When discussing hypnotic therapy with a client who has dissociative identity disorder (DID), which statement reflects the nurse's understanding of how hypnosis relates to alter personalities?

• A. A client is often not consciously aware of alter personalities.
• B. Hypnosis reliably reveals all alter personalities.
• C. Hypnosis eliminates DID.
• D. Hypnosis should be avoided in all cases.

Answer: (A)

DID involves dissociation, where separate identities or parts of the self can hold different memories and awareness. In this context, hypnosis is understood as a tool that may help access dissociated experiences, but those alter personalities are often not part of the person’s normal waking awareness. So the host may not be consciously aware of all the alters, and some alters might only become noticeable under specific therapeutic conditions or may remain hidden despite hypnosis.

This is why the statement that a client is often not consciously aware of alter personalities is the best reflect of how hypnosis relates to DID in clinical practice. It acknowledges the reality of dissociation without promising that hypnosis will reveal every alter or cure the disorder. It also aligns with cautious, trauma-informed care: hypnosis can be helpful when used carefully and ethically, but it’s not a guaranteed way to access all alters, nor a cure, and it isn’t universally contraindicated.