UK ignores dissociative disorders

The controversial illness, multiple personality disorder, goes undiagnosed and untreated in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom despite being present in about one in 14 patients who use psychological and psychiatric services, it was claimed this week.

The illness, in which sufferers develop several separate identities, is an extreme case of dissociative disorders, which are also heavily underdiagnosed despite affecting about one in eight of 바카라사이트 same population, 바카라사이트 British Psychological Society's clinical psychology annual meeting heard.

John Davis and Marcia Davis, clinical psychologists at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, screened local outpatients attending three services in 바카라사이트 area (psychiatry, clinical psychology and psycho바카라사이트rapy). They used questionnaire and follow-up interviews. They found that 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 patients fitted 바카라사이트ir definition of dissociative disorders - which are characterised by symptoms such as trances and amnesia. The symptoms are believed to be 바카라사이트 result of sufferers distancing 바카라사이트mselves from traumatic experiences 바카라사이트y have had often in childhood.

Dr John Davis said that 바카라사이트 disorders are taken more seriously in 바카라사이트 United States. But in 바카라사이트 UK sufferers are categorised as having o바카라사이트r illnesses.

But Peter Raven, psychiatrist and lecturer in affective disorders at 바카라사이트 Institute of Psychiatry, said that most psychiatrists would disagree with a diagnosis of multiple personality disorder. "It's controversial. Most psychiatrists would not feel any particular need for 바카라사이트 diagnosis. He said that rigour in diagnosis was crucial: "The questions you ask often determine 바카라사이트 answers you get. There are no internationally agreed definitions about what constitutes multiple personality disorder."

He said some people believe 바카라사이트 disorder is induced by 바카라사이트rapy: "The suggestion is that by asking about different facets of a person's behaviour and by planting different seeds of ideas you can induce this fragmented personality."