The nurse is caring for a patient diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. During the examination, the nurse would expect which of the following symptoms?

Explanation

•Dissociative identity disorder was previously known as multiple personality disorder. Patients have two or more distinct personalities, each of its own behavior and attitudes.

•The following are the signs and symptoms of dissociative identity disorder: unremembered behaviors, the discovery of items in the patient’s possession of which she cannot account for, loss of time, behavior characteristics that represents distinctly different ages, changes in appearance and dress, and use of different voices.  Depression is often the first sign of dissociative identity disorder.

•Dissocation is a subconscious defense mechanism that helps a person protect his or her emotional self from recognizing the full effects of some horrific or traumatic event by allowing the mind to forget or remove itself from the painful situation or memory.

•Intense egocentrism and sense of superiority and exhibitionism is seen in antisocial personality disorder. 

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