Quote:
Originally Posted by yagr
I've never really been that interested in having friends. That's probably worth an analysis, but we'll leave that for another day.  I mention it though because I think it's germane to how I haven't had nearly as much difficulty in getting along with what you've described as 'normals'.
I have DID. I make no apologies for it. I don't tense up or get embarrassed when I explain it to someone. I don't use the fact that I have DID to make excuses. When I share my dx with people, I explain it as if I was explaining that I have brown hair. I really don't care what anyone thinks about it - fact is, if they had my childhood, they'd have DID too - if they survived.
So, I go to work...unless Sonseearae shows up, in which case she works. I'm in management and so I have a staff that works directly for us - they'll greet whoever shows up and they take direction from whichever one of us shows up. I'll stop off at the local Walmart on the way home to pick up prescriptions or the days groceries. The cashiers and pharmacy staff have met both of us (there are more but they don't make public appearances often) and treat us equally. Our local Starbucks knows who is who by the drink we order and puts the corresponding name on the tag. In fact, the employees get recognition for knowing 100 customers by name and their regular order and the last employee to receive that recognition did so by fulfilling customer number 99 and 100 with us.
I assume making friends would be easy using the same 'no apologies' kind of attitude. We are friendly, we don't make a big deal out of it, and no one else does either. |
That is really cool. I admire your openness with the people in your life, and I think that allowing people to know you and your parts is the one thing that can work against the stigma and misinformation that goes around in public circles about all kinds of conditions.
I wish I could do that. We aren't ready for that kind of disclosure, but I really hope some of the people in my life could get to know at least a few of my parts. I like them, and I think they have much to offer. Bunny, for instance is a sweet and beautiful soul. She loves and cares for others so genuinely, and is a great encourager. Sire is cool. Blue is sassy, frank, and fun to talk to. I don't like feeling that my friends don't know me very well at all, but that is really the story of my life. My T warned me to be very careful sharing my dx with people because she believes that there are some significant childhood issues involved, and a rejection or misunderstanding would really destabilize us in ways I might not be able to account for, so I'm taking her advice. I'll talk to her about sharing before I do and I also need some help communicating with Yellow about it. Her staunch protection is the biggest reason why most everyone who knows us perceives us as "normal," (whatever that means
). She puts on some serious body pains when we try to talk to anyone but T and my best friend about us.