Hi,

I was thinking of instances of those who study or work clinically with DID, who make that distinction.

It is an important distinction, as it clarifies, in many ways, that while a DID patient may feel fragmented, they present as a single entity. While the DSM says several personalities exist, it does not say that each personality has, for instance, different hair/eye/skin color. However, many DID patients feel those perceived differences are "real" and many DID patients feel the body is not "theirs". Again this is different from the clinician's (and society's) belief that the DID patient is one person in one body.

Belief in personalities as the personalities are perceived by the patient is not necessary to "believe" in DID. I believe that DID patients are fragmented -- I don't believe they are truly separate entities within one body. Truly separate personalities can function on their own, DID systems contain introjects, helpers, children, etc in an enmeshed psychodynamic system, none of which would exist without the others.

M