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living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

hi @Former-Member, @CheerBear, @Spookytookims, @Former-Member and everyone else

I've had a few ask about what its like living with DID. So I decided to do a new thread. First off for those who dont know there are varying degrees of DID, from just feeling far away or distanced to having distinct alternate personalities or identies. In my case I have distinct alters to the point they have names and one has even been diagnosed with autisim which is rare.

So to make it so people can get a better idea I'm Aj the owner of the body. Then there is Kelly she is around the age of 4. Kelly actually started off as my imaginary friend when i was little then I went through a period of wanting to be the imaginary one due to abuse from someone i trusted. so Kelly is also the Autistic one, she will scream when touched and doesnt talk often sits and watches the clouds. the longest she has been out is 2 weeks. I am not co-consious with any of my alters when they are out i lose time. Kelly will come out usually if i feel scared or insecure and can be hard on my partner when our son wants mummy.

Next is sarah she is around 6 and is the easiest to handle often my partner cant tell she is out til she starts humming somesort of tune (we havent worked out what it is) she is a typical 6 yr old and the best part is my little boy isnt afected by her when shes out he just thinks mummy has taken time to play with him.

Then there is Casey while she comes out very little she needs constant monitoring as she self-harms but she doesnt usually come out unless get real down. thankfully my son has never had to encounter her.

i also have another alter but she is not as distinct as the others.

yes most of my alters a littles or children, i have been told this is because of my age when my childhood abuse started and when significant truma was present.

i was three when my abuse started. i was 22 when i finally cut the cord of emotional abuse my mother used on me. if anyone has questions i am happy to answer them

168 replies

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In response to: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

@Maggie you are most welcome my friend.

@Teej community elder sounds fancy but I like it 🙂 I haven't been reading here much unless someone tags me and I get an email. I don't have a lot to contribute to 99% of the discussions and the rest, what I would say is hardly earth shattering! I hope you're doing okay...

@LaceMarie this is really hard because some therapists are just mentally closed to DID. I think in your position I would ask the therapist if they have ever worked with a DID client and if so, how many, and if not, how rare do they believe it to be? That should give you an idea of where they're coming from and how to regard their opinion. We have found therapists with little experience of DID and trauma can be helpful but only if they realise their inexperience and are willing to learn.

In response to: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Thankyou @Former-Member I'll learn how to do that next, working on it atm.

In response to: Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

hi @Maggie@-Rayne-@Former-Member@LaceMarie@Teej

i think i have dignosed with DID. if yous have any info about it or any help, that would be good

In response to: Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Hi @NameUnknown ...

Just continuing our conversation from earlier tonight. I’m sorry it took me a little while to get sorted at home, and back to this ....

Here is a YouTube video. Only watch it if you’re comfortable to, of course.

This is Jess .... she lives with Ollie, Jake, Jamie and Ed as her “other people”. Jess and her alters have chosen to share their experience of life as a way of raising community awareness and sensitivity towards the way they manage their life and relationships, and they are doing a series.

I hope it helps you to see how they organise their shared life to include everybody and appreciate their strengths.

** Adding a trigger warning in here because there is a reference to misrepresentation of DID through Hollywood films, and a very brief trailer clip before Jess debunks that sort of presentation of DID ....... in case the inserted clip is frightening or triggering ....

The movie clip is from “Split” .... and it is used here to demonstrate how inappropriate it is ....**

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P_5Pi_-LboY

Hi @CherryValentine. Others have introduced themselves here .... I hope this thread helps you feel more at home.

Some “former members” are still on the forums, but have chosen to change their forum identity, and have returned under a different name and avatar.

In response to: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Hi @Faith-and-Hope,
I laughed when I realised that this thread is on I actually started with an old avatar. Actually I think this was when I very first joined forum land.
Thankyou for the video but I will have to watch later got stuff to do now

In response to: Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Hi @NameUnknown .... 🌷💕

Hoped you would get a giggle out of that .....

The video is in the format of an interview with a Tv presenter, which is why they have added in the Hollywood movie footage, and interview with her (their) DID specialist ..... things like that. It’s a communication with the non-DID world as much as it is communicating with other DID people about their situation, which is a well-functioning one.

Please ..... if you find it too uncomfortable (you or anyone else here) please let me know and I will take it down .... or one of the mods will on request.

In response to: Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Thanks @Faith-and-Hope, I think its important to raise awareness. I'd like to know if there is anyone else out there who has DID and is working toward complete integration?

In response to: Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Hi @Bubbles3 this link is a really good, straight forward source of info on DID. I was diagnosed over 7 years ago now and am still on the journey of acceptance and am working toward complete integration. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.

http://www.islhd.health.nsw.gov.au/Carer_Program/Mental_Health/Illness_and_Disorder/DissociativeIdentityDisorder.pdf

In response to: Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Not tagging anyone, but for anyone who might stumble across this post, I'm really struggling with feeling like my head if going to explode. Does anyone else experience this? Is it that there might be a number of conversations going on all at once. I have asked, one at a time please, but it really is becoming overpowering and exhausting. I've noticed it happening more since a relatively recent memory was uncovered. Also might be depression/anxiety mix. Confused obviously.

In response to: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Re: living with DID/ Dissociative Identity Disorder

Oh @Maggie, sounds aweful, and similar to how i get when i have more on my plate than i can handle, kinda lost the ability to slot / organise / process things. Its unsettling.

What helps me is to journal, but first list all the thi gs rolling around in your head point form first, then expand as time permits. I find just listing it helps xox
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