Identity Confusion & Alteration

Identity Confusion

Definition

Identity Confusion is a state of uncertainty regarding one’s own identity. This is a common experience for adolescents but can also occur at a later stage in life or as a result of mental distress. Identity confusion in and of itself is not a disorder.

Identity Confusion within Disorders

Identity confusion is a very common thing – however, those with disorders such as DID or OSDD will have a disordered form of Identity Confusion as a symptom.

Identity Alteration

Definition

Identity alteration is the sense of being notably different from a different part of yourself.

Layman’s Terms Definition

Have you ever had your family meet a friend or maybe a coworker meet someone in your social life and realized you’re completely torn on how to act. It’s not because you’re lying or being false – it’s because you’re genuinely two different people when you’re around these two different people or groups. Different parts of you come out in these different scenarios – your identity shifts. It is very important to distinguish that this is NOT Dissociative Identity Disorder. There are no amnesiac barriers prohibiting communication between your identity states which makes it a disorder.

Identity Alteration within Disorders

While Identity Alteration itself is not a disorder and is a common experience, there are disorders that will leave individuals experiencing Identity Alteration to a disordered extreme as a symptom. Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) may be likely to experience Identity Alteration to a higher extent in a disordered form.