Dissociative Disorders in Black South Africans: a Report on Five Cases

Dissociative disorders, includingDissociative Identity Disorder have largely been reported from North America. To date only one case has been reported from South Africa. This article presents case histories of five South African black patients who were diagnosed with various dissociative disorders. Three were diagnosed with Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified ( Dissociative Psychosis), one with Dissociative Identity Disorder, and one might be considered to sufferDissociative Trance Disorder. All had received anti-psychotics and had responded poorly. One had developed Tardive Dyskinesia. Interestingly, not in keeping with the typical profile, none of these patients reported sex abuse or other trauma during childhood or adulthood. Substance abuse, suicidality and criminality were also absent. It is suggested that black South Africans do suffer from dissociative disorders and more case reports and epidemiological research are ne-