How common are dissociative disorders?
Disclaimer: We are not professionals; we are just doing our best to compile trustworthy information and statistics. These disorders are still heavily under-studied. There are many factors to consider, such as studies only done in inpatient populations, which could result in skewed percentages. Many of these disorders also often go undiagnosed. Different studies had different findings, so instead of giving one absolute number, we provided findings from multiple studies. We believe it’s essential to look at all of the studies rather than choosing one ‘right’ one. Generally, the correct finding will land in the middle of all of them.
Here is a table with other disorders for reference, using the DSM-5 & NAMI as sources. If someone says, “DID is so rare!” you can put that into perspective versus OCD or Bipolar disorder.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
The DSM-5-TR states that the prevalence of DID among adults in a small U.S. community study was 1.5%. The prevalence of DID was 1.1% in a sample of women in Turkey.
The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), part of the United States National Institutes of Health, states that approximately 1.5% of the international population has been diagnosed with DID.
The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) states that 0.1-1% of the general population and 0.5-1% of the psychiatric population is diagnosed with DID.
Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder (DPDR)
The DSM-5-TR states that the prevalence of DPDR in the United Kingdom was 1-2%.
The NCBI states that 1-2% of the global population is diagnosed with Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder(DPDR).
Dissociative Amnesia
The DSM-5-TR states that the prevalence of Dissociative Amnesia was 1.8% in a study of adults in a small U.S. community study.
The Cleveland Clinic states that 1% of people assigned male at birth and 2.6% of people assigned female at birth are diagnosed with Dissociative Amnesia.
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