Muti' Personality Disorder / Hypnosis

[Gavan]

Could Hypnosis be used in the treatment of "Mutipule Personality Disorder"?
My partner has suffered from depression and MPD for more than twenty years, the last ten have been the worst. We are about ready to try anything... Could this help

[Annie]

Yes

Annie

[Don]

Note that MPD is a technical definition used by licensed psychiatrists and psychologists. In reality, MPD is extremely rare. In the last couple of decades, poorly-trained but licensed psychological professionals, usually with a religious agenda, have seen MPD everywhere. Often their "therapy" has included putting a patient in trance and eliciting numerous "others." Most often, these licensed professionals have little training in hypnotherapy, but because they have a licences in another field, they are allowed to use it. The result has been manipulation on the part of the "professional" and confabulation (making up what the patient thinks the professional wishes to hear) on the part of patients. The result has been the destruction of thousands of lives and families, as well as costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars and putting innocent people into prison with no evidence of crimes.

When most people say "I'm depressed," they mean feelings of sadness that are either general or concern specific issues. When a psychological professional gives a diagnosis of "clinical depression," they mean certain specific mental and physical conditions, sometimes caused by imbalance in the chemicals of the brain.

MPD (A term no longer used by the professional psychological community. it is now called Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID.) and Clinical Depression are closely defined by the DSM-IV (revised). Unless a hypnotherapist receives a referral from a licensed psychological professional, he or she should not treat either of these diagnoses.

However, there are many symptoms--extreme saddness, lack of enthusiasm for life, feelings of being incomplete, etc.--which can easily and quickly be treated with hypnotherapy.

[Merlin]

Hello,

Yes, hypnosis may be used to treat MPD and depression.

Depression is easier for the average hypnotist to work with, as they typically have some training in depression.

MPD is more tricky. The average hypnotist out there is not trained in MPD as it is rather rare. You'll have to shop a bit to find a qualified hypnotist for this issue.

When shopping, do not ask if the hypnotist can help, almost all of them will answer yes.
Instead, ask if s/he has worked with anyone for MPD, or if they have had specific training for MPD. This will help to qualify the hypnotist.

There is help out there.

[EC]

Gavan, I believe Don & Merlin have given you good advice. Without getting you confused with "more" info, I will just add one suggestion as I have considerable experience in the area you are asking about. I would suggest that you do in fact "interview" several Hypnotherapist and choose one that has several years experience in working with depression. I would address this issue as a depression issue and "set aside" the DID in the beginning.

EC