totally female (my favorite times!), but usually it's somewhere in-between. Never do I feel like one side has real "power" over the other, or that I can't summon the other at will. It's just a matter of which side (or which combination of sides) is in the forefront at any given moment- according to how I feel or which I think is most appropriate.

So if I am indeed crazy, I choose to remain blissfully ignorant of the fact!! :tongueout


Multiple Hugz,

Veronica

[RobertaFermina]

I hope a competent and psychology professional can respond to this thread.

I have had a partner with DID and it is very different than the "personae-shift" that I indulge in when I transition from Bob to Roberta. I am aware of my personal core values, memories, etc.

My intuition is that any marked transition or shift in personality would pre-date crossdressing within the psyche, or be independent of it. Crossdressing triggered personality-shift is just a perticular expression of a personality-shift that would be triggered in another way, if the person did not crossdress.

A psychosis, or break with reality might occur in a CDer who became so obsessed with CDing and all things feminine as an escape from "Male-Life-Stress", or MLS, that any connection with the male-persona is denied or sublimated, at least for the duration of CD activity.

I know I experience distance and relief from MLS as I Crossdress, yet I remain, for better or worse, connected, responsible for, and (on a good day) affirming of my Male Being.

I guess that most of us experience distance and relief from MLS as we shift personae somewhat, and temporarily.

In the extreme, psychosis may develop from obsessive drives to escape MLS, or aspects and events of life as a Male.

:rose: Not perfectly sure, yet I had to Say it. :rose:

[Kate Simmons]

I originally thought I may have DID but no longer. My feelings were confused and mixed up and I felt a man was not "allowed" to have softer feelings. The mind is a curious thing, however, and sometimes we do things unconsciously for a reason.Call it the unconscious, innate intelligence, whatever. I eventually realized that for myself, crossdressing was a tool I utilized to get in touch with those deep feelings. Am I a woman? No way. Am I a man in touch with his feelings? Definately. I also realize there is a purpose for being who I am and had I never followed those feelings, I would have never known what it was.:happy:

[livy_m_b]

Like most I don't see any necessary connection between MPD and crossdressing/t*/GID/whatever.

It's not just with gender that my personality changes but with individuals, contexts etc. Nevertheless, my consciousness remembers all of the events and none is separated from the others. I'm still the same multivariate "me".

My spouse says that I'm very different en femme, less angry, calmer, happier, you get the idea. However, that makes perfect sense to me if as we suspect (we ts-inclined) most of our drab life inhibits us from being, acting etc. as we would more naturally want to.

But, what I really wanted to say here is that I don't think anyone really has just one center of personality, or rarely. I suspect that it's natural to have multiple centers that more or less overlap with each other. It would take a long time, and you would have to have a lot of patience with me, for me to explain the basis for this, so I won't bother. So, for the moment, just pay attention to your own different behaviors under different circumstances and ask yourself why in the world you think there's just one of you! :)))

[melissacd]

I have this belief that multiple personality disorder happens when the thing that controls and manages the multiple personality components of who we are breaks down. I have this theory that there is a control system that in effect manages and communicates between personality modules. In most of us that makes it seem like it is all part of one greater personality that has different facets. If that control system is malfunctioning or has completely broken then individual personality modules can dominate at different times and in some cases individual personality modules can act in isolation without other personality modules being aware of what they are doing.

Weird theory I know, but it makes sense to me. So based on this weird theory I suspect that either there are a lot of people out there with multiple personality disorder or cross dressing is not a multiple personality issue.

Now that being said, the persona that I call Melissa, being a personality module under the control of a main personality that integrates all of them, does cry out to have more air time so to me there is a part of me that wants to express herself a lot and who if given a chance would become my dominant mode of expression. I adore that part of me so much that I want to express it more and more. I don't think that that is MPD but rather just tending to prefer a certain more feminine side of who you are.

Have I totally confused myself now? I will have to go and ask the other personalities what they think :p

[docrobbysherry]

Hmmm... I dunno. I guess I don't really know the true definition of "MPD".

I think of myself as having lots of different "sides" within my base personality. I have my male & female sides, of course, & many other much smaller sides too. There is my redneck/hillbilly side (comes out when I'm feeling silly & joking around), my intellectual side (when discussing heavy, serious subjects), my rebel side (whenever injustice hits me in the face), my aggressive side (when I need to get things done, or when I must defend myself), my submissive side (in bed:heehee:), my nurturing side (when I'm around kids, animals, or people in need), etc.
I even have a "cartoon side", which is to entertain others with my animated actions & a goofy voice! :silly:

There are many other sides lurking inside me, some coming out only for a single moment, surprising even me, & then disappearing forever. But as for my femme side, it seems to just blend with my maleness to varying degrees. Sometimes I feel all male (rarely), other times I'm totally female (my favorite times!), but usually it's somewhere in-between. Never do I feel like one side has real "power" over the other, or that I can't summon the other at will. It's just a matter of which side (or which combination of sides) is in the forefront at any given moment- according to how I feel or which I think is most appropriate.

So if I am indeed crazy, I choose to remain blissfully ignorant of the fact!! :tongueout


Multiple Hugz,

Veronica

I think most of us can relate to what Veronica said. I don't need to dress to get in touch with my "softer" side. Just getting on this site does it! Maybe we need to hear from some CD's that completey turn into their female persona. I know I could never do that!
RS

myspace.com/robertsherry

[Kris]

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), as defined by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), is a mental condition whereby a single individual evidences two or more distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment. The diagnosis requires that at least two personalities routinely take control of the individual's behavior and that there is associated memory loss that goes beyond normal forgetfulness, often referred to as losing time or acute Dissociative Amnesia[1]. The symptoms of DID must not be the direct result of substance abuse or a more general medical condition in order to be diagnosed. DID was originally named Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), and, as referenced above, that name remains in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. It is also commonly mispronounced "Disassociative Identity Disorder", and the primary symptom erroneously called "disassociation".

I got this off of Wikipedia........ I couldn't find the exact DSM IV diagnosis online.

And ...... I just have to say.... and this is my opinion.. that this is EXACTLY the kind of crap that all T people have to put up with each and every day.. this is why people are afraid of people who dress in the opposite sex's clothing, or be transgendered.

Maybe I am reading your question incorrectly but being transgendered isn't some horrible mental illness that can be treated or cured. URGH! DID is a serious way to cope with serious abuse. Not all CD'ers are fetish based or want to transition. So because there are different reasons, it's foolish to lump a group of people that have one thing in common together.

Kris

[Alice B]

I don't think it is a disorder at all, but just an open way of expressing the female side that we all have. For most society has taught us to supress this side, but some of us have grown enough to recognize a need to express the female in us and become strong enough to act on it. Of course this action causes quilt because we have been conditioned otherwise, thus try to hide it. But a second personality. I don't think so. At least for me.:hugs:

[sterling12]

OK, Joanie knows what John is up to. John is aware of Joanie's likes and dislikes. No dissociative amnesia! I have watched "The Three Faces of Eve" at least two or three times, I don't see any similarities.

I reckon we are more like Pro wrestlers. We just project a different persona, when we present as our femme selves. Is Joanie a role? I don't know! Ultimately, probably doesn't matter. We are both comfortable with the present situation. If it gets "weird," then I might go and see The Shrink.

Peace and Love, Joanie

[melissacd]

Well I choose to dis-associate with any acronym that suggests that Melissa could be a part of some multiple personality disease or any disease for that matter, I think that the rest of me agrees

:jumping: (Melissa) :jumping: (Joe) :jumping: (Sally) :jumping: (Julie) :jumping: (John) :jumping: (Sam) :jumping: (Susan) :jumping: (Trina) :jumping: (Melinda)

[Deborah Jane]

I used to think i could have M.P.D., but having spent some time talking this through with my therapist, i believe it is just differrant facets of the same personality. In guy mode i,m very much an average guy,one of the lads!! In femme mode i just like to act as i see myself, "girly"!! None of my "girly traits " come through in my daily life unless i,m "being Debs"..My choice!!

[tricia_uktv]

Excellent thread. I go along with the suppression theory. My femme side is within my male side, but until recently I had locked it away because society told me to. Now I have forced it out kicking and screaming it has become an extension of my personality; at the moment based on my original male values but who knows what will happen in the future.

I am one multi-faceted person who wishes to explore her inside femininity

[Nicki B]

Excellent thread.

Umm - am I the only one who rather resents the implication that because I don't fit into Western society's norms I must have a disorder... :strugglin

[jandebs]

yeah, well maybe it is a disorder... and i remember saying to a friend in a moment of levity that it was 'a kind of madness'. ( weirdly, my best friend's daughter once said to her mum that i was one of the most 'normal' people she knew...) and on that note I'd have to say, that you only have to scratch the surface of any individual to uncover all kinds of dysfunctionality, irrationality, nuttiness. Certainly, some kinds of psychoses prevent easy social functioning, and at the extreme, generate violent, unpredictable and delusional behaviour etc., but where that all comes from is barely understood anyway, and I for one, don't have the background and understanding to meaningfully interpret my own condition in terms of mental health.

Those folk who try to classify and define normal behaviour, scare the bejesus out of me..

[janet1234]

psychoanalize it I just like to dress, it pleases me.

[charllote34]

I dont think it has anything to do with having muliple personalities , but i take your point and i see where your coming from. More of charllote is drifting across into Mr X but i like that .

[Karren H]

Well I've never of the two put to gether before but I'd say in some cases........ But maybe you should ask her!!

Oh yeah like you know what the F*#k your talking about!!

Aww Piss off, ya going to answer the question or not?

I would if you stop flapping your trap and let me get a word in edge wise.. Men are such jerks...

You dumb broad you... Go back where you came from ............

Ahhhhh...... What's was the question again?? :D

[Emily Ann Brown]

My money is on Karren knocking the guys block off with her pocketbook !


And maybe my male personality IS a disorder (giggle giggle). Seriously, anything that isn't an accepted norm by society is a "disorder". I remember when left handed people in my elementary class got a ruler on the knuckles and told to do it correctly.


Emily Ann

[Jazzmine]

The only thing about me that is in disorder are my nuts most of the time!

Why can you not be "a normal person that enjoys crossdressing?"

I know some people freak out about CD, but to me it is just something I do when I feel like doing it. It is me deciding to do it because I like it.
I decide to do all sorts of things in a day, sometimes CD is one of them. That's a normal process isn't it?

For example, I practice on my accoustic drumset when no one else is around because they are very loud and my jazz music isn't to everybody's taste.
Am I presenting a "disorder" because I am a closet drummer?
Well you may think so, but I think it is just normal me.
And there's plenty more where that example came from in my life.

Some things in life just have to be done alone if you want to do them!

Hugs Jazzmine

[Sinthia]

Disorder . . . The only disorder I admit having is not being able to find the skirt that I want to wear . I enjoy my dual personality. Both fem and male. That is one of the things that I look forward to. Being able to switch to the other person when I have the mind (I have a mind Karen) to. But if I can control my anger, loneliness, and happiness by dressing as a girl, I consider that keeping my life in order.

[jaina]

MPD or correctly dissociative identity disorder and crossdressing have nothing to do with each other.

[Ruth]

I would guess a person with dissociative identity disorder might crossdress when manifesting a personality of a different gender, but you can't argue backwards from that to say CDers have DID.
It's a similar fallacy to the common one that all CDers are gay.

[Emily Ann Brown]

I'm gay too ?????????? Been some day, first I find out I'm MPD and now gay. What next?


Emily Ann

[Kris]

Umm - am I the only one who rather resents the implication that because I don't fit into Western society's norms I must have a disorder... :strugglin

ME! ME! ME! ME



I don't understand why anyone would think this is wonderful. I feel like even bringing up the question .. is saying.. hey we are different.. therefor we must be SICK........ and then DID...?

When have you been crossdressing and forgotten where you were because you were unaware of what your femme side was doing? When have you spent TONS of money and can't remember it?


I just want to say for the record that I don't view ANY crossdresser or Transgendered ANYTHING as sick.. if ANYTHING you are more healthy than the rest of society because you have the balls, or breasticles to do what YOU feel is right, no matter what anyone says.

Kris

[Veronica 1]

I do not think of it as a disorder, just me acting on my deepfelt innermost feelings. Professional actors get into the persona of their characters to portray a realistic performance whereas I get into character to portray the real me.

[Secret Drawer]

I think that at one point or another, all of us are prone to wonder why we are CD's. Ultimately, it really doesn't matter, as long as we accept ourselves first, then hopefully slowly gain others trust. I simply LOVE to CD and it is like an addictive drug to me. So as opposed to having a split personality, I think of it as a deep part of my superego which when satisfied, leaves me more relaxed and focused on the rest of my life. So I see CD's as better, more open minded, and chilled out then "normal" people. SD.:2c:

[charlie-50]

Here is a question that should bring out some very interesting responses.
Do you think that there is a correlation between crossdressing and multiple personality disorders?
It's one thing to live out a fantasy or satisfy a fetish by dressing up in
clothing of the opposite sex.
Although I have a "username" of AnneKathleen, I am NOT AnneKathleen,
I DON'T want to live my life as Anne Kathleen, and I will NEVER become
AnneKathleen.
Again, it might be a fantasy or a fetish.
I think that it is healthy for an individual to enjoy many life experiences,
even if one of those experiences is crossdressing.
I may dress in womens underwear, I may dress up entirely in womens clothing,
but I don't act like a woman, I don't pick up mannerisms, gestures, moods,
morals, values, and personality traits typical of a female.
Crossdressing can be fun, it can be exciting, but in cannot overwelm you,
and it cannot change who you are. Once it overtakes who you are, I think it can become unhealthy and even dangerous. Once you think that you've become someone else,and you don't want to be, or don't think you are the male that you once were, you may be bordering on a multiple personality disorder. The key word being "disorder" which can be described an an unhealthty mental condition that varies from normal!
Anne i think me and you may have some thing in common i too do not want to be a woman i just love to waring the clothes and no female persona for me thank you....charlie...:hugs:

[charlie-50]

Well I've never of the two put to gether before but I'd say in some cases........ But maybe you should ask her!!

Oh yeah like you know what the F*#k your talking about!!

Aww Piss off, ya going to answer the question or not?

I would if you stop flapping your trap and let me get a word in edge wise.. Men are such jerks...

You dumb broad you... Go back where you came from ............

Ahhhhh...... What's was the question again?? :D
Karren you are such a card...lol...charlie...:heehee:

[cindychan]

Well typically with multiple personalities the one personality is unaware of the other when it is active.

[Rita B]

No, I don't think it is a multiple personality disorder.
The "Jekyll-and-Hyde-syndrome", as someone called it, is rather the effect of outer restrictions than of inner multiple personalities.
I am a firm believer that we wouldn't see it to this extend if we would be free to express ourselves in an environment free (or less) of constraints.
Some would go full time, some more the androgynous way, some would dress just for fun sometimes, but most wouldn't switch anymore, perhaps swing a bit.

With more freedom, I think it would be similar like we see it for FTMs. Far less and predominately TSs or close to. The others blend in in their gender, due to the wider range GGs have to express their personality. Marla, you are so smart. I could sit and listen to you for hours.

Rita B

[KarenMichelleLuv]

Here is a question that should bring out some very interesting responses.
Do you think that there is a correlation between crossdressing and multiple personality disorders? ...


Now isn't that an interesting question?

Having met only one diagnosed MPD individual in my life and having read about ten or so others, my answer is "I hope not!"

Anne followed her question with the view from his/her world as it applies towards her CD lifestyle.

IMHO...I think that being an adult CD for many speaks to the idea of embracing of gender differences. More to the point, recognizing that these differences exist and embracing them in our own personality makeup and expressing them creatively through our cross-gender dressing, writing, conversational and/or public interaction sessions.

Based on the conversations I have been following on this forum over the past several months, I don't believe that there are a lot if any MPD's lurking about, then thinking about this, how would we know?

Now the following confessions must be taken in the context of the fact that I am still a stealth CD. I remain a stealth CD for real world reasons. I need to remain discreet since I'm not ready to deal with the outfall of coming out to my rather large group of family, friends and clients.

For me, Karen Michelle is a part of my male personality. She is the personification of those things feminine that I have allowed to temper my male self. As a practical matter, in the real world, I believe this helps me relate to women including my female clients better than I would otherwise have achieved as a 100% macho male type.

Now, when I'm living [or acting] as "Karen Michelle" and wearing her clothes, I also wear her mind as well. I strive to adopt and present those female characteristics that I hold in high esteem. I'll admit that I even have fantasies that Karen will one day come out to all in triumph, but this is not a high priority goal in my life.

Karen Michelle is a unique part of me and I like her a lot.

As an interesting side note, I have a quirky alter ego that comes out to my family and some of my friends when I'm in male mode. This alter ego is quite androgynous and proud of it. It incorporates the feminine side of me as a flaming androgynous hairdresser..and yes, he has the necessary skills! Thank you Karen Michelle.

So in closing, multiple personalities? Of course, doesn't everyone have one or two that they are in control of? When you can't control them, I think you get labeled a MPD candidate.

With Love...

[Sheri 4242]

Multiple Personality Disorder is a very serious condition and has, as an essential diagnostic criteria, the loss of personal identity. In fact, all of the dissociative disorders have, as a common phenomenon, a process whereby specific mental contents (memories, feelings, ideas) are lost to one's consciousness and are not available for recall.

There is absolutely no connection between MPD and the way many of us feel our different personnas.

Veronica: highly excellent contribution!!!!!!! I'd say we have a great deal in common after reading your post -- as you described your base personality and your various personnas, I thought (a.) that is a highly intelligent analysis, and (b.) I basically relate to your specific major and minor personnas and your description of how they play in your world.

Roberta: well articualted post!!! The key is well expressed in your post when you say, "I am aware of my personal core values, memories, etc." Someone with a dissociative disorder would not be aware -- not, at least, until well into the episode. When one with MPD is brought to face bits and parts of their mental contents, they become hysterical, so dramatic is their break!!!

Livy: my wife sees differnces between my male and female personnas -- some being the same as your wife has noted -- even though we are consciously dichotomous. This duality, that so many of us deeply feel often, IMO, manifests with clarity!!!

Emily Ann: What's next??? How about you are also a wonderful and caring girl with great strength, and a great friend to many of us!!! (Bet you thought here comes a "Sheri Shot" didn't you? Bet you thought I was just itching to be able to use the :lol2: figure. Well, guess what? I got to use it without a taking a shot!!! :D

[Sonia Kiss]

I'm gay too ?????????? Been some day, first I find out I'm MPD and now gay. What next?


Emily Ann

Don't worry about any of these things, Emily, it's just a phase you're going through.

:D Sonia

[Sonia Kiss]

Ok, seriously, when I first started cross dressing last year, it helped sometimes to talk about Sonia in third person. I felt like I was just discovering her, sometimes creating her. But Sonia is a real person. I'm Sonia. So conversely, sometimes it helped me to talk about "that guy" in third person. I dunno, sometimes it was just the natural way to talk about what I was discovering or what I was doing. It would get smiles from friends sometimes with this funny way of talking about myself, but it didn't seem to bother anyone. Anyone except my therapist, that is. I watched her eyebrows shoot up when I referred to myself in third person, and I think she questioned me about it. Anyway, I don't think this was clinical disassociation as much as it was just a way for me to sort out thoughts. I was thinking about which behaviors and feelings might be more masculine or more feminine. Saying "Sonia likes X" for me was just a shorthand for saying "When I am en femme, I can enjoy X, even though drab, I might avoid X or find X unimportant." I think maybe this was useful for the period of a few months when I was going out in public alternately with male and female presentations. (Fun, challenging, a bit stressful, but highly educational!) The akwardness ended when I went full time everywhere but work. Then there was no more behaving different ways in the same setting depending on how I was dressed. At work, I was always dressed male. Anywhere else, I was always dressed female. So I think after that, I hardly ever needed to refer to myself in third person. And yes, now I'm Sonia at work too, so "that guy" is never around to talk about Sonia. :)

Just Me