[sumo]Asashoryu and mental illness...(?)

[Barbara]

Takanomizu wrote:
>  Is "Dissociative Identity Disorder" not the same aswhat used to be called "Multiple PersonalityDisorder?"
> 
> 
> Yes it is. I wonder how that is going to be explained?
> 
> Irene

I think "Dissociative Identity Disorder" is probably a mistranslation of 
words saying "dissociative symptoms".  There is no way a Japanese 
psychiatrist is going to diagnose Asa. with multiple personality (MPD). 
  Especially in 1 or 2 visits!  "Dissociative symptoms" is a class of 
symptoms which can cover a range of diagnoses.  Such symptoms are 
typical of post-traumatic stress disorder (among other things, such as 
some types of drug use).  It is almost normal for an average person to 
have some minor dissociative symptoms after extreme trauma.  Feelings of 
"I almost felt like it was happening to someone else, not me." are one 
(mild) symptom.  It may also be that the doctor was referring to 
"Depersonalization disorder".  But I cannot believe that any physician 
would diagnose MPD on a patient without long, detailed clinical 
relationship.  And the chance of a Japanese physician using that 
diagnosis may be near zero even if there is, because psychiatrists 
outside the US do not use that diagnosis much, it is US-trained doctors 
who seem to like using this diagnosis.

Caveat: I am not a physician.  However I do have a loved one that I 
support who receives treatment for chronic Dissociative personality.

(PS - in some cases, people with a dissociative disorder seem to be able 
to ignore pain or be unable to remember clearly how much something hurt.)

Barbara Murasakihana