Observed annually on March 5th, National Multiple Personality Day offers an opportunity to raise awareness about dissociative identity disorder (DID) and reflect on the many facets of our own personalities.
DID, formerly known as multiple personality disorder, is a mental health condition where individuals experience two or more distinct identities or personality states. These states may have unique behaviors, memories, and ways of perceiving the world. The day also encourages everyone to consider the “personalities” they present in different aspects of life and to better understand themselves and others.
Ways to Observe National Multiple Personality Day
This day is more than raising awareness. It’s a chance to foster understanding, reflect on identity, and support mental health. Here are simple ways to observe National Multiple Personality Day:
- Educate yourself: Learn more about dissociative identity disorder from reputable sources like mental health organizations or psychology experts. Gaining knowledge fosters empathy and helps dispel myths.
- Support mental health awareness: Share resources or personal experiences on social media using #NationalMultiplePersonalityDay to help spread awareness and reduce stigma around mental health conditions.
- Show kindness: Reach out to someone who might be struggling and offer support. Small gestures can make a big difference in fostering understanding and compassion.
When Is National Multiple Personality Day Celebrated?
National Multiple Personality Day is an important reminder of the complexity of human identity and is observed on March 5th every year. Here’s a look at the upcoming dates:
| Year | Date & Day |
|---|---|
| 2025 | March 5, Wednesday |
| 2026 | March 5, Thursday |
| 2027 | March 5, Friday |
| 2028 | March 5, Sunday |
| 2029 | March 5, Monday |
| 2030 | March 5, Tuesday |
Facts About Dissociative Identity Disorder
The concept of multiple personalities and dissociative identity disorder (DID) comes with many misconceptions and fascinating truths. These facts shed light on the condition and the broader idea of human identity:
- DID is rare but real: Only about 1-2% of the population is estimated to have DID, making it a relatively rare but significant condition in mental health.
- It’s not the same as schizophrenia: DID is often misunderstood as schizophrenia, but the two are completely different disorders with distinct symptoms.
- Trauma is often a root cause: DID is usually linked to severe trauma during childhood, leading the mind to create alternate identities as a coping mechanism.
- Fiction often misrepresents it: Films and books sometimes exaggerate or inaccurately portray DID, which contributes to widespread misconceptions.
- Personality isn’t fixed: While DID involves distinct identities, everyone’s personality evolves over time based on experiences, growth, and change.
Before You Go:
We have many more national days lists for you to explore.
- Food-related national days: complete list of national food days, pasta & noodles days, vegan & vegetarian days, mushroom days, ice-cream days, pizza days, coffee days, chocolate days, wine days, alcohol & drinking days.
- Non-food national days: National Days Calendars 2024-2025 (check out the printable calendars in my Etsy shop), National Days for Teachers, and a wide array of special lists such as cat days, dog days, animal days, cleaning & organizing days, book days, music days, family & relationships days, national days for women, stationery days and even Harry Potter days.
- Country-specific national days: Australian national days, more coming soon.
