Reality vs. Media Depiction

Hollywood screenwriters have done a terrible job of portraying Dissociative Identity Disorder. I see the appeal, as the disorder allows extremes of behavior, personal conflict, tormented souls and almost-surreal mysteries, all packed within a single character. The possibilities are too attractive to ignore. The truth is: real-life DID is interesting enough without having to warp or add anything to it. That people have this disorder and are able to function is remarkable in itself. Unfortunately, this doesn’t satiate Hollywood’s appetite and we have to endure the disorder depicted within inaccurate horror movies and offensive psychological thrillers, none of which help viewers to understand the condition. Having DID doesn’t make anyone more dangerous than your average person. 

But that’s the stuff of movies, is it?

To read more about the subject, here's an interesting article from Florida Atlantic University.