[abusedtoy]

I have heard about someone who had DID at the age of seventeen after extreme trauma. I am aware that it was stated how before the age of six, DID could be created for those who have been through extreme trauma.

Any thoughts?

[Amyjay]

I have read about people developing more overt DID symptoms after trauma in later childhood or adulthood if they have some trauma in early childhood too that had already set them up for dissociation. Or something like that. I think. I can't really remember.

[abusedtoy]

Originally Posted by Amyjay

I have read about people developing more overt DID symptoms after trauma in later childhood or adulthood if they have some trauma in early childhood too that had already set them up for dissociation. Or something like that. I think. I can't really remember.

Thanks Amy. Are you referring to discovering DID in adolescence or adulthood, only to find out that it has already developed in early childhood? My original intention of the thread was to ask about any thoughts of developing DID beyond the age of six and not discovering beyond this developmental age. I have heard that there is a female who was seventeen has developed DID as a teen.

[Amyjay]

I can't remember the specifics sorry. But I have read and my t has told me DID comes from trauma during a specific stage of personality formation (before the personality has "set" or integrated or something). Once that personality development has happened it can't be "unhappened". So in theory DID can't suddenly develop in a previously normally integrated self in teenage years or adulthood.

[RubyRae]

This is a good topic abusedtoy because I have read online about people claiming they have developed DID in adulthood,from trauma and abuse as adults.They get very upset when people tell them it only develops in childhood.

I'm not an expert of course but I believe it can only develop in early childhood.

[amandalouise]

Abused toy.....

short answer is that every location has their own standards of what is what with mental disorders.

here in the USA treatment providers have to fill out forms and send them to places that gather their answers with other treatment providers and put together this makes a census, demographics and statistics.

here in america everyone has to fill out a census form. this census taking for the whole country for every person in the country tells the government things like population, which areas of the country has more people, what mental disorders and physical challenges americans have, what kinds of services americans need and much more.

america also has an agency called the american psychiatric association. this agency is responsible for putting together things lik what each mental disorder in america is, what things americans must meet in order to be diagnosed that mental disorder.... a whole bunch of stuff.

my point all these documentations add up so that places like mental health agencies, doctors, the center for disease control and so on can form a picture of things like what causes this to happen, age of onset of that mental disorder, how to diagnose a mental disorder and how to treat it....

some of this happens at the country level, some at the state level and some at the federal level...

my county and state mental health demographics/ statistics state all those reported on the census's and other reports that treatment providers in my county and state have reported say DID...........begins........ in very early childhood due to extreme trauma, even if a person doesnt actually get their ...........diagnosis.......... of DID until after they are a teen ager or adult, the reported cases have shown that their DID ..........began....... before the age of 5.

you can find out what your locations demographics/ statistics/ reported cases for your location are by contacting your center for disease control, mental health agencies or by going to your local library and telling the person at the customer service desk you would like information on the annual census reports, mental health demographics and statistics for your county and state. these documents are kept in books in the reference department of libraries.

As for the 17 yr old in your post, only they can explain the hows and whys they are DID and when....maybe you can ask them if they meant a doctor .......diagnosed........them as being DID at 17.

Originally Posted by abusedtoy

I have heard about someone who had DID at the age of seventeen after extreme trauma. I am aware that it was stated how before the age of six, DID could be created for those who have been through extreme trauma.

Any thoughts?

If anything, I’d say DID was there to be discovered before the teen incident happened because the biological mechanics of onset is impossible to happen in your teen years.

Was this like a real?

How about Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD)?

DID is so specific that it is or it isn’t.

[L.P.]

I don't know nearly enough of the science behind all that to make any kind of informed statement about if it is or is not possible. I have heard it is not possible, but sometimes tornadoes lodge paper airplanes in trees... so anything is possible, I guess.

I'm just hesitant to say no it's not a thing because of the idea that it could be really hurtful and invalidating to someone. I mean, for the sake of arguing it is not true, and that the people who say this has happened to them are making it up... clearly there is something going on for them and they need help, because what kind of well adjusted human being would go and make that up and choose to live it? Real or not according to authorities, if it is real to them, the ones who say they have this happening, that's ultimately what matters to me I guess.

-Avery

[Michael W. Harris]

Originally Posted by abusedtoy

Thanks Amy. Are you referring to discovering DID in adolescence or adulthood, only to find out that it has already developed in early childhood? My original intention of the thread was to ask about any thoughts of developing DID beyond the age of six and not discovering beyond this developmental age. I have heard that there is a female who was seventeen has developed DID as a teen.

Everything is possible. Those of us who have MPD/DID or any dissociative disorder are genetically wired to easily go into hypnotic type states. Usually from what I have learned and experienced, when the person starts dissociating later in life, there was already some trauma in childhood. Then, after experiencing extreme trauma later, the dissociating starts or becomes more overt.

[abusedtoy]

Originally Posted by L.P.

I don't know nearly enough of the science behind all that to make any kind of informed statement about if it is or is not possible. I have heard it is not possible, but sometimes tornadoes lodge paper airplanes in trees... so anything is possible, I guess.

I'm just hesitant to say no it's not a thing because of the idea that it could be really hurtful and invalidating to someone. I mean, for the sake of arguing it is not true, and that the people who say this has happened to them are making it up... clearly there is something going on for them and they need help, because what kind of well adjusted human being would go and make that up and choose to live it? Real or not according to authorities, if it is real to them, the ones who say they have this happening, that's ultimately what matters to me I guess.

-Avery

Yes, I do agree that when people say something, they have a reason behind it, so I too would not want to be judgmental about it, especially, as you have said, who would want to live with a disorder (dissociative identities) on their daily basis, without a reason? There must be a reason I think, especially back in the first thread, that teenage girl had been through severe trauma.

[abusedtoy]

Originally Posted by Michael W. Harris

Everything is possible. Those of us who have MPD/DID or any dissociative disorder are genetically wired to easily go into hypnotic type states. Usually from what I have learned and experienced, when the person starts dissociating later in life, there was already some trauma in childhood. Then, after experiencing extreme trauma later, the dissociating starts or becomes more overt.

Do you mean that person already has DID/OSDD back in early childhood, just that it is hard to differentiate between the child alters and during childhood living with DID/OSDD, so it becomes clearer only in teenage years and especially clearer, when that teenager has gone through horrendous trauma that she becomes more aware about dissociation, or you meant something else completely?

In my case, I have went through early childhood trauma, especially with negligence, so I wonder about the dissociation back then too.

[Michael W. Harris]

Originally Posted by abusedtoy

Do you mean that person already has DID/OSDD back in early childhood, just that it is hard to differentiate between the child alters and during childhood living with DID/OSDD, so it becomes clearer only in teenage years and especially clearer, when that teenager has gone through horrendous trauma that she becomes more aware about dissociation, or you meant something else completely?

In my case, I have went through early childhood trauma, especially with negligence, so I wonder about the dissociation back then too.

Let me clarify a point. On this board another Veteran told me that he was receiving treatment for dissociative disorder at a VA clinic up in North Carolina. He said that many of the Veterans who got traumatized severely in the Gulf wars were exhibiting dissociative symptoms. So that VA was developing a treatment program for dissociative disorders. So maybe it can be caused by trauma later in life. But, the trauma has to be extremely severe. Like having your arms and legs blown off.

For most of us MPD/DID is a hidden mental illness. No one recognizes the symptoms while we are growing up. That is mainly because the family is totally dysfunctional. If your parents did not have mental health issues then you probably would not have gotten traumatized enough to develop the mental illness in the first place. So no one recognizes the symptoms and you have amnesia about the alters so you do not know about the symptoms. Later in life you are traumatized physically or psychologically severely. The symptoms become so severe that it is obvious at that point and not hidden.

[RubyRae]

But Michael, what you said about the veterans, dissociation does not mean DID. Dissociation is and can be a symptom of other illnesses too, and PTSD is one of them.

Not all trauma causes DID as you are implying.

That's something I have noticed on this board often, people making it sound as if all or any dissociation equals DID or any trauma in childhood equals DID.

DID is a specific dissociative disorder and not the only one. And it develops in early childhood.

And the veterans most likely have dissociation due to PTSD or an additional dissociative disorder along with PTSD.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by RubyRae

But Michael, what you said about the veterans, dissociation does not mean DID. Dissociation is and can be a symptom of other illnesses too, and PTSD is one of them.

Not all trauma causes DID as you are implying.

That's something I have noticed on this board often, people making it sound as if all or any dissociation equals DID or any trauma in childhood equals DID.

DID is a specific dissociative disorder and not the only one. And it develops in early childhood.

And the veterans most likely have dissociation due to PTSD or an additional dissociative disorder along with PTSD.

I agree with Rubyrae here not all problems in this board are DID. its just that those of us posting at the moment have or have had DID and are now integrated (one whole person again)

not everyone who has been traumatized as children will get DID, theres more to this disorder then being abused.

in short dissociation is things like feeling numb/ emotion less, feeling spaced out, feeling like an observer, a mental sense of distancing, like things are moving too slow (think feeling like what you see in a movie where a character is moving in slow motion but a bit different because its not physical and everyone has a different kind of feeling description to it )

thats what normal dissociation is in my location.

from there dissociation has different kinds of how bad it is, when it reaches a certain point on mental health charts, it is called one of the dissociative disorders...

for america thats dissociative amnesia, depersonalization / derealization disorders with or with out the specifier fugue, OSDD, UDD, and DID.

for other countries that list may also include conversation disorder (which here in america calls somatization disorder located on the somatic board) or as other members have been trying to point out to me there may be another dissociative disorder in other countries called Poly Fragmented DID (PFDID) I have not yet found any info on this last disorder but will keep looking.

my point is that this board is for all kinds of dissociation not just DID.

here in my location the veterans administration statistics do not show their veterans who have been traumatized by wars developing DID in their adulthood. they show here where I am that they have PTSD which does include dissociative problems.

anyone that wants to know if their locations veterans have developed DID because of serving in wars and their tour of duties can ask their local/ nearest branch of the VA to see their statistics on mental health.

[Michael W. Harris]

Originally Posted by RubyRae

But Michael, what you said about the veterans, dissociation does not mean DID. Dissociation is and can be a symptom of other illnesses too, and PTSD is one of them.

Not all trauma causes DID as you are implying.

That's something I have noticed on this board often, people making it sound as if all or any dissociation equals DID or any trauma in childhood equals DID.

DID is a specific dissociative disorder and not the only one. And it develops in early childhood.

And the veterans most likely have dissociation due to PTSD or an additional dissociative disorder along with PTSD.

I use MPD/DID as a catch-all when discussing dissociative disorders with people who may or may not have studied the mental illness. Most people have heard about Eve and Sibil. Even in my own case, if I ever got a diagnosis, the mental health professionals may not give me a MPD/DID diagnosis. But, I know that my other sides act and think differently than me even if other people cannot see it. Therefore, I believe that I do have a milder/hidden case of MPD/DID.

[RubyRae]

Originally Posted by Michael W. Harris

I use MPD/DID as a catch-all when discussing dissociative disorders with people who may or may not have studied the mental illness. Most people have heard about Eve and Sibil. Even in my own case, if I ever got a diagnosis, the mental health professionals may not give me a MPD/DID diagnosis. But, I know that my other sides act and think differently than me even if other people cannot see it. Therefore, I believe that I do have a milder/hidden case of MPD/DID.

Ah, I see. Thanks for explaining.

However, I hope you realize when you use MPD/DID as a catch all when discussing dissociative disorders you may be misleading members/readers.Such as the OP here, asking about DID beyond early childhood, the way you phrase it they will think it can develop later in life rather than a very young age.

A dissociative disorder does not automatically mean DID and that was the main point I was making. And you made it sound like the veterans have DID from trauma as adults,that maybe extreme trauma can cause it later in life. It can cause a dissociative disorder, yes, but not DID.

Is there a sticky explaining what the different dissociative disorders are somewhere?I hope so, I think when there's so many different opinions and thoughts the facts can get lost and be confusing for members, especially newcomers.

If someone joins here having recently been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder it could be very confusing and possibly harmful for them to read posts and think they must be DID because of what someone said. They may not even realize there's different dissociative disorders. They may not even realize everyone dissociates and its all a matter of degree and severity.

I'm just concerned about misinformation, ya know?

And I do hope you will one day be believed and get your diagnosis Michael.

[Michael W. Harris]

Originally Posted by RubyRae

Ah, I see. Thanks for explaining.

However, I hope you realize when you use MPD/DID as a catch all when discussing dissociative disorders you may be misleading members/readers.Such as the OP here, asking about DID beyond early childhood, the way you phrase it they will think it can develop later in life rather than a very young age.

A dissociative disorder does not automatically mean DID and that was the main point I was making. And you made it sound like the veterans have DID from trauma as adults,that maybe extreme trauma can cause it later in life. It can cause a dissociative disorder, yes, but not DID.

Is there a sticky explaining what the different dissociative disorders are somewhere?I hope so, I think when there's so many different opinions and thoughts the facts can get lost and be confusing for members, especially newcomers.

If someone joins here having recently been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder it could be very confusing and possibly harmful for them to read posts and think they must be DID because of what someone said. They may not even realize there's different dissociative disorders. They may not even realize everyone dissociates and its all a matter of degree and severity.

I'm just concerned about misinformation, ya know?

And I do hope you will one day be believed and get your diagnosis Michael.

I am just an average person. Since I am not trying to make money off other people, I expect them to know that this is an open discussion and not religious dogma. I am not claiming to be an expert on all cases of dissociative disorder. My thoughts and opinions come from what I have experienced and what I have read about the mental illness. I am not trying to mislead people and if you look at my profile you will not see a degree in psychology or psychiatry. Although I could have gotten a PHD in either of those fields. When I started college I did not even know that I had mental health issues. That is how badly I had been messed up by my family.

[RubyRae]

I didn't mean you were purposely trying to mislead anyone Michael, and I'm sorry if it came off sounding that way.

I just meant there should be a sticky post about the different dissociative dusorders that's clearly visible when new members come here. There could already be one that I'm missing though.

Originally Posted by RubyRae

I didn't mean you were purposely trying to mislead anyone Michael, and I'm sorry if it came off sounding that way.

I just meant there should be a sticky post about the different dissociative dusorders that's clearly visible when new members come here. There could already be one that I'm missing though.

That really isn’t a bad idea, but by which definition? I almost say other than quoting the DSM and any other clinically indecipherable to the layman, one would have to write a long winded paper that no one will ever finish reading. It seems.

[RubyRae]

Originally Posted by AlwaysChanging2

That really isn’t a bad idea, but by which definition? I almost say other than quoting the DSM and any other clinically indecipherable to the layman, one would have to write a long winded paper that no one will ever finish reading. It seems.

I believe you have misunderstood.I'm not talking about criteria used for DX or treatment but rather a simple post listing the different dissociative disorders.

Just something like:

Dissociative amnesia. The main symptom is memory loss that's more severe than normal forgetfulness and that can't be explained by a medical condition. You can't recall information about yourself or events and people in your life, especially from a traumatic time. Dissociative amnesia can be specific to events in a certain time, such as intense combat, or more rarely, can involve complete loss of memory about yourself. It may sometimes involve travel or confused wandering away from your life (dissociative fugue). An episode of amnesia usually occurs suddenly and may last minutes, hours, or rarely, months or years

Along with the other ones.I imagine when someone gets a DX of dissociative disorder or told they dissociate it can be a scary and confusing thing,especially if they're not sure what that means.

I just thought it might be helpful,especially if some think" omg,I have DID" to read about the different disorders instead of assuming it's DID,which seems to happen often.

But if not,that's fine.It was just a simple suggestion.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

I agree with Rubyrae here not all problems in this board are DID. its just that those of us posting at the moment have or have had DID and are now integrated (one whole person again)

not everyone who has been traumatized as children will get DID, theres more to this disorder then being abused.

in short dissociation is things like feeling numb/ emotion less, feeling spaced out, feeling like an observer, a mental sense of distancing, like things are moving too slow (think feeling like what you see in a movie where a character is moving in slow motion but a bit different because its not physical and everyone has a different kind of feeling description to it )

thats what normal dissociation is in my location.

from there dissociation has different kinds of how bad it is, when it reaches a certain point on mental health charts, it is called one of the dissociative disorders...

for america thats dissociative amnesia, depersonalization / derealization disorders with or with out the specifier fugue, OSDD, UDD, and DID.

for other countries that list may also include conversation disorder (which here in america calls somatization disorder located on the somatic board) or as other members have been trying to point out to me there may be another dissociative disorder in other countries called Poly Fragmented DID (PFDID) I have not yet found any info on this last disorder but will keep looking.

my point is that this board is for all kinds of dissociation not just DID.

here in my location the veterans administration statistics do not show their veterans who have been traumatized by wars developing DID in their adulthood. they show here where I am that they have PTSD which does include dissociative problems.

anyone that wants to know if their locations veterans have developed DID because of serving in wars and their tour of duties can ask their local/ nearest branch of the VA to see their statistics on mental health.

just wanted to clarify this post of mine... upon re reading it I discovered it can be misunderstood...

I dont mean everyone on this board has been integrated. I meant there are some that are integrated.

I also wanted to clarify my statement of PFDID..... so far I have not found this to be a disorder. I am in the process of researching all the countries of the world looking for the diagnostics and verifying whether or not this is a disorder. I included it in my post because I have been told in many online groups that it is a disorder and have read many posts online referring to it as a disorder. Even though I have not yet found anything leading me to this being a disorder I included it in case it was somewhere outside the USA and I did not want to offend anyone by not including it in the event that it was. I am continuing to look for the info on whether this is a mental disorder some where in the world or not.

[Loose Screw x 2]

This was an interesting and enlightening thread. Thank you to everyone who contributed their knowledge to it.
Now, since I have yet to be diagnosed for DID I can not really claim to have it from a doctor's point of view but, this is how things were for me.
On my mother's side of the family there is a lot of mental illness and generally mean-spirited behavior and even violence.
At age three I became self-aware or aware of the fact that I was something that perceived and remembered. Sort of like "I think therefor I am."
Even at that age I had OCD symptoms which I was later diagnosed with in my young adult years.
I don't remember hardly anything after the day I became self-aware save for a memory of a camping trip or maybe even a few trips and then, it was my fourth birthday all of a sudden. There are no other memories between ages three and four for me. I have numerous memories from four to five and most of them are happy memories accept for one that is very disturbing and I believe that it may have been the beginning of me being sexually abused by another family member. I'll not say what it was but, it was disgusting and perverse.
Moving on... Between ages four and five my parents began to argue frequently right in front of me. I saw/heard my mother cry which made me cry in fear and confusion because I didn't know what else to do.
Witnessing these arguments were frightening for me and very hurtful.
Other somewhat disturbing things happened to me before age five that may have only been intended as playful intentions but, it was scary enough to make me run and hide but, it also played a part in my psychological sexual development.
My father left us (our family) twice during these years and it totally destroyed me or what I could have become that fate cheated me out of.
The first time he left was bad enough but, when he returned I dreaded that he would leave me again and he did.
That's when the terrible anger and hate and rage developed and it only happened when someone provoked me to anger and it was like someone flipping a switch and suddenly I was in opposite mode and spiteful and sneaky and in a way even cowardly and for so many years I was lead to believe that this was me just getting angry and having a tantrum but, tantrums don't include sneaking around and finding someone's emotional weak spot and cruelly tormenting it to cause the most maximum amount of pain possible.
It took decades for me to realize that that was my first alternate personality and more traumatic experiences were to follow.
By the time I was in my early twenties that first alternate gave itself a name and invisioned itself a certain way.
More alternates were to follow as I grew older and maybe they'ed been there all along and were forced out by new traumas.
At age 14 I found that when aroused I wanted to be a girl and when the feeling passed I couldn't imagine having such a desire and found the thought of it repulsive.
At age 16 I created a being in my mind to help me through the trauma of being a lonely, bullied outcast.
I had been bullied pretty much throughout my childhood and at age fourteen to fifteen severely bullied by an extremely cruel kid who had it in for me for an entire school year and enjoyed humiliating me every evening on our school bus. The following year I was constantly targeted by other bullies. My life was a living Hell.
I had fantasies of doing things that you hear about on the National News then, felt guilty for the fantasies when the anger subsided.
By the time I reached my late twenties or early thirties I had discovered the internet.

A few years after that I found out about things that surpassed my wildest imaginings.
Years went by as I became more informed and more knowledgeable about certain things and I became aware of another that before I had always thought was just a part of an intense mood. Sometime later I had a run in with another psycho on a forum I had been on for a few years.
We didn't like each other from the start and it all ended badly and caused the emergence of yet another. I'm going to stop here so this doesn't become a damn novelette. So, this is why I believe that I have DID. This and many other experiences. I do switch up for handling different situations or difficult people too. I just want to know what to call this.