Page 477 - Understanding Psychology

Figure 16.9 The Personalities of Eve
Chris Sizemore (Eve) was able to overcome her dis- order through therapy. She created this painting to symbolize the personalities present within her when she began therapy. What causes dissociative identity disorder?
1. Review the Vocabulary Define and describe three dissociative disorders. Explain how these disorders differ from one another.
2. Visualize the Main Idea Use a graphic organizer similar to the one below to list dissociative disorders.
Dissociative Disorders
3. Recall Information What is the differ- ence between a conversion disorder and hypochondriasis?
4. Think Critically Besides anxiety, how might you realize that you are suffer- ing from a somatoform or dissociative disorder?
5. Application Activity
As a class or in groups, arrange an appointment with a clinical psycholo- gist, nurse, physician, or counseling psychologist. Question this person regarding the most common
psychological problems young people face. Report your findings to the class.
Eve White’s existence but considered her a separate person. Eve White did not know about Eve Black, however, and neither was she conscious of Jane, a third personality that emerged during the course of therapy. (This case served as the basis for the film The Three Faces of Eve.) Some psychologists believe that this dividing up of the personality is the result of the individual’s effort to escape from a part of the self that he or she fears. The secret self then emerges in the form of a separate personality. Dissociative identity disorder is extremely rare.
Eve’s real name is Chris Costner Sizemore, and she published a book, I’m Eve (Sizemore & Pittillo, 1977), many years later, explaining that Eve ultimately had 22 separate personalities. Her case is often confused with Sybil, a woman whose 16 personalities were also described in a book and a film. While cases like Eve and Sybil are fascinating, they are extremely rare and very controversial.
People diagnosed with this disorder usually suffered severe physical, psychological, or sexual abuse during childhood. Individuals with disso- ciative disorders have learned to dissociate themselves from such stress- ful events by selectively forgetting them, thereby reducing the anxiety they feel.
Assessment
Chapter 16 / Psychological Disorders 463