Did

[jessicarabbit]

This is more of a question as I'm interested if people wouldn't mind helping me understand. My understanding is that DID is pretty uncommon whilst disossociation is quite common amongst trauma survivors. So how come on this site there seems to be a lot of people who have these alters usually associated with DID? Just I am ignorant and need educating. Please.

[pepsimeg]

Hi it is a misconception that d.i.d is uncommon

And my therapist that dx us says drs even therapists need to be educated more.

Our alters werr hidden which most do.

The reason why this site seems to have a lot is because here unlike most m.h forums is accepting of everyone so ppl feel at ease to express themselves where they cannot on other forums

Sandy

[PDBPD]

Personality disorder support....I think the answer is in the content.. Steve

[jessicarabbit]

But when I have asked my own therapist and doctors about it they have told me that it's not common at all and people have personality disorders not DID. Steve I find your tone unhelpful

[PDBPD]

Do you now...Jessica tell me...how can I assist you?? Steve

[jessicarabbit]

I'd rather you didn't. Your passive aggressive tone is rather nauseating. I merely asked a question and you replied in a rather obnoxious way.

[PDBPD]

Jessica....you asked a question, yes?? I provide an answer, yes?? We both know you are gently saying the many people that suffer with D.I.D are untruthful....aren't you Jessica?? Jessica...please do not speak down to me....irritating. Steve

[pepsimeg]

Jessica I can not comment on your own responses from your T but mine was d..I d trained and he said he needed to get the message across to more and more therapists and drs as a lot of them wrongly dx us with PDs esp BPD.

Now I can not know if this is true or not as I am not a trained professional I am just saying what I was told.

[Bubbles..]

Can you guys take disagreements to PM please? x

[Lily-Bee]

Hi,

Ive re openend this thread but removed personal arguments.

Please abide by the rules.

Lily

[pepsimeg]

Lily im so glad u re opened this because without the above disagreements im glad JR has raised this issue because it is something that needs to be discussed the d.i.d I mean. And it is hiw alot of ppl view d.i.d Emo

[jessicarabbit]

Thank you for reopening this. Apologies for it getting heated yesterday. I think I'll come back to this later as I'm hesitant to write some things down but I obviously want to as otherwise I wouldn't have made the post in the first place.

[PDBPD]

Apologies to anyone I offended....thank you Jessica for your apology.. Steve

[mousie]

* trigger warning - organised abuse issues*

on DID and dissociation i believe its on a continuum

there are folks that dissociate at normal levels

this is called primary dissociation, e.g. watching tv someone says something but its not heard

most folks get this and its called absorption

secondary dissociation is across the spectrum of depersonalisation, derealisation and dissociative fugue

tertiary dissociation is where parts of the self adapt

to contain and isolate state aspects that specialise in age, gender, ability and/or other qualities

people/parts/alters etc can number 3 or more anything up to 100s

the latter being classed as polyfragmented DID

(i have heard of a couple of multiples that ranged over 1000)

valerie sinason, director of the clinic for dissociative studies in north london

said somethling similar to

we are all born in a dissociated state and its our experiences that integrate us

and i agree with this, that experiences form our internal and external connections,

how we see the ourselves, the world and the people in it...

everyone's in an adaptive state, continually shifting, growing, receding

and i argue that all this is on a continuum

that everyone is on a mental health and dissociative continuum

there is of course the traumatic response where someone responds

either through hyperarousal - hypervigilience, or hypoarousal - dissociation

and this is an adaptive tendency which in some cases flips from one to another

ie hypervigilience in a state of distress then shifts to numbing out, dissociating

there are interesting but possibly challenging/triggering research papers in this area on the website

child trauma academy

which is for professionals working in the field of trauma and dissociation

the number of organically developed folks with DID in the uk isn't known

as has been observed in this thread, DID is an adaptive response to keep going and stay hidden

so there are many that don't reveal themselves and there are quite a few

that are heads of big companies, leaders in their field etc

as what comes with this increased brain activity is quite commonly an enhanced level of IQ

aside from organically developed DID (as a natural response to traumatic experiences)

there are folks with artificial DID where organised criminals did things that caused parts to form

this is little known about even in the field of professionals working in psychological trauma

though the number of people with this form of DID is greater than most could believe

so... yes, DID is very common and very hidden

hidden either because of stigma, lack of resources to seek support,

or other reasons that prevent that person to reach out for support

valerie sinason has been been vilified across her professional field for working with folks with DID

and she's an internationally recognised expert in the field with decades of experience

and if she gets continually lambasted for her work

you could probably imagine how hard it is for someone that's a multiple to step forward

diagnostically the field is rife with professionals that dismiss the existence of DID

and if diagnosed, it has a cost of treatment implication that scares the crud out of some

and most multiples experience years of diagnoses prior to arriving if ever at the correct one

and as BPD is commonly seen as traumatogenic, it kinda comes with the territory

for multiples to get both labels

personally, i've been a member of self harm, suicide and DID forums

i'm diagnosed with DID and BPD

i'm on this forum and stayed because i've had good connections with lovely people

had support that really made a difference

and there are multiples here that 'get it' and that is massive to me

and as an act of compassion

regarding this thread

i personally see when folks get strong reactions

it says where they are, not who they are

where they are in themselves, how they're coping, where they are in their personal growth

who they are? good people, under resourced, struggling, got stuff an all

but good people

so ner

(soz if this cheeses you off)

[PDBPD]

Mousie...thanks...this explains things clearly.. Steve

[addy2]

The way i was told is that dissasociation is common in bpd, but DID is seperate from bpd DID happens when the trauma has been so bad and severe that the personality has fragmented and broken of into seperate parts this happened to help the person cope with what was happening to them. I was recently dx with DID and this is how it was explained to me. Just because some dissasociates doesnt mean they have DID. I dont understand what you meant by it isnt alters its personality disorders? Do you mean they have several personality disorders going on or that they have bpd? And mousie you explain it brilliantly mines is a bit waffely

[PDBPD]

Addy...my understanding is the same.... Steve

[jessicarabbit]

Well there are more than one personality disorder and generally people don't just fit criteria for one. So this makes me wonder some things.

[jessicarabbit]

So. Hypothetically speaking of course, if I say had an alter, that was violent and I was unable to control his violence. And I hurt my husband. Badly. Really badly. And he was laying there in the bed for days badly hurt. Because my alter kept appearing and not allowing my rational side to get him help. Would I get away with this in a court of law as it's not me with the violent behaviour.

[walker]

no one gets away with things like that

but some people would end up in secure psychiatric unit rather than prison

[PDBPD]

Jessica...what do you want to say?? You baffle me...one minute you are contrite the next you are asking what will happen if you hurt your husband....God help him! Steve

[PDBPD]

Jessica...please can I ask...do you have alters?? Steve

[jessicarabbit]

It was hypothetical. I think. I haven't actually seen him for a few days but I don't think I be hurt him. But walker if it was an alter then it wouldn't be me doing the hurting would it? So who is accountable?

[jessicarabbit]

What are alters Steve? What are they? Who are they? Do they exist?

[PDBPD]

Jessica...I can't answer your questions...I am not qualified. I hope your husband is safe?? Steve