- 1). Pay close attention to see if the person does have multiple personalities. The average number of personalities in patients with DID is 10, even though there can be as few as 2, and as many as 100.
- 2). Check for differing behaviors. Often enough, the other personality will behave in a different way, and may even physically appear different.
- 3). Ask if the person has had episodes of amnesia or time loss. One personality may have no idea what the other one is doing. Therefore, it may seem to one personality that he or she just blacked out. This can become more and more obvious as the person doesn't remember going places or meeting people.
- 4). Ask the person if he is experiencing depressive or suicidal thoughts. These thoughts often go hand in hand with DID. Self-mutilation, such as cutting or burning, is also common among DID patients.
- 5). Pay attention for auditory hallucinations. Doctors can sometimes misdiagnose DID patients as psychotic, as a dialogue between the personalities may appear to be auditory hallucinations. Also watch out for visual hallucinations, which can also occur due to the different personalities attempting to communicate something to the other.
- 6). Ask if there were conduct problems while a child, or an inability to focus in school. These can often be signs of a bigger problem that ended up causing DID.
- 7). Watch for rapid blinking, voice or demeanor change, facial change, or a sudden interruption in the person's train of thought. These are often behaviors that occur during a switch from one personality to the other.
- 8). Remember that the following four symptoms must be identified before a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder can be made.1. The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states, each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to and thinking about the environment and self. 2. At least two of these identities or personality states take recurring control of the person's behavior. 3. Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness. 4. The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance or a general medical condition. In children, the symptoms are not attributable to imaginary playmates or other fantasy play.