Multiple Personalities

Dissociative Identity Disorder (D.I.D. or multiple personality disorder) is a disorder that psychiatrists don't diagnose too easily:

"A person with dissociative identity disorder will have two or more separate identities that each have their own way of thinking and relating to the world. To have this disorder, a minimum of two of these identities must also take control over the person's behavior again and again. The person with dissociative identity disorder may also have difficulty remembering personal information that, like dissociative amnesia, goes beyond simple forgetfulness."

This is because there are many skeptics who feel that people make up these personalities in order to blame wrong-doings on them.  Often with D.I.D. the victim will suddenly switch personalities and do things that they do not recall.  Skeptics seem to think this is a made up disorder which promotes blaming mistakes on imaginary alternates of yourself.  But this disorder is very real.

A great model of this disorder is Herschel Walker.  He is a formal college and professional football player, who also won the Heisman Trophy.  But sadly, he doesn't remember receiving this great honor.  During his football career, Walker says that was a different person.  In the interview above, his ex-wife also speaks out.  She talks about how he pulled a gun on her and that his alternates were often violent.  But she goes on to say that she felt she had to be there for him.  She knew that this disorder was real, and that that man was not her husband.  

All of his friends and family didn't even notice something wrong with him.  Walker explained that he developed coping mechanisms throughout his football career.  He tried to keep himself as the confident and game-winning alternate.  But after his career his ex-wife says that he wasn't himself.  Changing his routine affected him greatly because he was used to his old coping mechanisms.  His therapist states that it is common for D.I.D. victims to hide the disorder and feel that they're crazy for thinking that they're crazy.  So with time, it gets worse.  That is what happened with Walker.  

After  8 years of therapy, Walker has written a book explaining his experience witht he disorder.  D.I.D. isn't a disorder that goes away, it's a lifestyle that you must live with.   In this book Walker discusses how he copes with D.I.D. and his struggles that were never revealed before.  He explains all of his violent thoughts, which exemplifies that D.I.D. isn't a made up disorder.  Herschel Walker, even throughout his violent breakouts, remains a person with great strength and courage.