If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?
537699
I'm not sure if I should be laughing, but thats funny!
861537
Their motto is usually 'mind over matter', the 'matter' being the ending of a person(s) life, I guess. Perhaps they have the solid mindset that the person they killed deserved to die so with this, they probably sleep better at night with that persons life snuffed out. A psychopath won't feel it perhaps. Those who are of stable minds do feel disgusted with themselves, I'm thinking.. but theres this theory where it is said that the brain automatically erases or fades away bad memories, given a lot of time. There may be a lot of psychological reasons to this but hey.. there are people who feels so disgusted with themselves that they can't bear to live with themselves and resort to suicide. Its a sad and cruel world we live in, huh?
377712
Very funny, If one personality commits suicide, is it suicide, multiple murder, or genocide?  \nSeriously though, there have been court cases that have allowed people with Dissociative Identity Disorder to testify separately.  \nIn Wisconsin vs. Mark A. Peterson, a man engaged in consensual sex with a girl, but one of her alters emerged during it and screamed rape.    During the trial six separate identities emerged including that of a dog and each had to be sworn in separately.  He was later in fact later convicted, but only because there was a part of the law that forbade knowingly involving oneself with anyone known to have a mental illness.  \nAlso look up the case of Juanita Maxwell.
612641
no...schizophrenics hallucinate more that they have split personalities...they see other people and talk to them, but rarely have accompanied what they call as multiple personality disorder.. that only happens in 1% of the worlds population, so chances are u shouldn't consider it a menage a trois...besides, schizophrenic patients are abnormally vunerable to critizism, they form these hallucinations to make them cope with the indifference they feel the world has towards them, so please don't joke about it with him...help him out if you care....but i'm sure it's very exhausting..but you have a chance to help someone, i would take it if i were you..Good luck
138688
I actually asked a similar question of a friend in law school. My question was about another psychological disorder called a dissociative fugue. In either case, in the US legal system, a person with a legitimate psychological disorder cannot be held accountable for a crime committed by another personality. However, in the legal system, a person with multiple personalities can be placed in a mental institution. David/Sam should probably be seeking medical attention, especially if one of his/her personalities is violent.
133127
I think this type of situation is extremely rare.  It is unlikely that a situation in which one twin was dependent upon the other would not be medically dangerous for the stronger twin.  It is not uncommon for conjoined twins to share organs, and it is often the case that separation would allow the survival of one and not the other, but in the situation you described it is unlikely that the twins would survive to adulthood.\n\nThat said, I don't think its realistic to attempt to give conjoined twins the right to privacy from each other.  Given that the decision of separation would effect both their bodies, I don't think it could be made unilaterally by one of the twins.  I think the surgery would require mutual concent.  And if the weaker twin consented, it becomes an issue of assisting suicide.
1023240
I'm sure that we've all known someone or heard of someone who has threatened to commit suicide. Regarding to what one of the other answers was about, people do have the notion that those who threaten to commit suicide is just a way to get attention. Guess what? Essentially, that is correct. The nature of depression is that someone feels isolated and needs some kind of support in some way. If they didn't, then I don't think they would be depressed. \n\nFor some people who are depressed, it is hard to let others know that they really do need support. It's as if they must validate their condition in some way. For illnesses with a physical basis, such as leukemia, the condition could be validated via white blood cell count. It's harder for mental conditions, being as yet, there is nothing that can easily assess the degree to which one is depressed, except for testimonies. This, to me, seems to be the reason people think suicide and suicide threats are egotistical things to do. "If they say they want to kill themselves, tell them to go ahead!" I've heard that more than a few times. Suicide/suicide attempts seems to be the ultimate validation of whether or not someone is truly depressed.\n\nThe one thing that really gets me about depression is that someone who is depressed can't be optimistic about their future despite their illness - why? Cause depression is defined by the exact pessimistic ideology that those who are ill are trying to stray away from. We've all heard of people who have cancer yet still possess an optimistic view about beating their disease and the oncoming future. Obviously, the same cannot be said for depression. There is no one saying, "I admire her continual optimism despite having to fight depression." Because of this, depression is somehow seen as less authentic compared to other illnesses like cancer. I'm not saying that being depressed is worse than having cancer. I'm merely stating the catch-22 involving mood disorders.\n\nMental health needs to receive the same attention that physical health does. Insurance policies need to include treatment for mental illnesses so that mental health is at the same level as "regular" health. The public needs to be educated about the truths and myths concerning those with mental illness. With this education, the stigma involving mental illness can be quelled, and methods for prevention can be executed from early ages of children. If these things occur, it would possible for people suffering to get the help they need at an early stage and for mental illnesses to not result in extremities such as suicide.
736963
The term is actually 5150, it's police code for "Escaped Mental Patient".  Not trying to be mean just answering!
564602
unless and until the person is mentally disturbed he or she cannot make attempt against anyones life.
138550
The correct title of the book and the movie is "When Rabbit Howls" by The Troops for Truddi Chase.  \n\nMultiple Personality is indeed now called "Dissociative Identity Disorder" by the mainstream mental health profession.  This occurred in the early 1990s in an attempt to convince the mainstream that multiplicity was not more than one personality in one body, but one personality that was dissociated (split) and needed to be made whole.  \n\nThis, of course, is a matter of perspective.  As long as a person is living a healthy, functional life, it is their right to view themselves as many in one body if they choose to do so.  The Troops for Truddi Chase held this belief and chose not to integrate, and many of today's multiples hold the same belief.
492570
Split personality is not an official or accurate term used anymore.  Multiple personality disorder is now called DID (dissociative identity disorder).  This is because, by theory, a sufferer has what I'll call a "core personality", but also projects other personalities that seem like completely separate people.  What makes this clinical is that a person CANNOT CONTROL themselves when in these states.  If you watch research videos you'll see a researcher talking to what appears to be a wholly different person not just in what they say, but physical manerisms and attitudes.  Dissociative disorders often come about as the result of severely traumatic events wherein a sufferer will, as a defensive mechanism, go into a dissociative state (though often joked about, but literally to "their happy place").  This can even come in personifying an inanimate object (like a teddy bear).\n\nChikee mentioned "bipolar" but his has nothing to do with it.  Bipolar is a condition where a person suffers extreme states of depression and extreme states of mania.  Bipolar is thrown around lightly now, but a true clinical condition makes these sufferers have a near impossible time fucntioning properly in society.  Not related to DID at all.\n\nBedraj mention Schizophrenia, but this is still a different condition.  This condition is characterized mainly by distorted perceptions of reality, delusions, and hallucinations.  See below for links to more information.
1032524
I have Dissociative Identity Disorder and I have since I was in Kindergarten.  What do you mean the "core" can be killed?  Do you mean intergration?  I've intergrated 2 of my personalities into myself and have 3 left (including me - 4).  Do you mean, I can die and one of the others take over my life?  My core as you say is strong enough now that it won't ever be "beaten down or die" to one of my alts.  However, I have to say, yes, an alternate personality can kill you physically and themselves in the process.  Often alternate personality's feel guilt about 'being there' almost like they caused you to fracture in the first place and take that anger at themselves and misplace it.  By acting in self-destructive manners they can destroy themeselves and you.  Thats why good psychotheraphy is so important, if not critical.  \n\nAs far as the alternate killing the core and 'taking' over, I think your friend watches too many soap operas.
348770
Only if the other personalities are being held against their will...
221606
Actually it sounds like schizophrenia. They should trying doing a civil committment. All they need to do is contact the county mental health department and tell them what is going on. They can lock him up and do an evaluation, then they would go before a judge. If the judge finds that the person is a danger to himself or others they can force him to recieve treatment and he won't be able to check himself out.
392275
Actually the name's been changed to DID, or Dissociative Identity Disorder. Good question, in that, it is a subject of great professional debate. The crux being, if the person truly has completely distinct multiple personalities, why do they often seem to know they have them before anyone tells them. If the personalities are completely distinct, then how do they know who each personality is ,and how they act before speaking to a professional. Generally, friends and family members wouldn't have the terms or knowledge to describe each personality to them. As of now. it's mostly seen as protection for an exceedingly weak ego, and many psychology professionals don't buy DID as it's been classically presented.
1039574
no i really dont think so i mean you can chose to die or make someone else die but  you will get in trouble and i mean lots if you kill someone and if you try to kill yourself and fail you will probaly would have lots of people helping you weather  you wanted or not but it is your freedom of choice to chose such things.
760870
My heart and soul goes out to you after having read your life's story.   You are 100% right that your son is a danger to himself and others.  Believe me it would take nothing for him to kill you, himself or other around him.    \n\nI really fail to understand the "State Hospital", where you reside.  They should have never released him to a half way house as he really belongs in a unit for the "Criminal Insane".  (This does not mean that he is a "Crimial").  These units are used for people like your son who have serious mental illness.  And the staff, including the psychiatrist have special training on dealing with patients who can become psychotic or any given reason.  \n\nIn all reality in need to stay there and not be released to the general public.     I know that he is your son, but you have every reason to fear for your life.  \n\nI don't see what SSI, is going to do for him, because he requires supervision 24 hours per day with the psychiatic DX., that you have described.  He is not capable of living on his own.  Plus he is a danger to you and society.   \n\nI know you love your son.  And the very best you can do for your son is to get a judge to commit him back into the State Hospital onto a "Criminal Unit", where they have the skills and training to control aggressive behavior and psychotic behavior.   \n\nWish I could offer you a better solution. Dealing with reality is very difficult when it is your flesh and blood.  If you value your life and the life of others, plus your love for your son.  Please do all possible with your own State Government to have him placed back into the hospital for good.   \n\nAll patients have mental advocates to protect their rights.  And alot of judges don't have the qualifications to deal with these types of situations.  But they have the power being a judge to over-ride my professional desire to keep a person like you son in the hospital without release.  They can let them out and then if the person harms some one or themselves they have to live with it forever.    \n\nGod bless you and watch over you.  Hope that your government and country will do the right things for your son.    (What is sad, is that local governments only act when a life is taken).  \n\nClinical Psychiatrist, France\n\nExcuse my english