[AtreyuFreak]

I know someone just recently posted a thread similar to this, but I need to vent my own version.

I love my friends, but sometimes people don't realize what they say. Today at lunch we were joking around (we're a very sarcastic bunch) and one of them pretended he had multiple personalities, and one was named Greg. I didn't know what to say, so I started to chew him out, then I turned it into a joke how I have an alter named Anji and Anji and Greg know each other, hahaha. The thing they didn't realize was that I wasn't joking. I really do have an alter named Anji, and she is exactly what I joked about. Right now I don't quite know how to feel about this. Should I be angry about this? I mean, I don't want to be oversensitive, and everyone has to be the center of a joke sometimes, and they don't even know I'm DID! But do I just completely dismiss it as acceptable?? I am...torn. Ambivalent, if you will. Any ideas?

The things that people don't understand become the butt of jokes and they cause fear. The more real information and education that becomes available about DID, hopefully, will open people's eyes.
I'm sorry your friends did that to you. I know it hurts. Ignorance hurts.

[anderson]

(((((((((((((((((((((((Atreyufreak)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
when you find out let us know, thank you

[Miracle1986]

(((Atreyufreak)))
We are sorry this happened.

[WePow]

In the workplace, I was once the subject of "joking" like this - and it hurt deeply. But what I did was to let others know when I was making progress. I would mention things in a playful way such as "You don't want to see me anrgy! Remember, Mick doesn't like it when we are angry!" And even one alter who had to work a whole day for us when we were doing serious trauma healing shook hands with a couple of co-workers and my manager and introduced herself to them as an alter who helps me! I am able to stay co-conscious for the most part but I was so exhausted I could not step forward and stop her from saying it. They were a bit bewildered. But they saw it was very real and just a part of who I am. And when we have good days, I will often tell them "thank you" for being a friend and helping me when I need a friend the most - even if they have not been there much. It makes them a part of the solution rather than them seeing themselves as a part of "my" problem. Plus, I think they kinda felt a little bad for joking around anyway like that.

Since that time, they have moved on to joking about some other person in the office. I stay out of it as much as I can. But it shows me that even adults can be very childish at times. And they do feel bad for joking about the other guy. So I think they might actually have felt bad about joking about me. Just some ideas.

[anderson]

Thank you Wpowers. we be trying this it is working slowly for us but thank you for allowing us to know that it will work BIG TLC from all of us

[Rhapsody]

People tend to JOKE about things they don't fully understand or necessarily believe to be true.... and we must give them some leave way.

I usually deal with this kind of matters by calmly saying:
Hey that's not funny there are people out there that suffer & struggle with this disorder.

[kasva]

I agree with whats been said. People can be so hurtful with out thinking and sometimes when they are thinking. I've dealt with this with mental health issues. I've also dealt with this when people make homosexual jokes. I used to almost always say something, just because I felt it was wrong. But since my son has told me he's gay, if anyone makes a gay joke anywhere near me I'll say...hey my son is gay and that's not funny at all...it's what fuels bigotry.
For me, its easier to defend others than myself but I'm working on that .........good will towards all...........kasva

[Hunny]

I just feel 'that will be the day' I work with for a place where the whole group of people are and empathize with my dx. What employers accept?

[WePow]

Hunny, I think that the more tender and honest a person is internally about their own DX, the better off outsiders are at being able to handle us with grace. People on the outside take social ques from watching how we treat ourselves.

[Hunny]

Yes, you are right Wpowers, once again.

Take care.

[Fox]

{safe hugs} I find a lot of people cannot deal with the seriousness of life. It's easier to turn things into a joke. I'm guilty of even turning myself into a joke. If I try to open up to people in real life or even on other websites things get too serious and I'll say "ha ha fooled you!" or "wouldn't that be funny?". I imagine a lot of people are like that too.

I wonder why your friend was making fun of DID/MPD if they don't know you have it. Maybe they saw someone or read something about it recently and it was on their mind and it's really hard for someone on the outside to comprehend. I'm guilty of even making fun of my online sister falsely thinking she was just being an attention *****. We were going through some rough grounds ourselves and I didn't even know it. Now when I see people cracking jokes I wonder how much of what they say is true of themselves.

{safe hugs from Lucky Max}