[AtreyuFreak]

The title says it all. It was...awkward, to say the least. He (and others) kept saying how weird DID was, how complicated and strange...I'm glad they didn't say anything worse, but after he finished I heard one girl commenting that "it doesn't exist" in a really derogatory tone. I don't like her anyway, but it still sucked to hear people agreeing with her. I can't believe people still think that! And I made a couple comments that I probably shouldn't have, correcting people ("Sybil had 16 alters, not 15", "It's Dissociative Identity Disorder now, not MPD"), but I can't really help it. It's a compulsion to correct people when they're assuming wrong. I do the same thing when someone's talking about addiction, depression, BPD, etc. Anyway...rough start to the day, eh?

Feel free to add your own stories; in my case nobody knows I'm DID, so it was strange to be on the "outside looking in", per se. It was like they were talking about me without knowing it...

[englishteacher]

I just watched the remake of Sybil last night. That movie always gets to me, but I'm drawn to watch it every chance I get. It's amazing to me that some people think that DID is not a reality. I suppose because it scares them or because they are just very close-minded - their reality is the only reality. I'm sorry you had to deal with close-minded people - your psych professor should know better and really, why allow students to be so negative? I'm very careful in my classroom to steer conversations away from negative ideas, especially judgemental ones, that could be harmful to others in the room. I don't know what these students' lives are like or what reality they have lived. I don't want to trigger someone unintentionally, but I know not all profs are that way.

[AtreyuFreak]

It was somewhat triggering. I'm most worried about the fact that almost all of my peers thought it would be beneficial to watch Sybil (the movie), and my teacher agreed. I liked the movie, but it was very triggering--and I watched it before I even knew I was DID. If it was triggering then, it will be much more so now. I'm afraid that the student teacher, who went to college specifically for Psych courses, noticed my reaction(s) to the discussion on Sybil. According to the regular teacher, she's very good at observing people and figuring out habits, pet peeves, etc. Probably just my paranoia though .

[englishteacher]

Sounds like the student teacher may end up surpassing the master...

[englishteacher]

I'm sorry you are having to deal with this. Just don't watch it if it triggers you, especially if there is no assignment actually attached to it. Even if there is an assignment attached, there are ways around watching the movie to get it done. I wish you the best.

[sanityseeker]

I know that feeling when people say negative things about people with bipolar. I get to hear all sorts of 'horror' stories of their encounters with 'those crazy people'. Depending on who is talking I might say something but usually I just hold my breath until the subject gets changed. Except one time... this woman was going on and on about something and I just turned to her and said she should watch herself or I might just flip into a manic rage on her and I wouldn't be responsible for what happened next. She backed off like she thought I might kill her or something. I felt empowered. lol. I knew there was no way to change her stereotype so I thought what the heck lets crank it up a notch for her. I still think its funny. My bad.

[sanityseeker]

I remember reading the book years ago and I have seen the old movie a few times. It always facinates me. I can see how it could be a real trigger for some so best not to watch if that is the case for you. Have you thought at all about having a conversation with the student teacher?

[loveregardless]

lol. sanityseeker.

People like their misinformation and stereotypes.

"Thinking I'm a moron gives people something to feel smug about. Why should I want to disillusion them?" Charles Wallace from A Wrinkle in Time by. Madeline L'Engle

[WePow]

I have never watched that movie. Nor have I watched the 3 faces of Eve. I have watched United States of Tara season 1 this past month on DVD though. All I know is that it matters very little to me what most people think or say about DID. If they can't imagine DID, then I am happy for them because they have not been through the emotional and mental hell those of us with DID experienced.

[AtreyuFreak]

I thought the United States of Tara was hilarious, albeit somewhat emotionally charged.

The thing that got me the most is the way they regarded is as something so negative, so difficult, so...bad. At first I thought of it that way but now I think it would be so, so, so much more difficult if I had to deal with my life without the help of my system within. I can't even imagine being without them...it scares me to even think about. Honestly, their existence is, ironically, the only reason I'm not "bats*** crazy".

[anderson]

In the past I have read the books and watch parts of the movie. In hind sight that is why I have always tell others do not judge until you have walked a mile in anothers. Since my alters are public knowledge I have had to fight alot of bad PR for the simple fact that fantasy is so much more interresting then fact. But when doing class discussing maybe try to put the question to them not jump them but ask the teacher and class some simple questions like "If a person is color blind is it real or a put on?"
When faced with adverstiy I have learned to ask questions that make a person think of their answer. It is a way to make a point but allowing the other person to look in their own mind for it.
Remember just because you can only feel the wind does not mean that it is not real. Even with todays tecnology you can see a person aruor. But with out the special equpments the average person could not see it.
For us we known and accepted us when we came to this hick town but like all blind fools if they can not see, feel, tast it, then it does not exist or have no faith in the spiritual world.
For children the spiritual world is so easy to accept it is not until we get older that we are tought not to believe in it the way we had to in order to surive what we had to as children.
Remember alters may do bad things but it was the way that they learned not only to protect the body but your inner soul as well.

It's sad to hear that some think DID doesn't exist. Sadly, there will always be people who think mental illnesses don't exist, such as schizophrenia and depression. Some people who have never experienced mental illness just can't seem to grasp how tough and REAL it is, and this is discouraging.

[AtreyuFreak]

I actually learned something interesting from a book on DID. For one, different alters obviously have different ways of talking, writing, acting, etc. They often have different IQs, interests, skills, etc. They have now found out that different alters even have different results on brain scans . Like, if a child alter is out, it reads the same as a regular child's brain! To me this is concrete, without a doubt proof!!!

Oh, and when my psych teacher brought this up, he mentioned that apparently people are trying to find a way to reciprocate DID! Obviously without the trauma, memory loss, emotional issues, etc. This is because the average person uses 10-20% of their brain capacity, whereas the average person with DID uses 85%!!!! I heard this and I was like, "booyah suckers!!" lol not quite like that but it made me realize how many advantages there are to DID, which kinda balance out the negative. If you think about it, it makes sense. To use myself as an example: between all my different alters, we: play drums, guitar, piano, bari sax, clarinet; play basketball, hockey, baseball, and tennis; paint, draw, write, and read at a very advanced level; and excel in english, math, CNA work, physiology, chemistry, academic writing, medical terminology (basically all things medical or health-related). This list is by no means exhaustive. If a "normal" person (sans DID) were to list all these talents, they'd be taken to be egotistic or a prodigy! I've always been amazed by the number of cumulative talents people with DID possess.

I thought that was interesting...

[anderson]

That is so cool! If you can get web sites with that data that would be awsome! "BooooYou" is right!
A rope is only as strong as the strands breaded into it.
Just think when every one helps out on a test the score is so much higher!
When we are able to work together with out stress, we do have an ego issues not because we think that we are all that but we know that we can depend on each other given the opertunity.
So go for it, Why shoot for the moon? When the stars are so much brieter?
Needless to say none of us took up spelling. LOL

[Hunny]

Oh you guys, I can't tell you how I have needed this thread this morning! Arrrggghhh, dealing with memories in my therapy and well...don't want to go there at this moment but just want to say, I have had this 'brain scan' and yes it does show up differently when child alters, teen alters etc are out.

I can only say when I first got the results I wept with relief as soon as they were given. The testors were kind of absorbed in reading the results and I was just unable to hold it back. I was eternally grateful for those that validated me prior to the test but the test results gave just that one more piece of external validation to a lifelong battle of denial and acceptance.

Originally Posted by AtreyuFreak

I actually learned something interesting from a book on DID. For one, different alters obviously have different ways of talking, writing, acting, etc. They often have different IQs, interests, skills, etc. They have now found out that different alters even have different results on brain scans . Like, if a child alter is out, it reads the same as a regular child's brain! To me this is concrete, without a doubt proof!!!

Oh, and when my psych teacher brought this up, he mentioned that apparently people are trying to find a way to reciprocate DID! Obviously without the trauma, memory loss, emotional issues, etc. This is because the average person uses 10-20% of their brain capacity, whereas the average person with DID uses 85%!!!! I heard this and I was like, "booyah suckers!!" lol not quite like that but it made me realize how many advantages there are to DID, which kinda balance out the negative. If you think about it, it makes sense. To use myself as an example: between all my different alters, we: play drums, guitar, piano, bari sax, clarinet; play basketball, hockey, baseball, and tennis; paint, draw, write, and read at a very advanced level; and excel in english, math, CNA work, physiology, chemistry, academic writing, medical terminology (basically all things medical or health-related). This list is by no means exhaustive. If a "normal" person (sans DID) were to list all these talents, they'd be taken to be egotistic or a prodigy! I've always been amazed by the number of cumulative talents people with DID possess.

I thought that was interesting...

[AtreyuFreak]

Originally Posted by Hunny

just want to say, I have had this 'brain scan' and yes it does show up differently when child alters, teen alters etc are out.

OMG! That is so cool! Of course, when you first hear about it, you feel skeptical, but it's awesome beyond what words can describe to know that it's really true!!!!

[WePow]

As I was doing the blending work between alters, I was actually feeling my brain doing things - It felt like jolts of electricity in there between different parts. I didn't think the brain could feel things but T said that what I told him matched the areas of the brain that would be active for those alters we were blending. He thought the hypersensitivity I have as a result of the PTSD allowed me to feel what was really going on in my brain :-)

[anderson]

It is the same way here Hunny and Wepow and Atreyu!
To know that there is physcal evidence for those of us that live in a world that at times still preaches that the world is flat.
Now this would be awsome if this thread turned out to have over 500 post of how we have been proven to be real with the science that we now have avalible to us,

[sanityseeker]

Originally Posted by loveregardless

lol. sanityseeker.

People like their misinformation and stereotypes.

"Thinking I'm a moron gives people something to feel smug about. Why should I want to disillusion them?" Charles Wallace from A Wrinkle in Time by. Madeline L'Engle

Ain't that the truth. Sometimes I am patient and will take the time to educate but sometimes you just know it is a waste of breath so why not have some fun with them. The look on her face was priceless. I imagine I am now the subject of her horror stories about 'those crazy people' but hey I figure I am probably in very good company. lol

[willowtrees10]

when people talk about DID it give us anxiety. when we get that way my mouth starts and i don't stop. We have even gone to the point of talking about storys of friends who have DID and bring pictures in of their different alters. etc. I think if i can tell a story along with their diagreement it helps. also DID is conterveral and you can't change people's beliefs, it does make dx and treatment hard for us though when docs. theapists don't believe in it.

[AtreyuFreak]

Now, in the same class, we're watching Sybil. The small part we watched today was somewhat bothersome but I managed not to get triggered. It's a good movie, but it really makes me angry because (in typical Hollywood fashion) many things are exaggerated. And that's often all people know or see about DID!!! Tomorrow is the REALLY triggering abuse scene with Sybil (as a child) and her mother...I might have to find a way to get out of class, cause I know almost for sure that I'll be triggered...feel free to give me ideas/suggestions oh how to deal or get out of it...

[stove14]

Hi, I dont have DID but I do have a problem with dissociation...but my therepist KEEPS asking questions like shes not sure she belives me..."do you remember driving here?"(no i was on auto-pilot)(i take the back way so theres no traffic to deal with and i can just watch the scenery or "daydream") "do you remember what you were doing at 315pm last Tues?" (WHAT??? Hell no!, but if you hum a few bars...lol) "have you ever woke up and didnt know where you are or didnt recognize the clothes you were wearing(not since i quit drinkin and drugs back in the early 80s). As much problems as I have staying in the H&N (here and now) I can't imagine how much harder it would be for you - not knowing if the one whos out is protective or destructive...
just thought about what I wrote- I hope it wont be offensive...dont mean for it to be was trying to be understanding and supportive hope i did ok...just wanted to talk,sorry bye

we hate sybil and everything it represents because its such an inaccurate portrayal at least we think so and im sorry you actually have to watch it

[Jewels]

Sybil, in case you are unaware, was a real woman's journey with MPD and her help by her psychiatrist to get through that time and lead her into integration. The woman today lives free of MPD, and lives quietly in a little town in the northeast. Just so you know what is true and what isn't.

Jewels

Atreyu...the only thing I would suggest would be to either close your eyes and put some music in your ears when the movie starts so you don't hear it or see it...or go to the bathroom or something like that so you are not putting yourself in harm's way by watching it....I hope it helps...

abbi

[TayQuincy]

Originally Posted by Jewels

Sybil, in case you are unaware, was a real woman's journey with MPD and her help by her psychiatrist to get through that time and lead her into integration. The woman today lives free of MPD, and lives quietly in a little town in the northeast. Just so you know what is true and what isn't.

Jewels

Atreyu...the only thing I would suggest would be to either close your eyes and put some music in your ears when the movie starts so you don't hear it or see it...or go to the bathroom or something like that so you are not putting yourself in harm's way by watching it....I hope it helps...

abbi

Actually, the real "sybil" is dead. Her name was Shirley Mason and she died in 1998.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Ardell_Mason