Dissociative Identity Disorder is an infrequent condition signified by the absence of a clear, comprehensive identity. Typically cases involve two or more independent and diverse personalities develop within the same person. At varying times one personality may alternately present itself in the person’s conscious awareness while omitting the others, but conversely one is usually dominant. So far the similarities I realize have not presented themselves. But moving right along…
The assorted personalities usually differ from one another in outlook, disposition, and body language and might assume different first names. Okay, perhaps Wendy is still knows herself as Wendy despite being in manic or hyper mode, but if you know any bipolar Wendy’s wouldn’t you say the rest of that sentence fits? Think of it like this, you read any blog article about a committed couple where one half of the participants are bipolar. They probably discuss about how not themselves their spouses are when in their varying modes. When Bobby is manic he’s like this and this, and when Bobby’s depressed he’s this and that. But that’s not who Bobby is at the core…aka the dominant personality.
The condition is generally viewed as resulting from dissociative mental processes — that is, the splitting off from conscious awareness and control of thoughts, feelings, memories, and other mental components in response to situations that are painful, disturbing, or somehow unacceptable to the person experiencing them.
Bipolar disorder is a chemical imbalance in the brain, and while currently a direct link has not been identified, clinical studies and medical observations have been able to identify a number of chemical inconsistencies that occur in individuals who report experiencing symptoms related to these disorders including emotional distress and disturbances.
Which is interesting I think for two reasons: first, no one would have ever cried bipolar on Britney prior to the turbulence that was her marriage, followed by the rapid succession of mother bearing and what have you. Could that clearly traumatic to her experience have triggered the imbalance? I wonder because, on to my second reason, half of the United States of Tara season is spent around her husband trying to find the people involved in what they assume was a traumatic experience with his wife in school, that they believe subsequently is what led to the arrival of her alters. He’s driven by the mentality that if he can figure out what happened to her (an event that has been repressed in her head) he’ll get to the bottom of why his wife is how she is.
The notion that the way an event or events plays out can then lead to mind altering character behavior isn’t a new topic. Post traumatic stress disorder, Postpartum Depression, and phobias are all brought about by events as well.
Lastly, with most mental disorders everyday triggering events are typically what cause the varying symptoms, actions and behavior that occur. When Tara doesn’t feel sexy and worries that her husband fancies her alters and wants to sleep with them, Buck her male alter emerges to reflect that. When she feels she’s not properly giving her kids the best mother she can be, all of a sudden Alice—the 50’s style step ford wife shows up. The examples are endless which is really fascinating. It’s like her reactions and subconscious thoughts are reflecting themselves through other avenues. All too similar I think, to the motivating aspects that cause the shifts between bipolar modes. Maybe for example, when accusations of sorts are set upon a bipolar person, the result is a heated manic mood. I don’t know. It doesn’t always make sense, but something deeper is going I have to figure.
In Eliza’s interview part one, the woman says that her mother being how she is has caused her to view situations more observantly because she’s used to out there responses being thrown at her that are underneath it all rooted in some truths. Tara’s daughter in one episode tries to explain to her brother that maybe their mother was using the teenage girl alter (in this particular situation) to bring forth an unseen truth and protect him from future a heartache.
Still, there’s got to be easier ways to get a message across right…?
–Posted by Maggie Barnes
Pages: 1 2
Filed under: Maggie Barnes, bi-polar , bipolar, Dissociative Identity Disorder, showtime, united states of tara
I love that show, but I think it tries too hard to be ‘dysfunctional’. The mom’s disorder and self-struggle is interesting enough without the homosexual son or the too-angsty teenage daughter.