Dissociative Identity Disorder: An Analytical Study

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly known as multiple personality disorder, is recognized as one of the most complex conditions in the fields of psychiatry and psychology. Initially associated with interpretations of demonic possession, it later came to be understood from a clinical perspective through the contributions of scholars such as Rush, Charcot, and Janet, who emphasized its dissociative nature. The former diagnostic category of hysteria was subsequently reorganized within modern psychiatric classification systems while preserving its underlying conceptual framework. Furthermore, widely publicized cases, such as The Three Faces of Eve and Sybil, contributed to strengthening the association between DID and early-life trauma. It is estimated that 1.5% of the Brazilian population is affected by DID. Between 2018 and 2023, Brazil's Ministry of Health recorded 3,667 cases. This study was conducted as a narrative, descriptive, and exploratory literature review, drawing on databases including Google Scholar, SciELO, and PePSIC, as well as scientific publications, using specific search descriptors related to dissociation and Dissociative Identity Disorder.