Exploring the Awareness of Dissociative Identity Disorder through Pakistani Drama Serial Ishq Zahe Naseeb

Abstract

Dissociative disorders are a group of conditions that involve disruption in memory, awareness, identity and perception leading to impairment in social functioning, employment and interpersonal relationships of an individual. DID starts in early childhood and disrupts normal developmental stages. The child struggles to establish a subjective unitary sense of self. This unusual and thought-provoking play addresses psychological depths in addition to romantic themes. This study aims to explore the awareness of dissociative identity disorder through the Pakistani drama serial ‘Ishq Zahe Naseeb’ and also understand of portrayal of disorder in the drama, among people. It includes 15 male and 15 female participants divided into three categories; undergraduate, graduate and working. It appears that there is more awareness among undergraduate participants regarding the disorder after watching the drama as compared to graduated and working participants. Participants in these categories stated that disorder is portrayed negatively in the drama.