[precaryous]

I have dissociated under stress and through triggers since before I was ten years old and through adulthood. I have always had a very active inner child. I feel as though I am a child in an adult suit.

I have explored whether I was DID/Multiple, and I admit I don't know very much about it. I technically am not DID/Multiple, I am told, because I do not fit enough of the criteria.

My observation is, just because "experts" make up the criteria, it doesn't mean they totally grasp the issue.

My thinking is- we now know gender is a spectrum (not that gender is a disorder at all), we know autism has a spectrum. Maybe DID/Multiple is also on a spectrum? Maybe I didn't completely separate...Maybe I am partially torn? Maybe I am DID/Multiple not otherwise specified?

I may be totally off base here.

Do you think DID/Multiple can be on a spectrum?

[Patagonia]

Oh yes definitely! My T says it's on a wide range spectrum. One side are people who might daydream & on the other side is DID. There's a lot in between.
I've been told I'm DID w/ amnesiac walls. I'm not sure that's DID to me & I know I don't fit every aspect of it but my T says I fit in other areas. I'd say I'm DDNOS.
The label can be bothersome & I have trouble understanding all of it. All I care about is that my T understands it enough to help me & get me through all of it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by precaryous

I have dissociated under stress and through triggers since before I was ten years old and through adulthood. I have always had a very active inner child. I feel as though I am a child in an adult suit.

I have explored whether I was DID/Multiple, and I admit I don't know very much about it. I technically am not DID/Multiple, I am told, because I do not fit enough of the criteria.

My observation is, just because "experts" make up the criteria, it doesn't mean they totally grasp the issue.

My thinking is- we now know gender is a spectrum (not that gender is a disorder at all), we know autism has a spectrum. Maybe DID/Multiple is also on a spectrum? Maybe I didn't completely separate...Maybe I am partially torn? Maybe I am DID/Multiple not otherwise specified?

I may be totally off base here.

Do you think DID/Multiple can be on a spectrum?

if you mean are there different types of DID like there is a bipolar 1 and bipolar two the answer is no, not here in the USA....

the term spectrum here in the USA means something does not fit a specific set of values.... Here in the USA there as been lengthy research and documentation on DID since way back in the 1800's to the present date so theres enough data that states DID has a specific set of values (diagnostic criteria of what DID is)

DID can .....affect.....a person in different ways but everyone who has DID here in america meets the same set of values (diagnostic criteria)

my therapist explained it to me like this.....

many people can have a cold, meet the same diagnostic criteria of having the cold virus. but they can have different symptoms...one person may have a stuffy nose, another may be coughing, another may have a head ache/body aches, and another can have any combo of those... but they all have the same cold virus that meets the same set of values (diagnostic criteria of what the cold virus is)

people with DID can have any number of / combination of......symptoms....but here in America in order to carry the diagnosis of DID the person has to meet the same set of values (Diagnostic criteria).....

example

one person with DID may hear voices another may not.
one person with DID may lose time every time they see an old man another may not
one person with may lose time when they are depressed another may not.
One person with DID may have two alters another may have many many more.
one person with DID may have a short amount of memory problems and another may have a whole lot of memory problems...

but all of these people if living in the USA must meet the same set of values (diagnostic criteria) before a treatment provider will label them with having DID....

here is what treatment providers in america now go by for what is DID...to find out what is DID in other locations around the world you will need to contact your own treatment providers. ....

Dissociative Identity Disorder 300.14 (F44.81)

A. Disruption of identity characterized by two or more distinct personality states which may be described in some cultures as an experience of possession. The disruption in identity involves marked discontinuity in sense of self and sense of agency, accompanied by related alterations in affect, behavior, consciousness, memory, perception, cognition, and or sensory-motor functioning. These signs and symptoms may be observed by others or reported by the individual.

B. Recurrent gaps in the recall of every day events, important personal information, and or traumatic events that are inconstant with ordinary forgetting.

C the symptoms cause clinical significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.

D. The disturbance is not a normal part of a broadly accepted cultural or religious practice.

Note in children the symptoms are not better explained by imaginary playmates or other fantasy play.

E. The Symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g. Blackouts or chaotic behavior during alcohol intoxication) or another medical condition (e.g. complex partial seizures)

along with this diagnostic criteria are 5 pages that go into more detail in categories of diagnostic features that explains the above diagnostics in more detail, Associated features supporting diagnosis, the statistical prevalence of the disorder, the development and course of the disorder, Risk and Prognosis Factors, Culture Related Diagnostic Issues, Suicide Risks and the Functional consequences of this disorder. The DSM 5 also addresses Differential Diagnosis (other dissociative disorders that share the same symptoms) and Comorbidity (having more than one diagnosis)

if you believe you have DID there are new diagnostic tests available through mental health treatment providers. your treatment provider will be able to explain the very long process of mental and physical health evaluations and can refer you to a treatment provider that can administer the testing procedures.

[precaryous]

Thank you very much, amandalouise. I have all the symptoms of DID except A. "Two or more distinct personality states which may be..."

If data goes back to 1800 that proves DID has a specific set of values, etc., then, I guess that answers my question. Thank you.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by precaryous

Thank you very much, amandalouise. I have all the symptoms of DID except A. "Two or more distinct personality states which may be..."

If data goes back to 1800 that proves DID has a specific set of values, etc., then, I guess that answers my question. Thank you.

with out the alters well there are dissociative disorders and other mental/physical health problems where you may have problems with memory that causes you significant clinical distress and other dissociative like symptoms.

Dissociation (not DID Im talking about the word dissociation) is a normal thing that happens to everyone. its a reaction to anything a person finds stressful, painful or even good things too can make a person have dissociative like symptoms.

A few years back, after New York passed the gay/lesbian marriage law, I got married to the most wonderful woman. it was such a happy and exciting time in my life you would think a person would remember everything there was about that. but I dont. I can tell you we traveled to Niagara Falls, and alone the way invited our family and friends along to be there with us at the wedding. I can tell you my wife and I both wore wedding dresses, ....my point is I can tell you the basics like telling a story but actually remembering it with all my senses I cant. I was so emotional that my brain dissociated many of the details to where it doesnt feel real sometimes. I know its real and I know it happened but my memory now has gaps in it from being so emotional. sometimes this causes me distress. I will be looking at the pictures from our trip and wedding, reception, honeymoon and not remember what Im seeing in the photos. how can I forget that, you know. it affects my social life, sometimes even my work life....

At the time I got married all my alters were integrated. which means I no longer carried the diagnosis of DID. but I did /do still have other dissociative symptoms.... the above situation well my treatment providers call it dissociative amnesia and depersonalization/derealization disorders because there are no alters that took over during the event.

My suggestion talk with your treatment providers, they can help you discover what your mental disorders are and help you with your dissociative like symptoms. one thing that helps me to not dissociate when under stress/anxiety is medications for anxiety/stress. maybe it can help you too so that you dont have as many events that cause you to dissociate to the point where it affects your memory.

[lizardlady]

precaryous, dissociation exists on a spectrum. At one end is "normal" dissociation like highway hypnosis. The other end is DID. DID is a descreet diagnosis of it's own as Amandalouise pointed out. It sounds like you are somewhere on the spectrum of dissociation without meeting the criteria for DID. Does that make any sense?

The DSM has a catchall diagnosis of "dissociative disorder not otherwise specified" that means the person does not meet the criteria for any of the other dissociative disorders, but they do dissociate to the point it causes problems.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by lizardlady

precaryous, dissociation exists on a spectrum. At one end is "normal" dissociation like highway hypnosis. The other end is DID. DID is a descreet diagnosis of it's own as Amandalouise pointed out. It sounds like you are somewhere on the spectrum of dissociation without meeting the criteria for DID. Does that make any sense?

The DSM has a catchall diagnosis of "dissociative disorder not otherwise specified" that means the person does not meet the criteria for any of the other dissociative disorders, but they do dissociate to the point it causes problems.

yes some countries still use the diagnosis label ....not otherwise specified (NOS) but here in the USA there is no labeling of NOS for dissociative disorders..

it has been changed over to the new diagnostic labeling system where what .......used..... to be called Dissociative Disorders not otherwise specified (DDNOS) is now two different diagnostic labels......

OSDD (other Specified Dissociative Disorder)

Other Specified Dissociative Disorder 300.15 (F44.89)

This category applies to presentations in which symptoms characteristic of a dissociative disorder that causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning predominate but do not meet the full criteria for any of the disorders in the dissociative disorders diagnostic class. The Other Specified Dissociative Disorder category is used in situations in which the clinician chooses to communicate the specific reason that the presentation does not meet the criteria for any specific dissociative disorder. This is done by recording "Other Specified Dissociative Disorder" followed by the specific reason (e.g. "Dissociative Trance")

Examples of presentations that can be specified using the "other specified" designation include the following:

1. Chronic and recurrent syndromes of mixed dissociative symptoms: This category includes identity disturbance associated with less-than-marked discontinuities in sense of self and agency, or alterations of identity or episodes of possession in an individual who reports no dissociative amnesia.

2. Identity disturbance due to prolonged and intensive coercive persuasion: individuals who have been subjected to intensive coercive persuasion (e.g. brainwashing, thought reform, indoctrination while captive torture, long term political imprisonment, recruitment by sects/cults or by terror organizations) may present with prolonged changes in or conscious questioning of, their identity.

3. Acute Dissociative reactions to stressful events: this category is for acute transient conditions that typically last less than 1 month and sometimes only a few hours or days. These conditions are characterized by constriction of consciousness, depersonalization, derealization,perceptual disturbances (e.g. time slowing, macropsia) micro-amnesias, transient stupor; and or alterations in sensory-motor functioning (e.g. analgesia, paralysis)

4 Dissociative Trance: This condition is characterized by an acute narrowing or complete loss of awareness of immediate surroundings that manifests as profound unresponsiveness or insensitivity to environmental stimuli. the unresponsiveness may be accompanied by minor stereotyped behaviors (e.g. finger movements) of which the individual is unaware and/or that he or she can not control, as well as transient paralysis or loss of consciousness. The dissociative trance is not a normal part of a broadly accepted collective cultural or religious practice.

and UDD (unspecified Dissociative Disorder)........

Unspecified Dissociative Disorder 300.15 (F44.9)

under this diagnostic label the DSM 5 states....

this category applies to presentations in which symptoms characteristic of dissociative disorder that cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning predominate but do not meet the full criteria for any of the disorders in the dissociative disorders diagnostic class. the Unspecified dissociative disorder category is used in situations in which the clinician chooses not to specify the reason that the criteria are not met for a specific dissociative disorder, and includes presentations for which there is insignificant information to make a more specific diagnosis (e.g. in emergency room settings)

the DSM does not go into any further detail like it did with DID, depersonalization/derealization disorder and dissociative amnesia.

[precaryous]

Originally Posted by lizardlady

precaryous, dissociation exists on a spectrum. At one end is "normal" dissociation like highway hypnosis. The other end is DID. DID is a descreet diagnosis of it's own as Amandalouise pointed out. It sounds like you are somewhere on the spectrum of dissociation without meeting the criteria for DID. Does that make any sense?

The DSM has a catchall diagnosis of "dissociative disorder not otherwise specified" that means the person does not meet the criteria for any of the other dissociative disorders, but they do dissociate to the point it causes problems.

Yes! That describes my experience. I do dissociate..sometimes I am aware I am dissociating...other times I lose time and am not aware i have dissociated until other people mention I have done something that I don't remember doing/saying. Sometimes I lose time. Sometimes I "go away." It's complicated and all mixed up. When I was younger I would get in trouble all the time for not completing projects or following outlines...when I wasn't aware there was an outline or a project.

[Fuzzybear]

[ChildlikeEmpress]

When I was younger I would get in trouble all the time for not completing projects or following outlines...when I wasn't aware there was an outline or a project.

That's happened to me, too! I remember one instance where we had a big history test in 5th grade and not only did I not know we were going to have a test that day, I also had absolutely no memory of covering any of the subject matter. I turned in a blank test and cried and begged to be given another chance.
It definitely sounds like the dissociating is causing you distress.

[-jimi-]

I indeed think it is a spectrum. There are many people who actually have several personas that are not just a mask, but are far from the DID diagnosis. So from them up to full DID, sure, possible.

[Kiya]

Yes - like a lot of people have said, DID/DDNOS is a spectrum, it's good that you already know that. A lot of the practitioners still don't know enough about it.
I too have always felt like a child in an adult suit, and i often am unaware of my actual body age - to the point where I get it wrong when asked lol. There's a lot of good info in here already, so I won't repeat stuff

[Rose of Sharon]

Hi Fellow-Survivors!

When I was diagnosed with DID and Complex PTSD back in the late 1990's the amnesic walls were so thick that everything was mostly walls. The absolute confusion, pain and time-loss was incomprehensible. All the 700+ split personalities were each in their own cubicle enclosed in these walls and buried in their individual agony, filth and horror of the abuse each carried.
Today I am alive and shouting out hope to all who may be agonizing in the aftermath of abuse and some in the confusion of DID. Each individual part of me has been accessed (except a few of the last ones we're working with) and the pain they held to shield my life and sanity has been resolved. The walls are broken down and we live together in unity. My life was as a shattered potter's vessel before receiving hope and help. Today the pieces have been found, accepted, validated and brought to healing so that I am once again a usable vessel put back together, even though so-called "integration" was never officially attempted in any way.
There is abundant hope for you all. Please know that my heart is with every survivor out there from sea to sea. The healing journey is worth it all!

[Superstarr1111]

I have all of the symptoms except the first one is questionable.
I have missing time, and evidence that there is possibly an altar or altars...
However, I have no memory or awareness of what occurred or what state I was in, and a bit skeptical. But there's evidence that I've done things that I have no memory of doing.
At this point I really just want the truth.
But I do have several "altar ego" states that are very distinct and some have names. It's been a personal question about if I've partially split.
This thread is very helpful and I'd enjoy all the info I can get. I'm getting conflicting info... Is DID common or rare?

Originally Posted by precaryous

I have dissociated under stress and through triggers since before I was ten years old and through adulthood. I have always had a very active inner child. I feel as though I am a child in an adult suit.

I have explored whether I was DID/Multiple, and I admit I don't know very much about it. I technically am not DID/Multiple, I am told, because I do not fit enough of the criteria.

My observation is, just because "experts" make up the criteria, it doesn't mean they totally grasp the issue.

My thinking is- we now know gender is a spectrum (not that gender is a disorder at all), we know autism has a spectrum. Maybe DID/Multiple is also on a spectrum? Maybe I didn't completely separate...Maybe I am partially torn? Maybe I am DID/Multiple not otherwise specified?

I may be totally off base here.

Do you think DID/Multiple can be on a spectrum?

[Claritytoo]

Originally Posted by Superstarr1111

I have all of the symptoms except the first one is questionable.
I have missing time, and evidence that there is possibly an altar or altars...
However, I have no memory or awareness of what occurred or what state I was in, and a bit skeptical. But there's evidence that I've done things that I have no memory of doing.
At this point I really just want the truth.
But I do have several "altar ego" states that are very distinct and some have names. It's been a personal question about if I've partially split.
This thread is very helpful and I'd enjoy all the info I can get. I'm getting conflicting info... Is DID common or rare?

I think it would be best if you went to your medical doctor and had a complete physical in order to rule out a physical problem.

[Kiya]

My GP doctor (who was also DID) told me that DID is far more common than people think. I mean, if you think of just how high the abuse rates are, it does stand to reason that the DD/DID rate is going to be higher also. Many don't like to believe abuse is common (that's a whole other issue).
My first therapist also thought I was "fractured" because I had "Altered states" (which at least in my case, were actually alters).