[Luce]

Have you been formally diagnosed with a dissociative disorder?

If so, what instrument was used as a diagnostic tool?

We have been diagnosed with DID a long time ago. The assessment tool was the DDIS - the Dissociative disorders Interview Schedule.
The new psychologist gave us the DES a month or two ago. We are having another diagnostic assessment done in a few weeks.The next assessment is being done by a psychiatrist that is flying in from a different city. I don't know what diagnostic tool will be used. We are nervous because we don't know her.

[elevatedsoul]

im still waiting to be tested ... forgot to talk about it...

[finding_my_way]

i did not ever receive any diagnosis based on a test of any kind.

i only had tests over the years to look for learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, cognitive functioning, and overall personality profile. they never picked up on dissociation as i don't believe that was something ever included on tests.

what led to my diagnoses of dissociative disorders including DID was based on a professional who was educated/knowledgeable on it and seeing it in me over the first few sessions/months of seeing them. it took longer though for me to talk about it, so it was only last year officially confirmed to me after several years of seeing them.

[Luce]

I think it is fairly common to be diagnosed solely on clinical presentation. The T that first picked it up in us did that. When we moved cities and got another T we told her we had DID, and she got us to do the DDIS to confirm it... but it was mainly out of interest, I think! (It was interesting for both her and me).
In this current return to therapy our therapy can be fully funded if we have a current diagnosis that is directly caused by the abuse. Given that the previous diagnosis was over 20 years ago it needs to be reconfirmed before they will fund any more therapy. Thus the testing.
I think generally speaking it isn't necessary or even really useful to confirm DID through specific testing.
Gawd, wouldn't it be 'funny' if after all this time it was found we don't have DID at all? That would sure put life in a spin!

[TrailRunner14]

Luce, I hope the diagnostic test go well for you! I pray that they show truth to what you have been dealing with, and they the test will get what is needed for you! That is my true hope.

Please understand my comment on another thread, questioning the importance of a diagnosis. That is just where I'm at. I did not understand.

[Luce]

No problem TR. I don't really have a choice in this process. (Unless I choose to pay for my own therapy out of pocket, that is. At $160 a week I'd rather not!) I am very curious about what the process will be (I am still away studying so won't be seeing my T to ask her til the end of the month) and nervous about what will be asked. I was hoping others would have been through the diagnostic process and be able to share their experiences.

One thing I am very nervous about is the info going on my medical records. Will it be sent back to my doctor? Will it be stored at the hospital only? I have managed to keep it off record in this country so far. I don't want that information potentially accessible to an abuser who works in the hospital records department. I have so many questions and no way to get the answers yet!

[L.P.]

I know that I have been diagnosed with DID, but I'm not sure about the details beyond that. I don't think I, or any other version of me, has ever been dx'd with any specific testing... I think it was all based on presentation. I'm just not 100% sure on that as I was not the host person during that time. I know what building the dx came out of, but beyond that... not so much info. Fuzzy details and such.

Yeah, I don't blame you about not wanting that stuff to get out and fall into wrong hands. Not sure where you are, but I think where I am, you have to sign off on that kind of thing before doctors of any sort can start info sharing with other doctors. Hipaa and all that. Maybe.. either that or I am talking solely out my backside and have no clue. Heh. It just seems unethical to me to be able to randomly dole out info, that's all.

Whatever the case may be, I wish you well in this.

Veda

[ruh roh]

Hi Luce,

This is an interesting question because the ones who "formally" diagnosed me over the years, gave different diagnoses with absolutely no testing, but were considered valid by virtue of them being pdocs and nothing more. And yet...each one was wrong.

I see a therapist now who diagnosed me with d id after it became more apparent what was going on (about a year and a half in). I questioned this a lot and at one point asked for a way to test, but when we did that...one of us on the inside took over and it was a disaster. The test couldn't be finished safely. I decided after that to follow the treatment for d id because it has been working like nothing ever has in all the years I have been trying to get help.

She has had a lot of experience with d id, so it's worked out very well. She never even initiated a consideration of d id until there was enough going on to clue her in and then she asked if she could ask a question and one of us came forward to reply and that was the beginning of the unfolding. Now, it's very clear all the signs have been there, right down to the different identities existing in the world with other names.

This is a long answer to your question--not what you need, sorry. I could get testing and have thought about it, but it would be private pay because I don't want this on my medical record since my mh history shows up in all the electronic medical records wherever I go. And if I did get testing...I don't see the purpose for it in my case. It won't change the treatment. And as I don't seek insurance coverage for it, all it will do is violate my confidentiality.

Funny thing is, there is no objective test for any mh diagnosis and the criteria keep changing and differ depending on the location or entity that provides treatment, so I think it's strange how often d id gets scrutinized and questioned. If the treatment works for something, go for it. I understand in your case you need it to have your treatment paid for, so I hope it goes well for you.

[kecanoe]

I did extensive testing and was diagnosed with DID, mixed personality disorder and MDD. I am sure there is a copy of the report in my file at the hospital. I have chosen to share the report with ts, although they haven't been very interested in it. T3 uses the diagnostic code for DID on insurance billing. I think she would use that regardless of the testing because the diagnosis fits. I don't know who has access to insurance billing. I would guess that it would be possible for someone to access that. I also assume that the billing people at the practice see the code, and if they were interested, they could look up the meaning.

I did the DES, the MMPI, Millon personality test, Rohrshadt, IQ test, a test where I had to tell a story that went with a picture, and one where I drew some pictures. I hope your testing gives whatever results you need to continue with therapy

[Luce]

After reading ALs thread I can verify that the entire testing process is quite complex. I saw three therapists before settling on the third, and am considered still to be in the 'assessment phase' of therapy in the funded system that I am in.
We have had 8 session for the assessment phase, and at the outset my t told me she would do some informal assessment, where she found out information she required just through our general conversations, and formal assessment, where I would need to fill out various questionnaires. So while I am not in the US the process seems similar to here.
I had already filled out several questionnaires about anxiety and depressive symptoms before coming to this T (I saw a different T several times before asking for a referral to someone more experienced with dissociative disorders) and these had been passed onto the new T.
There were times when it was very easy to tell that the questions she was asking in 'general conversation' were assessment related. And there were likely many times when I had no idea as well. We spent a total of about 1 and a half sessions devoted to filling out forms. They were very similar to the questions asked on the site that AL posted - related to PTSD, sleeping issues, anxiety, depression etc. Some of the questionnaires asked about symptoms over the last two weeks, and others asked about symptoms in the last two (six? can't remember) months. We also tried to do the DES but had to stop that as we switched a couple of times during it, and she said we'd come back to it another time when we weren't so triggered. We never did get back to it to finish it though.
Part of the overall assessment also includes pulling in information from previous physical and mental health records (there is nothing about DID in there, although there is extensive cognitive testing). I gave permission for her to get information from my previous therapist in another country, who confirmed our previous diagnosis of DID with the DDIS (and her personal experience of us).

The final step in this assessment phase is the assessment with the psychiatrist, which is set for when I return home after my study. This is the part where they are formally testing for DID. I am guessing it will be in the form of a subjective questionnaire for me to fill out and then an interview? but I don't really know. I don't know the person who is doing it and I don't know what instrument - if any - she will be using.
I don't tolerate not knowing things well!
But I can definitely attest to the process being extensive and drawn out.

[Super Glue]

I was first diagnosed when I switched in session to a 4 year old. He felt understood and cared for so others felt safe and came out as well.

I was later given testing and was told that I was a card-carrying person with DID!

[Luce]

Do you remember what kind of testing you had, SuperGlue?