I was given several different DX before the DID label was given. I began to feel worse the more labels got pinned on me. Depressive disorder, PSTD - delayed onset, BPD and then finally DID. ARGH!!!

I like what Miri said about not allowing our identity to get too fixated on any one dx we are given. It is about us as a person, not a label. When I first accepted I was DID I was so relieved that I let a bunch of parts act out and it damaged my relationship with my spouse, I lost a lot of credibility and now I could use his support. I wish I had been able to be more discrete about things.

I wanted so badly to understand why my life was so full of pain and fear and why I could not "just get on with it" in life. I attached so much significance to these diagnostic terms and it was a mistake.

What is ultimately most important is that we DID and we ARE SURVIVERS. Most of us have been beaten down by real experts in cruelty and we struggle with feeling very bad about ourselves. In fact we are intelligent, flexible, resilient, creative, persistent, strong-willed, brave survivors. Somewhere in all the therapy needs to be some strong attention to the positives of who we are and how we utliized even the smallest things to keep ourselves going and we stayed sane too!!!!!! (even though sometimes we feel pretty crazy)

Just remember, YOU ARE A PERSON, NOT A DIGNOSIS!

Leslie and her Pixies