Does anybody here know someone personally who has multiple personalities?

I knew of a person on another social website who admitted to being bi-polar. When she stopped taking her medication she was like another person. mean and spiteful. I could never understand why she would stop taking her meds all the time. When taking her medication she was still mean but not mean enough to track you down to “get you”.

There are more people out there than you realize who are bi-polar. Unless you really value their friendship I would stay clear. I don’t need anymore “crazy” in my life.

Bipolar and schizophrenia are two different disorders. I had a friend who was bipolar and he did vary in his responses to me. He went from being a very sweet friend to cutting off the friendship very cruelly and abruptly and has cut me dead ever since. But I don’t think I would classify that as multiple personalities.

Dissociative Identity Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia are three different personality disorders. Here is an article that explains the difference.

DID is so uncommon that even people educated in the field of psychology rarely, if ever, see a case.

P.S. The story of “Sybil”, it turns out, was well embellished. Here is the truth. (Bummer huh? I read the book as well and found it fascinating.)

Bi-polar disorder is not multiple personality disorder. The two aren’t even remotely similar. Nor is bi-polar disorder “crazy”. @BeenThereSaidThat Sounds like your friend was just a shitty person in general with the built-in convenient excuse of bi-polar disorder.

My moody friend might be bi-polar, I don’t know. She doesn’t have multiple personalities though, just outspoken moods.

There are supposedly different personalities, different memories, sometimes even gender change involved. I wonder what it would be like to maintain a friendship with someone who is living it.

I have an online friend who has multiple personality disorder though i did meet her (them?) and even stayed at her house for three days. I certainly met more than one personality, some of them were the opposite gender and they all seemed to be aware of each other. Some of her personalities were children.

How was that? Was it exciting, confusing, frightening? Are you still in touch with… them? If some of them are children, is it safe for her to live alone? What did you expect before your visit, and were there any surprises?

A good friends 29 yr. old daughter has something seriously wrong with her, possibly bi-polar or maybe BPD, she is mean, spiteful, stirs up trouble, has alienated EVERYONE in her family, mother, sister, brother, grandparents. My good friend was a great mom and there is no background of abuse or other major dysfunction to cause this girl/womans issues other than an untreated mental/emotional disorder.
While I have compassion for people with mood and personality disorders, etc. I steer clear.
I don’t give a damn WHAT their problems are, if they are abusive stay away from me.

I won’t put up with abuse/ manipulation of any kind and being mentally ill is not an excuse IMO. Unless someone is completely psychotic or schizophrenic and not inhabiting realty you KNOW when you are acting crazy.

Okay. Good point. But my question has nothing at all to do with abuse. I agree, that staying away from abusive people is preferable. Not all persons with mental disorders are abusive. I would guess that with DPD, probably most of he personalities, at least, are non aggressive.

@Here2_4 I agree, not all mentally ill people are abusive, but many disorders do create a lot of chaos and drama and unhealthy behaviors. My friends daughter was mad at her younger sister a few weeks ago because she would not babysit her 3 year old and actually called the 21 yr. old sisters preschool where she works and told them that she was beating the children!
This girl is certifiably nuts and had no qualms about potentially causing her sister to lose her teaching job. The younger sister is an angel and this was a horrible thing for psycho sister to do all because she didn’t get her way.

False accusations from crazy people can cost decent people their jobs. Not acceptable and abusive for sure. :-/

Only the woman on the Dr. Phil show.

@Coloma – that is indeed cruel, but my question isn’t about cruelty, or madness, or cruel crazy people. I am curious to know about a particular disorder I’ve heard of. When I heard of Sybil, I thought it sounded frightening, for the patient. Then, I saw an old episode of Perry Mason which involved the subject. I wondered how to get justice if a guilty person and an innocent person share the same body. When my friends brought up the condition, I started feeling curious all over again; wondering if the personalities could communicate with each other, or if they would leave each other notes, and daily living questions like that. I wonder what it is like for friends, and relatives.

I wonder how they make decisions? Is it up to a vote or is one persona dominant?

Right! I have so many questions! I think if I met someone with DPD, I would be asking questions so fast, none of them would be able to get a word in.
Are there conflicts, like two or more personalities have a date for the same night? Or just what to have for dinner! “I want lasagna.” “Tough. I’m cooking tonight, and I’m in the mood for vegetable soup.”

@Here2_4 What if each personality eats three meals a day? What if they are not aware of each other the person might be overweight.

Overweight? In pain!

This was also addressed once here, questioning whether a MPD person would count in the car pool lane. lol
@Here2_4 Sorry, didn’t mean to derail the discussion, I am a rather non-linear thinker at times, one thing leads to another. haha

That’s okay. You seemed to be so worked up. I didn’t want the topic to make you angry.

@Here2_4 Not really worked up, I’m pretty calm for the most part, but yes, I have dealt with several dysfunctional people in my life and I am much wiser these days, I know the signs and I heed them.

Like you, @Here2_4, I wonder occasionally if Sybil was the literary UFO of the day.

Compelling book. Poor made-for-television miniseries.

Bipolar really got a hammering in this thread. I find it sad when people are stereotyped. Bipolar people are not all manipulating, crazy, or even split in their personalities. Bipolar means periods of high energy and mania/hypo/hyper mania and crashing depression. There are also categories within this.

I am bipolar. I have never been called ‘crazy’ nor manipulating.

However, I sure know a lot of personalities that are manipulating, controlling and behave in a crazy fashion. Bipolar has gotten a bad name and I know why, I watched a very odd movie where they suggested this woman was bipolar yet she has all the symptoms of anti-social/sociopathic behavior. I didn’t spot one bipolar characteristic.

Bipolar is a disorder of mood.

Dependent personalities for example can lie a lot to cover up failings and also manipulate, yet they are not classified as crazy.

Sorry to get off topic, the term for multiple personalities now is ‘Dissociative Identity Disorder’. It is more common than we think as some can present with the disorder quite dramatically and others not. Some that suffer from it, suffer high anxiety levels and DID is a spin off from the real disorder which is anxiety.

My son has been diagnosed as Narcissistic personality and I find that one the most difficult to deal with. VERY manipulating, very angry and also very moody too.

DID still yet remains to be proven as a true disorder there are mixed ideas in the realm of psychology, some saying it does not exist at all.

some people treat us as we deserve too, don’t forget that, it does not always mean there is something wrong with them

@LornaLove – I think you have done much here to unbash yourself, and many others. Thank you for the more accurate definitions. I am sorry you have felt abused, or misunderstood. I am not someone qualified to to clear that up for you. All I can do is redefine my own question.
I am sure you will see an apology or two for the misunderstandings.
Thanks for stepping forward to help us sort out some of the mystery and confusion.

@Here2_4 No need for apologies, there are so many misunderstandings in life. It is a great question :). This question prompted me to look for an old friend here from Hawaii and I see he too has deleted his profile, as I thought he might have popped into this thread. Misunderstandings (not yours) can cause havoc for those that actually suffer from a disorder. I guess in the end we realize media has a lot to answer for. I love when people do ask about it, perhaps it helps to educate people.

I think many of us have stated above that bipolar is not at all the same as DID. And I am sorry if I seemed to imply that my friend’s mistreatment of me was due to his being bipolar. He had may other problems as well and he was medicated. I didn’t mean to bash anyone.

That visit with my friend was relatively uneventful although there were some surreal moments when I noticed a shift in her personality. She wasnt living alone at the time but she has done for the last 8 years so i guess it must be safe enough. And yes we are still in touch though not very frequently these days.

No…yes. no. no. echo.