Alter-personalities Quote by Richard P. Kluft
““Most DID patients are rather muted compared to those cases incorrectly assumed to epitomize the condition (Kluft, 1985b). The personalities enact adaptational patterns and strategies that developed in the service of defense and survival. Once this pattern, which disposes of upsetting material and pressures rapidly and efficiently, is established, it may be repeated again and again to cope with both further overwhelming experiences and more mundane developmental and adaptational issues. Once the DID that developed in order to cope with intolerable childhood circumstances has achieved some degree of secondary autonomy, it becomes increasingly maladaptive.””
About This Quote
Source Journal Article: “Dissociative Identity Disorder: Clinical Perspectives”, 1985
DID coping mechanisms become rigid, turning survival strategies into maladaptive patterns over time.
In simple terms: Survival tactics can become harmful habits.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and adjust outdated coping strategies.
Themes
psychology
trauma
coping
identity
Mood
analytical
empathetic
Type
clinical
educational
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- personal growth
- stress management
Key Concepts
dissociation
secondary autonomy
maladaptation
Questions to Reflect On
- What early signs indicate a coping strategy is becoming maladaptive?
- How can therapy foster healthier adaptations?
A Different Perspective
Changing entrenched patterns can be painful.
![“clinical literature is virtually unanimous that full MPD [Multiple Personality Disorder] cannot be created iatrogenically. There is no evidence that such a case has been demonstrated; clinicians of widely different orientations have studied the available information and arrived at similar…” quote by Richard P. Kluft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/41f/richard-p-kluft-44450_books_clinical-literature-is-virtually-unanimo_296516.jpg)
![“Interestingly, the patients who presented to me self-diagnosed [with Dissociative Identity Disorder] had tried to tell previous therapists of their plight, but had been disbelieved. These therapists had used fallacious "capricious criteria" (KIuft, 1988) to discredit the diagnosis; e.g., that the…” quote by Richard P. Kluft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0cc/richard-p-kluft-44450_capricious_interestingly-the-patients-who-presented_680376.jpg)
