A WOMAN giving new meaning to the term split-personality is set to feature in a Channel 4 documentary on a rare personality disorder.

Jessica Clark looks like any other 22-year-old but the resident of Cwmbran has Dissociative Identity Disorder, and no less than five personalities.

It means that on a daily basis she deals with a diverse range of emotions, skill sets, and beliefs belonging to four other identitoes – who are all male.

They are gay anorexic Eddie, a 26-year-old Cockney hairdresser; 24-year-old bisexual doctor Jamie; his Buddhist-brother, Jake, a 21-year-old actor and singer; and Astrobiology-obsessed 11-year-old Ollie. Astrobiology takes in the study of evolution and life patterns.

The personalities even have different accents.

But despite her disorder – believed to affect one to three per cent of the global population – Miss Clark is engaged to be married, to long-term fiancé Gareth Mayer.

Mr Mayer, 24, Miss Clark's partner of six years, said he had come to love each of the personalities in their own way.

“I remember the day Jess told me about ‘the boys’,” said the full-time student. “She expected me to go screaming for the hills. But actually I thought it was pretty damn cool. It’s something that has been surprisingly easy to deal with.”

Mr Mayer described the transition between the personalities as “incredible”.

“It’s surreal but you literally see a shift in everything, from accent to attitude, and even her mannerisms and the way Jess looks,” he added. “It’s a bit shocking but it’s also a huge part of what makes Jess, Jess.

He also said each of the personalities has their own tastes and styles, and that Miss Clark had acquired a wardrobe to match their diversity.

“They each dress differently, and whereas Eddie is very flamboyant Jake is very suave,” he added. “Lady Gaga’s wardrobe is probably less diverse than Jess’ is.

“I actually find it hard to choose who I like best. Obviously Jess is my favourite. But otherwise it’s Eddie, I think.”

Miss Clark, who attended Llantarnam Comprehensive School, said it was “like living five lives in one”.

“It has its ups and downs, but then I don’t understand what it is like to live without the four of them,” she said.

“I think it’s a sink or swim situation and I’ve been able to continue functioning with it.”

Miss Clark, a receptionist in Newport, and part-time support worker, said she had always “spoken” with the four others in her head, but she was officially diagnosed by a specialist in Norwich in January 2012.

The Channel 4 documentary has recently been commissioned and is yet to start filming. The couple have already appeared in ITV's This Morning programme.

A video of Miss Clark and Mr Mayer with psychologist Dr Jane McCartney, as part of their appearance on ITV can be seen at http://www.itv.com/thismorning/health/dissociative-identity-disorder-jessica-clark