Most psychiatrists think they have never seen multiple personality, because personality switches usually occur in private or the alternate personality is incognito.

All persons who have multiple personality can be observed to change their demeanor and then admit that they are someone else. And when people say they have never seen a person with multiple personality, they mean they have never seen that happen with anyone.

Yes, a switch in personalities can be directly observed in all people who have multiple personality, but they usually do it in private. And when they do it in public, the alternate personality usually answers to the regular name, and remains incognito, because life is simpler that way.

Why doesn’t the regular, “host” personality tell you about the multiple personality? Because the host may not know about it due to memory gaps. So why don’t the alternate personalities tell you about it? Because they don’t think of it as multiple personality; they feel they are people in their own right, and they don’t want anyone meddling.

Although personality switches are directly observable, you are unlikely to knowingly observe them unless you know what you are doing. Most psychiatrists, including some of the best, have never received training in making this diagnosis.

For further discussion, search “mental status” in this blog.