Did Britney Spears have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
By
PsychReel
This blog will answer the question, “Did Britney Spears have Dissociative Identity Disorder?”, and also cover relevant topics like what is Dissociative Identity Disorder, symptoms of DID Britney Spears’ mental health struggles, treatment of DID and answer frequently asked questions.
Did Britney Spears have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
People close to Britney Spears have revealed that she was suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder. People speculated that she showed various signs of DID especially when she talked in a British accent around 2008.
Apparently, Britney returned from her “dissociative episodes” and failed to recollect where she was, what she said, and what happened. This can be explained in her behaviour when she lost the battle of her kids’ custody to her ex and created a ruckus at the court but later on, she failed to recollect anything about her behaviour.
Sources also say she assumed the identity of a British girl sometimes, sometimes weepy girl, and others.
To answer the question, she might be having DID as there have been various instances where she has shown symptoms of dissociation in her behaviour and also there was an interview where we could see a switch or dissociation in action but we can’t say for sure as she herself has never talked about it.
Who is Britney Spears?
Britney Spears is an American singer who was born on 2nd December, 1981. She is also a dancer, actress, and songwriter.
She is known to be one of the greatest pop stars across the world. Spears was brought up in Kentwood, Louisiana and displayed interest for the performing arts from a very young age.
She was merely 8 year old when she auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club and her talent was recognized from various talent agencies and artists.
What are Dissociative disorders?
The term ‘dissociative’ is defined as detachment or being disconnected from your surroundings, people, world and even yourself.
Similarly, Dissociative Disorders are described as persistent mental states of a person that forces him/her/them to separate themselves from the world, and own.
Types of Dissociative Disorders
There are three types of dissociative disorders that are briefly described below:
Dissociative amnesia
Dissociative amnesia is a condition in which a person forgets or fails to remember critical information about their lives.
This can target specific spots or area like history, personal information etc
Depersonalization/derealization disorder
Depersonalization disorder (DPD) is characterized by persistent, often lifelong, feelings of being detached from one’s body and mind. This condition can cause sufferers to feel as if they are watching themselves from the outside, as if their body is alien, or as if their thoughts are coming from someone else.
Dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) was previously called Multiple personality disorder and came under the personality disorders section.
DID is now considered to be a type of dissociative disorder and it is a complex psychological disorder in which the person often dissociates and loses touch with their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and even sense of identity.
What is Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
DID can be defined as a mental condition that is characterized by the presence of one or more identities in a person.
These identities are different from each other, different identities take control over the person’s behaviour at different points of time, and these different identities even have different educational history, experiences, accents, traits, likes, dislikes, preferences, etc.
DID is a rare condition and seems to affect 0.01-1% of the population but it can happen to anyone at any age.
Research has found that women are more likely to suffer from DID as compared to men.
Britney Spears and her mental health struggles
Britney has suffered from a number of mental disorders in her life, including depression, anorexia, bulimia, and alcoholism. She has also attempted suicide twice and was hospitalized on numerous occasions for drug and alcohol abuse.
Britney Spears has long been the target of criticism. People argue that she is a fame-whore and an attention-seeker. It has also been argued that Spears is suffering from a mental illness. I have come to the conclusion that Britney Spears is suffering from a dissociative personality disorder.
Britney Spears was diagnosed as having bipolar II disorder. This is a mood disorder characterized by extreme mood swings between depression and mania.
Bipolar II disorder is the second most common mood disorder, after bipolar I disorder.
Symptoms of bipolar II disorder include depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day; increased interest or pleasure in activities that once pleased them; feeling more active or agitated than usual; great changes in energy and decrease in energy; racing thoughts; and
Treatment for dissociative identity disorder
Other medications can help with some symptoms of DID, such as depression or anxiety. But the most effective treatment is psychotherapy. A mental healthcare provider with specialized training in mental illness, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, can guide you to the right treatment. You can benefit from individual, group or family therapy.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is one of the most preferred methods of treatment for dissociative identity disorder and it can be very helpful for the person suffering with DID by helping them to :
- Recognize past traumas
- Work through their history of abuse
- Manage stress affecting their condition.
- Treatment of sudden behavioral changes.
- Combining separate identities into one single identity.
- Providing a holistic psychosocial care plan
If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.
Hypnosis, hypnotherapy and Dissociative identity disorder
The first record of successful treatment of DID (then multiple personality disorder) showed the effective of the process of hypnosis in treating DID.
Many clinicians might take deep interest in the modality of hypnosis, get trained in hypnosis and hypnotherapy and work towards helping people with various mental health conditions throught their services.
Hypnotherapy can be used in combination with medications and psychotherapy and speed up the process of recovery as it can easily get access to the repressed memories, first episode of dissociation, and other factors that might have contributed in the development of dissociative identity disorder in a person.
Despite all the research and advancement of the field of hypnosis, people still feel apprehensive in using this line of treatment because the process of hypnosis and hypnotherapy has remained controversial since time immemorial.
Serveral clinicians reject it completely as they consider it to be a bunch of hocus-pocus, whereas some clinicians consider it to be a magic wand that can open the Pandora’s box which shelters all these identities and works through their issues, and help them with their journey of healing from DID.
Prevention of Dissociative Identity Disorder
There is no way to prevent DID. But recognizing symptoms at an early age and seeking treatment can help you manage the symptoms. Parents, caregivers and teachers must pay attention to the symptoms of young children.
Treatment immediately after episodes of abuse or trauma can prevent DID progression. Treatment can also help identify the underlying factors that cause personality or personality changes. Common causes are stress or substance abuse. Managing stress and avoiding drugs and alcohol can help reduce the frequency of various changes that drive your behavior.
There is no absolute cure for DID. Most people manage this condition for life. But a combination treatment can help reduce symptoms. You will learn to have more control over your behavior. Over time, you can work better at work, at home, or in your community.
Conclusion
We answered the question, “Did Britney Spears have dissociative identity disorder”, and also covered relevant areas like who is Britney, what are dissociative disorders, types of dissociative disorders, what is DID, hypnosis and DID, and prevention of DID.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs):Did Britney Spears have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?
What kind of personality does Britney Spears have?
Britney tends to be open and inviting with new people, often getting energized when collaborating on a shared idea. As an ISFP, Britney tends to be creative, unconventional, and empathetic.
Does everyone with DID dissociate?
Many people will experience dissociation at some point in their lives. Lots of different things can cause you to dissociate. For example, you might dissociate when you are very stressed, or after something traumatic has happened to you.
Is Britney Spears introverted?
documentary, “I Am Britney Jean,” the pop star, 32, revealed that she’s an introvert whom she believes is “not really made for this industry.” “I have always been kind of shy, since I was a little girl. It’s who I am to be modest, so I really can’t help it,” she said, according to the Huffington Post.
Is zoning out the same as dissociation?
Zoning out is considered a form of dissociation, but it typically falls at the mild end of the spectrum.
What kind of trauma causes DID?
DID is usually the result of sexual or physical abuse during childhood. Sometimes it develops in response to a natural disaster or other traumatic events like combat. The disorder is a way for someone to distance or detach themselves from trauma
What is a gatekeeper in DID?
Gatekeeper: A gatekeeper is an alter that controls switching or access to front, access to an internal world or certain areas within it, or access to certain alters or memories. … They can help to prevent traumatic memories from bleeding from the alters who hold them to alters who could not yet handle them.
References
